Before I play...

[Geowlett]

So, I ordered my switch (finally) yesterday and it will be here tomorrow. I already bought ACNH for when my switch gets here. One thing I'm worried about is it just being a glorified version of Pocket Camp. Can I have a rundown of the game before I play of what to expect?

 

[ForgottenT]

It's nothing like pocket camp, but it's also not as polished and developed as New Leaf for the 3DS.
But we're supposed to get some major updates sooner or later, so it'll hopefully surpass New Leaf, although I'm doubting it.

 

[DawnAri]

it's not like pocket camp at all, but it's not quite like New leaf either
you can primarily expect to turn an island into whatever you want it to be by landscaping and placing decorations!
decorating your house is also great and ofcourse it's a very different way of interacting with villagers
(which tbh, was more fun in New Leaf.. I hope they will fix this in an update)
this game is more focussed on the island aspect though, where you can really build whatever you want
I absolutely love this game, though some updates are necessary and will hopefully come soon

 

[Disneyfangirl23]

just have fun

 

[Mikaiah]

it's glorified island decorator combined with villager dialogue and some personality. Nothing like pocket camp at all.

The house decoration system is similar to the grid one in Happy Home Designer, the island decoration system (furniture) you can expect to be similar to house decorating in New Leaf (hard to rotate items on tables, gah!)

 

[Chris]

You're bound to enjoy it more if you don't know what to expect. The start of the game is very slow, so there's no point in making it feel even slower by spoiling it! New Horizons is not like any of it's predecessors - and (in my opinion) that's a good thing.

 

[Imbri]

I agree with what everyone else has said, and also add that there are a lot of throwback vibes to ACGC, I think. The tutorial section is slow and can be a little frustrating, since it is pretty hand-holding, but once you get past that, it's a lot more free.

Some things I wish I'd known when I started, though: don't sell all your resources for bells in the beginning. You'll need to keep a fair supply of branches, wood, iron, etc. on hand to craft and replace tools.

Set your starting villagers up on the beach or an open area where they are out of the way. You'll be able to move them later, but it gets costly, so the fewer times you have to shift positions, the better.

 

[Sloom]

I actually enjoyed the tutorial for this game! it was slow paced, but I loved the excitement of waking up to something new every day, and when I finally got my town hall I was over the moon. if you decide to time travel though, it's gonna be a slog I'll admit

but the core gameplay is fairly similar to leaf in my opinion. definitely not to say they're clones but you can somewhat tell what to expect if you played that (or any previous game really). but in this game there's a real emphasis on customisation and island design instead of a daily routine which is kinda what the previous games focused on imo

 

[meggiewes]

Don't worry. It is so much bigger than pocket camp. My advice is in the early days if you run out of things to do, then take a break! Enjoy that first two weeks! Oh, and remember to look up how to link your account to get those sweet pocket camp items in New Leaf. Some of those items are really cute. Like the camper t-shirt and the camp sign that you might want later.

 

[Dewasa]

Come in with no expectations and don't compare it to other AC games. I think if you just play to have fun and experience the game as is, you'll get more enjoyment out of it.

 

[JKDOS]

Nothing is a glorified version of Pocket Camp, as Pocket Camp is just a spin-off of the franchise which has existed since 2001, to cash in on micro transactions, and for Nintendo to get their feet wet in the mobile market.

 

[Matt0106]

This is game is MILES better than Pocket Camp. Pocket Camp is a game that as great as it is for a mobile game, it shoves micro transactions to increase the speed of waiting times and getting exclusive items, meanwhile New Horizons is a one-time purchase. No micro transactions (so far and I hope it says that way), with a much bigger and brighter experience. You get a whole island at your disposal, and a heck of a lot more villagers as well.

Lots of crafting, lots of stuff to do and so many possibilities. I know some people are saying it isn't as good as New Leaf, but the game is only 2-3 months old and is running a new way of getting events and furniture through updates, so it'll get beefier as time goes on. It's personally my favourite AC game thus far.

