The Sadness of Old Animal Crossing Games

[Michelangelo]

You know, New Horizons is truly a wonderful game. I've been playing it everyday since launch. I haven't reset once. However, playing New Horizons makes it difficult going back to older games between the graphics and QoL improvements albeit inconsistent.

I felt like I was running out of stuff to do in NH, so I spent maybe three separate hours today resetting for a town in New Leaf. When I got a map I liked and plopped down my tent, I don't know...all of a sudden I didn't have the energy to relive the previous installment. In its prime, I loved playing New Leaf. Eventually it got old, and surprises no longer were so. I even went back to Wild World, and it's just too taxing getting into it. Maybe the sad truth is I'm getting older. Maybe I don't want to spend the extra time running multiple towns. I don't want to catch all those bugs and fish and start out with nothing in the older games. I can play the new one with so much more progress to be made, especially with updates. I already shared my time with the older games.

Maybe it's the memories that got to me. I try playing the older games hoping to relive the magic I experienced in my youth, but it's like trying to resurrect a deceased being. It doesn't work. I have the memories, and maybe that's good enough. I don't want to come across as ungrateful, because I loved all the games for what they were. Plus, I can always listen to the music of these games whenever I want. I was a kid when I played the first AC, now I'm almost in my mid-20s.

It's hard playing the older versions of the game. It's just not the same, and it's kinda sad. However, I'm so grateful for this series, and each previous game paved the way for the next title. I can't wait to see what else NH has in store for years to come.

 

[Kwisten]

I will say I am listening to sad jazz music and this hit differently... Haha

I've tried returning to play New Leaf since the release of New Horizons (up until the release, I still played it everyday), and I feel the same. I just can't invest myself. I also didn't realize how much of a potato the graphics look until I reflected it to other games I played on 3DS, and it makes me ask myself- how did the game come out in 2012 and and looks more like it was released in 2007?

All that being said, through the years (I'm also mid-20s) I have loved playing Animal Crossing games. I'm excited for the new features New Horizons will bring us and I can't wait to obsess over them just like I did in previous games. Still a lifelong fan.

 

[Feraligator]

I thought I was the only one who felt like this, but you've gone and taken the words out of my mouth!

I nitpick at little annoying things on NH but whenever I go back to old games I can only play for a few days because some of the new features are absolute game changers, like moving buildings. NH really is a good game even if it's missing some of the charm and cosiness of the older Animal Crossing games, and it's really hard to go back.

I also think being older makes it harder to go back as well. I used to spend hours in the city in ACCF and just enjoy talking to the villagers but today, if I go to the city I'll be bored after 5 minutes. I guess as kids we are more easily pleased by simpler things. The memories and nostalgia will always make me love the older games, but actually going back to them just doesn't feel the same anymore.

I play ACCF music when playing ACNH now. It's great because I get to hear the AC music I heard everyday as a kid while playing a fresh, modern AC game with gorgeous visuals, and it makes me feel more at home with ACNH.
I do miss the sound effects though lol, I usually have the volume really quiet to drown out the ACNH music..

 

[Kwisten]

Oh, and also- I'm not sure how everyone feels about Pocket Camp as an intermediate to New Horizons, but I love it. I play that everyday, especially on breaks from work. I wish they would make the fortune cookie furniture sets available in New Horizons like they have in Pocket Camp. They're themed to an villager and I love it. I also liked how there was, for the first time, a physical friendship tracking system where you could see what items and rewards you would get for increasing friendship level. In all other games, you're left to wonder what the floating value of your friendship with a villager is.

 

[Michelangelo]

Oh, and also- I'm not sure how everyone feels about Pocket Camp as an intermediate to New Horizons, but I love it. I play that everyday, especially on breaks from work. I wish they would make the fortune cookie furniture sets available in New Horizons like they have in Pocket Camp. They're themed to an villager and I love it. I also liked how there was, for the first time, a physical friendship tracking system where you could see what items and rewards you would get for increasing friendship level. In all other games, you're left to wonder what the floating value of your friendship with a villager is.

While I don't play PC as often as I did when it first arrived, I did sync it with NH to get special furniture. When it comes to PC furniture, I wish we can get those cool amenities and items in NH, like gazebos, clock towers, etc.

 

[matt2019]

Yeah new horizons really is the best so far. New leaf graphics weren’t that great

 

[Michelangelo]

I guess as kids we are more easily pleased by simpler things. The memories and nostalgia will always make me love the older games, but actually going back to them just doesn't feel the same anymore.

That's very true! Wish there was a way to make our favorite games feel brand new all over again.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

I feel the same way.

I really, really loved New Leaf but New Horizons is just way more appealing. It makes me wonder, honestly, how I ever thought New Leaf looked pretty lol. I'm having a hard time trying to decide if I should sell everything I had in New Leaf, or if I should keep it as is even though I know I am never going to play it again

 

[Michelangelo]

Yeah new horizons really is the best so far. New leaf graphics weren’t that great

I remember when NL came out and I was impressed with the graphics haha. They look fine. It's just now we've seen better! Everything looks so much more alive in New Horizons.

