Animal Crossing: New Horizons Review – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Nearly six years ago, Animal Crossing: New Horizons arrived at exactly the right moment. It was a gentle, welcoming game in a stressful time, and for many people it became a daily ritual. I poured many hours into my island back in 2020, then slowly drifted away as updates dried up and my town settled into a comfortable routine. Coming back to it now on the Nintendo Switch 2, bolstered by both a proper next gen upgrade and the surprisingly chunky free 3.0 update, feels a bit like revisiting an old hometown that’s quietly grown while you were away.

At its core, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still the same laid back life sim it has always been. You move to a deserted island run by Tom Nook, set up a tent, and gradually turn that island into a cozy little community. There is technically a progression path, unlocking buildings, shops, and features, but the game has never been about beating a story or rolling credits. Instead, it’s about routines. Checking the shops each day. Shaking trees for fruit and the occasional wasp. Fishing by the river to see what’s biting. Digging up fossils and donating them to Blathers. Talking to your neighbors just to see what they have to say today.

That daily loop is simple, almost stubbornly so, but it works because it’s built around real time. The game runs on a real world clock, meaning mornings feel different from evenings, seasons change, and holidays arrive whether you are ready or not. It encourages short, regular play sessions, though it’s very easy to lose an hour rearranging furniture or rethinking the layout of your island. New Horizons also leaned heavily into customization compared to earlier entries. Terraforming, outdoor furniture, custom paths, and clothing designs gave players more control than ever before, and that sense of ownership remains one of the game’s biggest strengths.

The art style does a lot of the heavy lifting here. Animal Crossing has always gone for a soft, toy like look, and New Horizons perfects it. The rounded character models, gentle animations, and warm color palette make everything feel friendly and safe. Even mundane tasks like pulling weeds or chopping wood have a certain charm because the game makes them pleasant to look at. It’s the kind of visual style that ages well because it never chased realism in the first place.

The soundtrack deserves special mention too. Times of the day have their own theme, and while none of them demand your attention, they quietly shape the mood of whatever you’re doing. Morning tracks feel slow and sleepy. Afternoon music is breezy and upbeat. Late night tunes are mellow and a little lonely in a good way. It’s perfect background music for a slice of life game. Even after years away, certain songs instantly brought back memories of late night fishing sessions or early morning check ins before work.

All of that was already there on the original Switch, so the big question is how the Switch 2 version and the new 3.0 update change the experience. The most immediate difference is visual. Running on Switch 2, New Horizons looks noticeably cleaner. The jump in resolution makes a real impact, especially on a large TV. Character models look smoother, and the jagged edges that were easy to spot on the original hardware have been largely cleaned up. The outlines of buildings, fences, and trees are sharper, and textures appear more defined without losing that soft, cozy look.

In docked mode, the game now runs at 4K, and while Animal Crossing is not the kind of game that needs raw pixel density, the clarity does elevate it. Small details like patterned clothing, signage, and custom designs are easier to appreciate. It feels less like a technical upgrade meant to impress and more like one that quietly improves everything you see.

Load times are another area where the Switch 2 version shines. Anyone who spent a lot of time traveling between islands or popping in and out of buildings on the original Switch will remember the frequent loading screens. They are still here, but they are much shorter. Loading into your island is faster, and transitions between areas feel snappier. It doesn’t fundamentally change how the game plays, but it makes the experience smoother and less interruptive, especially during longer sessions.

One of the more interesting additions tied to Switch 2 hardware is mouse control support. When decorating your home, placing items, or writing on signs, you can now use the Switch 2’s mouse functionality. It’s not something I used constantly, but in certain situations it feels more precise than analog sticks. Lining up furniture or drawing small details in custom designs is quicker and less fiddly. It’s a nice optional feature rather than a mandatory one, which feels like the right approach for a game this relaxed.

Online play also gets a small but welcome boost. You can now have up to 12 people on your island at once, up from the previous limit of 8. For players who love showing off their creations or hosting events, this is a meaningful improvement. Animal Crossing’s online has always been more about social vibes than tight mechanics, and being able to invite more friends at the same time makes gatherings feel livelier.

One returning feature is the megaphone, which lets you call out to villagers by name to find them more easily. It’s a neat callback to older entries, though if I’m honest, it’s not something I see myself using much. Most of the time, I stumble across villagers naturally, and the island isn’t so big that finding someone feels like a chore. Still, it’s harmless, and longtime fans may appreciate seeing it come back.

The free 3.0 update is where things get more interesting, especially since it’s available on both Switch 2 and the original Switch. Nintendo could have easily locked these additions behind new hardware, but instead chose to expand the base game for everyone. Some of the new features are genuinely transformative, adding depth and convenience that the game arguably should have had years ago. Quality of life improvements, expanded customization options, and new activities make the island feel more alive again.

That said, it’s hard not to wonder why some of these features took nearly six years to arrive. Several additions feel like obvious evolutions of existing systems, and their absence was felt for a long time. I appreciated having them now, but there’s a lingering sense that New Horizons spent too long in maintenance mode before getting this final burst of attention.

Even with all these upgrades, there are still areas where the game could improve. The most obvious is performance. While the resolution bump is great, the game still runs at the same basic frame rate as before. A smoother, higher frame rate would make movement and camera panning feel better, especially given the Switch 2’s increased power. It’s not a deal breaker, but it does feel like a missed opportunity.

In the end, Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Switch 2 feels like the definitive version of an already beloved game. The core experience remains as comforting and charming as ever. The visual and performance upgrades make it nicer to return to, and the free 3.0 update adds enough new content to justify rebuilding old routines. While it’s fair to question the timing of some features and wish for a bit more technical ambition, it’s still easy to lose yourself in island life all over again. For newcomers, it’s an excellent place to start. For returning players like me, it’s a reminder of why we fell in love with it in the first place.

A Nintendo Switch 2 review code was provided by Nintendo for the purpose of this review.

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