Tales of the Shire’s Biggest Potential Strength May Suit Animal Crossing

Tales of the Shire's Biggest Potential Strength May Suit Animal Crossing

Highlights

  • Tales of the Shire features deep cooking gameplay that could inspire other cozy games to enhance their own cooking systems.
  • The focus on cooking in Tales of the Shire adds depth to the gameplay, emphasizing the importance of preparing meals for relationships.
  • Animal Crossing could benefit from expanding its cooking mechanic to be more interactive and meaningful, drawing inspiration from Tales of the Shire.

As a longtime fan of cozy games and simulation titles, I’ve always appreciated the attention to detail and immersive experiences they offer. Lately, I’ve been particularly enamored with “Tales of the Shire,” the new life sim set in Middle-earth’s hobbit lands. The game’s focus on cooking has really caught my attention, and I believe Animal Crossing could learn a thing or two from this innovative approach.


The charming game “Tales of the Shire” introduces creative new mechanics that fit perfectly in the fantasy genre. Other comforting games could learn from its innovative approach to enhance their own gameplay. For instance, “Animal Crossing” could benefit significantly by incorporating some of these fresh mechanics into its world.

As a gamer immersed in the enchanting world of “Lord of the Rings,” I’m thrilled about the upcoming release of “Tales of the Shire” by Private Division. This game takes a fresh perspective, shifting our focus to the everyday lives of hobbits – these unassuming beings who prefer a peaceful existence filled with farming, relaxation, and socializing. The tranquil setting of the Shire makes it an ideal backdrop for a life simulation game.

What Tales of the Shire is Cooking Up

In the engaging world of “Tales of the Shire,” hobbits take pride in their culinary skills as an essential aspect of their daily lives. Given this emphasis on food in hobbit culture, it’s no surprise that Private Division decided to highlight cooking as a major gameplay mechanic. As you step into the shoes of a hobbit character, be prepared to whip up some delicious dishes for numerous feasts.

Preparing scrumptious dishes will be essential for players aiming to build strong bonds with their new hobbit acquaintances in this game. The friendship system seems to involve participating in or hosting communal feasts similar to potlucks for other hobbits. A player’s cooking skills could significantly impact the level of friendship they earn with specific characters. This adds another motivation for players to work on their gardens and collect resources. The charm of this setup lies in the necessity of procuring a wide array of ingredients. Unlike in Stardew Valley, where the primary goal is to amass wealth, Tales of the Shire ensures that the player’s actions contribute meaningfully to advancing their relationships.

Why Animal Crossing Needs to Turn Up the Heat on Cooking

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, farming and crop growth were added as innovative features, expanding on the preexisting gardening aspect in the Nintendo game. Although cultivating plants was a familiar pastime, the ability to farm was an entirely new experience. Additionally, a rudimentary cooking system was integrated into the game, yet its dishes didn’t have much variety in use beyond decoration, eating, or gifting to villagers. Each dish had the same function, offering little distinction in gameplay. The most remarkable outcome of growing crops was the ability to create pumpkin-themed decorations for Halloween celebrations.

In the upcoming Animal Crossing installment, Nintendo could draw inspiration from Tales of the Shire to enhance the current crafting and cooking mechanics. Although the crafting aspect is functional, cooking is ripe for improvement. By incorporating a more intricate cooking system similar to that in Tales of the Shire, players would be encouraged to prepare dishes from scratch. This addition could deepen the gameplay experience by allowing villagers to have favorite ingredients or dishes that players can gift, and it would make using dishes as decorations more rewarding since players would feel a sense of ownership over their creations. By leveraging Tales of the Shire’s robust cooking system, Animal Crossing could reach new heights in engagement and enjoyment.

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2024-07-16 23:23