Animal Crossing Should Stop Taking a Less is More Approach With One Feature

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Animal Crossing Should Stop Taking a Less is More Approach With One Feature

Highlights

  • Animal Crossing‘s gardening mechanic needs an overhaul for a more in-depth experience.
  • The current gardening system in Animal Crossing is too simplistic in some regards and too obtuse in others.
  • Animal Crossing can learn from games like Stardew Valley and Tales of the Shire to improve its gardening mechanics.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I’ve seen the evolution of life simulation games from their humble beginnings to the blooming genre we know today. While Animal Crossing has always held a special place in my heart for its laid-back charm and whimsical world, it’s time for Nintendo to shake things up a bit, especially when it comes to gardening.

Nintendo’s popular “Animal Crossing” series has earned affection for its relaxed take on the Life Simulation genre, yet as this genre is currently thriving, it could benefit from some innovation. While “Animal Crossing” continues to offer a delightful, unhurried gaming experience, one particular aspect might thrive with a more complex gameplay structure.

In the realm of Life Sim games, Animal Crossing, without a doubt, stands among the most cherished. From its roots on the N64 and Gamecube, this game series has carved out a unique niche due to its unhurried gameplay approach, which was quite a deviation from what gamers were accustomed to at the time. As the genre has progressed, fans have grown to anticipate more innovative features in each new installment of the series. Whispers abound that the upcoming Animal Crossing game will introduce numerous fresh elements, but it’s crucial that these enhancements don’t undermine established game mechanics. One aspect that many players dedicate their time to is carefully selecting and planting specific plants and flowers in their garden, town, or island. Although the existing gardening system serves its purpose well, a revamp of this mechanic could significantly improve the experience for those who prioritize their flora.

Animal Crossing’s Gardening Doesn’t Make Sense

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve found myself drawn to the Life Sim genre more than ever, with farming and gardening taking center stage. Titles like Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, and the upcoming Tales of the Shire have really captured my attention by focusing on the labor involved in maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. Now, Animal Crossing is an exception here, opting for a more laid-back approach which is fantastic for relaxation, but they’ve been gradually enhancing their gardening mechanics – a welcome improvement! However, I feel that the current system could use some tweaking. Though Animal Crossing is a game that brings families together, at times the gardening can be too easy, and other times it can be frustratingly difficult.

At present, players must cross-pollinate flowers by strategically placing specific flower colors of the same species next to each other. After planting and watering daily, they wait patiently for new varieties to grow. Due to the numerous possibilities, a guide on cross-pollination in Animal Crossing is nearly essential to achieve desired results. However, once the flowers have bloomed, their maintenance becomes effortless. The discrepancy between the challenge of breeding new plants and the ease of maintaining them leaves the mechanic feeling somewhat incomplete. To make the experience more rewarding, players should be encouraged to invest additional effort in cultivating exceptional plants.

What Animal Crossing’s Gardening Can Learn From Other Games

Modern life simulation games often incorporate gardening or farming elements, even in minor ways. For instance, these mechanics can drive the main gameplay in titles like Stardew Valley, while they serve more of a decorative purpose in games such as Animal Crossing. However, it’s not just games that focus heavily on cultivation that have well-developed systems for it; less farming-centric games also often include them cohesively. Since Animal Crossing is recognized as an early pioneer in the Farming Sim genre, it might be challenging for Nintendo to acknowledge the need for input from its predecessors. Nevertheless, contemporary games provide ample inspiration for refining and enhancing Animal Crossing’s existing gardening system. While new mechanics are constantly being developed, it’s crucial that Animal Crossing doesn’t neglect improving its current systems to keep the game engaging and up-to-date.

If you’re searching for a well-executed example of a new Life Simulation mechanic, look no farther than “Tales of the Shire“. This game excels in cooking aspects that other Life Sims have overlooked, and it appears to boast an extensive gardening system as well, since crops are essential for cooking. Maybe “Animal Crossing” could draw inspiration from “Tales of the Shire‘s” cooking and gardening systems to enrich its own mechanics in the future. In essence, by learning from the innovations of “Animal Crossing“, it can enhance its past performance.

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2024-08-10 20:05