 

[RiceBunny]

I will echo what has already been said, it’s not like pocket camp, but it’s not as good as New Leaf either. When the last president of Nintendo died, I figured this game would be different, and it is. You can kind of get an animal crossing feeling still, but the game has changed a lot from its previous versions. Furniture is limited, you’d think you’d have more furniture with this game, but no, you get even less and a bunch of useless DIY’s. Terraforming isn’t as fleshed out as they make it seem, some of it can be limiting and frustrating. The random islands are becoming more and more useless with every update/patch and I rarely go unless I’m trying to get a villager. This game leaves much to be desired so far and sometimes I miss New Leaf and the island games you’d be able to play with your friends or alone

Conclusion: would I recommend this game to a friend as it is right now? No, I would not. It feels like a bare-bone version

 

[Uffe]

You're bound to enjoy it more if you don't know what to expect. The start of the game is very slow, so there's no point in making it feel even slower by spoiling it! New Horizons is not like any of it's predecessors - and (in my opinion) that's a good thing.

This is true. Unfortunately, I've seen this one reason some people were turned off by the game. They didn't stick around long enough to see how much better it becomes after you start making progress. The Nook Miles system is your friend. Some people play Animal Crossing for a few minutes and then turn it off. The Nook Miles system seems like they want you to continue to play the game by giving you things to do. You don't have to do them, but they're there. Another thing I'd like to add is collect resources and try to be frugal about using them if possible. Sadly, the game does start off slow. If you can be patient with it, then I think it'll be worth your while.

 

[stiney]

Lots of crafting, lots of stuff to do and so many possibilities. I know some people are saying it isn't as good as New Leaf, but the game is only 2-3 months old and is running a new way of getting events and furniture through updates, so it'll get beefier as time goes on. It's personally my favourite AC game thus far.

I started with New Leaf, and I like this better already. I also am puzzled by people who are out of things to do, there's still so much for me to do. I also don't trade much so maybe it's that. I'm still looking for new things to catalog and looking for DIYs and bugs and fish for my museum (not to mention art) and I just decided to redesign my residential area so that's going to be a ton of work over the next three weeks. I don't have dreamies so I am eager to see villagers move out and get new ones, whether via someone's void or a Nook Miles island or a random move in or a campsite visitor. I like the dopamine hit of completing Nooks Miles tasks (though I don't complete ones I think are annoying). The game doesn't feel bare bones to me, but I think I had different expectations going in than most people on TBT (honestly I had almost zero as I watched only the announcement trailer and engaged in zero speculation). It's not perfect, there are things that annoy me, but overall I'm really happy with the game.

I see so much negativity about the game here, just wanted to share a positive perspective.

 

[tajikey]

I'd suggest maybe poking around YouTube. Don't get caught up in designer islands, as that's not entirely realistic...especially at the start. Use the community to your advantage, and have fun.

This is hands down my favorite video game of all time, and I'm in my late 30's.

 

[Matt0106]

I started with New Leaf, and I like this better already. I also am puzzled by people who are out of things to do, there's still so much for me to do. I also don't trade much so maybe it's that. I'm still looking for new things to catalog and looking for DIYs and bugs and fish for my museum (not to mention art) and I just decided to redesign my residential area so that's going to be a ton of work over the next three weeks. I don't have dreamies so I am eager to see villagers move out and get new ones, whether via someone's void or a Nook Miles island or a random move in or a campsite visitor. I like the dopamine hit of completing Nooks Miles tasks (though I don't complete ones I think are annoying). The game doesn't feel bare bones to me, but I think I had different expectations going in than most people on TBT (honestly I had almost zero as I watched only the announcement trailer and engaged in zero speculation). It's not perfect, there are things that annoy me, but overall I'm really happy with the game.

I see so much negativity about the game here, just wanted to share a positive perspective.

THANK YOU. I've traded a little bit for furniture, but there's a reason why I'm trying to get my hybrids myself; to avoid making it too easy. I also never time travel, which helps avoid burning out. I adore what this game has to offer. People say New Leaf is better, but personally, I can't go back to those flat towns with stiff villagers. This game has been such a better experience for me, and I still have hours and hours and hours of playtime ahead of me.