The success ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsduring the pandemic lockdowns have helped propel the popularity ofAnimal Crossingto even greater heights. Much ofAnimal Crossing’ssuccess comes from the relaxing nature of the games as players slowly work towards their goals through customizing their towns, interacting with villagers, and collecting things for their museums.
Over the years, more and more casual games likeAnimal Crossinghave begun to gain popularity. With the leisurely pace and steady sense of accomplishment,Animal Crossinghas influenced and inspired countless games.Animal Crossing: New Horizonsfans have had plenty of time to work on their towns and some might have even begun running out of goals. With that in mind, here are some similar games thatAnimal Crossingfans should check out.
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Stardew Valley
Perhaps the most obvious choice forAnimal Crossingfans would be the indie farming simulator,Stardew Valley.WhileAnimal Crossingis focused on developing a town,Stardew Valleyhas players develop and maintain a farm. There are plenty of activities to do inStardew Valleyfrom farming, fishing, romance, and even some light dungeon-crawling.
The main difference between the games is thatStardew Valleyhas an in-game clockas opposed to a real-world clock which means that players will typically have more to do during longer playing sessions.Stardew Valleyalso has more structure in its narrative and character backstories which is more uncommon inAnimal Crossinggames.Animal Crossingfans should not missStardew Valleyif the farming simulation elements and change of pace sound appealing.
Rune Factory 4
Many social simulation games inspired byAnimal Crossingrarely utilize a combat system because it detracts from the casual atmosphere. However,Rune Factory 4manages to strike the perfect balancebetween the traditional social simulation mechanics with JRPG influences of combat and exploration.
Beyond the typical farming, bonding, and marriage elements,Rune Factory 4also features an in-depth combat systemand a full storyline. Crafting is also an important aspect of the game as it gives players different advantages when they go dungeon exploring. AlthoughRune Factory 4might not be the best choice forAnimal Crossingfans that enjoy the tranquil pace, it’s perfect for fans looking for combat or more complex crafting.
Fantasy Life
Fantasy Lifewas one of the most underrated games on the Nintendo 3DS and it struck the perfect balance between RPG and social simulation mechanics. Much likeAnimal Crossing: New Horizons,Fantasy Lifeis centered around customization and achieving various goals but it also emphasizes a class mechanic called “Life.”
Players can choose from 12 different lives that encompass combat, gathering, or crafting. Ranking up in these classes will grant players levels, different abilities, and more items to craft. Although there are options for players to customize and decorate their homes, the main focus is on the RPG side of things.Animal Crossingfans looking for a deeper crafting systembut don’t mind a little combat will find plenty to enjoy inFantasy Life.
Slime Rancher
AlthoughSlime Rancherfocuses more on exploring the worldthanAnimal Crossing,they’re quite similar in their relaxing pace. Like other simulation games,Slime Rancherfeatures farming, collecting, and managing different slimes on a ranch. There’s plenty of different goals for players to set out and accomplish while slowly improving their ranch over time.
Players can encounter hostile slimes while exploring but combat is fairly minimal and can even be turned off in Casual Mode. Offering a sandbox experience,Slime Rancherhas players collect colorful slimes, grow different crops, harvest resources, and explore the wilds outside of their ranch.Animal Crossingfans looking for more collection mechanics while retaining the same pace of gameplay should trySlime Rancher.
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Story of Seasons
Story of Seasons,formerly known asHarvest Moon,is a farming simulation series that has players rebuild a run-down farm and transform it into a successful one. Although there are numerous entries in the franchise, they all share similar gameplay mechanics to one another and are a perfect fit forAnimal Crossingfans looking for similar games.
Much like other farming simulators,Story of Seasonshas players tend to crops and livestock, befriend local villagers, and eventually marry to start a family. LikeAnimal Crossing,players slowly develop bonds with fellow townsfolk by talking to them and giving them gifts.Story of Seasonsis a little more limited in customization thanAnimal Crossingas it emphasizes life on a farm but it nonetheless provides a similar style of pace and gameplay that fans will enjoy.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Dragon Quest Builders 2is a little different fromAnimal Crossingin that it’s more of a sandbox than social simulator but it offers a similar style of gameplay and mechanics.Dragon Quest Builders 2allows players to create bases, talk to villagers, and craft items while also featuring an ARPG style of combat. As expected from its RPG influences,Dragon Quest Builders 2also features a story modewith clear objectives and goals.
Dragon Quest Builders 2doesn’t feature the traditional villager bondingand customizable furniture thatAnimal Crossinggames are known for which can be off-putting for some fans. However, forAnimal Crossingfans that enjoy sandbox features and a more open-ended style of gameplay,Dragon Quest Builders 2offers hours upon hours of fun. There’s also a solid multiplayer system in place for friends to build together.
Littlewood
Littlewoodis an indie life simulatorthat focuses on rebuilding a town and exploring a brand new world. The game has a unique premise where the world is finally at peace after the Dark Wizard has already been defeated. Players are tasked with rebuilding a town by bringing in villagers, gathering and crafting materials, and exploring the vast world around them.
Much likeAnimal Crossing,there’s plenty of customization options inLittlewoodto create the perfect town and there are even similar mechanics like terraforming. Players can interact with villagers and fulfill their requests to unlock different relationship paths.Littlewoodalso has an extensive crafting and hobby system featuring activities such as fishing, mining, farming, cooking, crafting, merchanting, and more. The pace of the game is also much more relaxed than games likeStardew Valleyas day progression depends on how much energy is expended rather than time.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis available now on Nintendo Switch.
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