 

[Your Local Wild Child]

I hear people all the time saying “NH is missing a ton of stuff! Go to NL, you’ll get more bang for your buck!” I’ve been replaying it for a bit, and while I agree that there’s a lot more in the furniture and mini game aspect... it’s kinda duller than NH. One big complaint is that Isabelle is useless in this game but really, REALLY-once you’ve plopped down all your public service projects you’ll probably never talk to her again except for setting up to start a session. And even with the furniture-how many series’ are you going to use? How many are really appealing (the creepy harvest series comes to mind)? Nintendo has a vision for this game, and while we’re going to have to wait on a lot of stuff, I’m sure we’ll have just as much, if not more, fun stuff to decorate with.

 

[Skandranon]

I still have the original and my game cube, have no idea how I'd feel plugging it in and playing again

 

[Your Local Wild Child]

I’m tempted to see if I can get my family’s Wii down and trying Population: Growing again. I keep raving about the more foresty aesthetic of that game but other than that and the NES games, I don’t remember too much about it. My favorite memory of that game is spending an afternoon farming barred knifejaws, red snappers and coelacanths in the rain.

 

[Serabee]

When I try go back to old games, I tend to miss features from newer games. If I tried to play NL now I'd get irritated not being able to place furniture outside and worrying about where people would move in... I'm happy with ACNH- whenever I start to get a little bored, they tend to release a new update, and I'm hooked again!

While I was playing ACNL I tried playing the original GC version again. It was fun, sure... but I agree- the magic wasn't quite there. Also, I had forgotten how EASILY villagers would just pick up and leave in that game But that's how I feel with most games- when a new version is released, once it gets all the previous version's bells and whistles at least, I stop playing the old one. Like, I used to play Sims 3 a lot (admittedly, I got Sims 4 first) because it had so many expansion packs and features... but now that Sims 4 has a lot of those, and has fewer bugs, and has bugs that ACTUALLY GET FIXED, I've pretty much stopped playing Sims 3. I honestly haven't had any urge to play ACNL lately. BUT, I had an absolute blast playing it back when it was the newest game, and I'll always remember it fondly for that. But technology advances, games advance, and more often than not- I move on.

Nintendo has a vision for this game, and while we’re going to have to wait on a lot of stuff, I’m sure we’ll have just as much, if not more, fun stuff to decorate with.

Agreed! ...With everything but the harvest series, I always thought that was cute

 

[Your Local Wild Child]

When I try go back to old games, I tend to miss features from newer games. If I tried to play NL now I'd get irritated not being able to place furniture outside and worrying about where people would move in... I'm happy with ACNH- whenever I start to get a little bored, they tend to release a new update, and I'm hooked again!

While I was playing ACNL I tried playing the original GC version again. It was fun, sure... but I agree- the magic wasn't quite there. Also, I had forgotten how EASILY villagers would just pick up and leave in that game But that's how I feel with most games- when a new version is released, once it gets all the previous version's bells and whistles at least, I stop playing the old one. Like, I used to play Sims 3 a lot (admittedly, I got Sims 4 first) because it had so many expansion packs and features... but now that Sims 4 has a lot of those, and has fewer bugs, and has bugs that ACTUALLY GET FIXED, I've pretty much stopped playing Sims 3. I honestly haven't had any urge to play ACNL lately. BUT, I had an absolute blast playing it back when it was the newest game, and I'll always remember it fondly for that. But technology advances, games advance, and more often than not- I move on.


Agreed! ...With everything but the harvest series, I always thought that was cute

I thought it was cute too until a YouTuber pointed out that turkey feet were a recurring element in that series. That just gave me the heebie jeebies

 

[Serabee]

I thought it was cute too until a YouTuber pointed out that turkey feet were a recurring element in that series. That just gave me the heebie jeebies

I mean, I always noticed the turkey feet... I thought they were kinda cute!

But I really love the wallpaper- I remember turning my basement in CF into a sort of turkey cabaret with the set and a piano, I loved it

 

[Your Local Wild Child]

I do agree that I had an amazing time with NL and while I might prefer the music of that game (8 am chokes me up with nostalgia), NH is overall a superior experience.

 

[Michelangelo]

But technology advances, games advance, and more often than not- I move on.

Yeah, that's bound to happen one day. It's just moving on with the times. With contemporary technology and features, playing the older games doesn't hit the same notes knowing there's better out there.

Post automatically merged: Jul 9, 2020

I do agree that I had an amazing time with NL and while I might prefer the music of that game (8 am chokes me up with nostalgia), NH is overall a superior experience.

With the Nookphone, it'd be cool to have a music app which would allow us to play a soundtrack of our choice! Or shuffle songs from all the games!

 

[R. Planet]

There is no replicating that feeling from your youth I promise. Especially from a game that has sequels. It's never as special the 2nd or 3rd or 4th time experiencing something.

Im old. I know these things.

 

[Xara]

i feel the same. i haven’t owned a copy of new leaf for a few years now but i know i’d never be able to get back into it again - i loved it so, so much and spent 1000+ hours with it and completed so many trades but i’ve outgrown it, in a way. while new leaf had a lot of features that i love and now miss, i’m so used to new horizons and it’s quality that i’d also find it difficult to get back into any of the older games. i don’t think it’s because i’ve gotten old, though i suppose i have, but i guess i’ve just adapted to new horizons by now and don’t really know how to backtrack ;u;

 

[Tentacles]

I personally don't mind the look of older graphics and I feel like each game has it's own unique charm and features that make them worth coming back to. I love this series, it's definitely one of my faves ever so a little jankiness isn't gonna change that or deter me from enjoying past iterations.