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Animal Crossing: New Horizons sells over 22 million units and shows no signs of stopping

cute comfy calming

Animal Crossing has often been a series that confounds the definition of a video game, and it’s part of the reason why the newest release, New Horizons, has done so well this year. The mixture of excellence with the bizarro world we currently live in has meant that the series has not only resonated with long time fans, but those that wouldn’t otherwise venture into gaming as a hobby.

Read more: What is the point of Animal Crossing?

According to Nintendo’s official sales chart for first party games, the play has gone so well that roughly 22.40 million people have bought into island living.

The massive growth in good fortune is hardly limited to Animal Crossing. CNBC, based on official financial statements, has reported that Nintendo’s operating profits have grown 428% in the fiscal first quarter. This growth has resulted in a profit of $1.4 billion.

And based on continued excitement from the gaming sphere, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, along with other Nintendo holdings, look to have plenty of steam left when all is said and done. At once pointless and endlessly structured, it continues to be the perfect escape from the unpredictable stress of 2020 and beyond.

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons summer update makes the old new

Similar to some of the biggest titles in gaming, Nintendo has taken to their own spin on the GaaS approach with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. So far, the game has received two minor content updates and the latest, Summer Update Wave 1, is set to release on July 3, 2020. As per the official gameplay trailer, Nintendo has made it clear that a second summer update (Wave 2) will release sometime in August.

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How long can you play Animal Crossing?

how long can you play animal crossing

Quick answer: You can play Animal Crossing indefinitely. While some may get their fill early on, the series offers an endless amount of ways to hang out, collect, and express yourself. Hitting 100 hours or more is easy if the game sinks its teeth into you.

Playtime is sometimes incorrectly associated with the value offered by video games, but it still remains one of the key markers of worth in the minds of gamers.

  • Developer: Nintendo
  • Genre: Life simulation
  • Platform: Switch exclusive
  • Release date: March 20, 2020

These days, the line between the beginning and end of a journey has become blurred due to the overabundance of checklist driven gameplay and endless updates. Even still, becoming aware of the systems in place makes it easy enough to know how long you’ll be playing.

In the case of Animal Crossing, a series which has consistently diverted from tradition, the potential for hours played is near endless. In a similar vein as Minecraft, The Sims, or even Dreams, there are tools in place to make your own fun.

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The point of Animal Crossing is that there is none

what's the point of animal crossing

Cute, comfy, calming.

While games have always had inherent loops or hooks to gameplay, the modern stock has started to blow things out of proportion.

Nearly every AAA experience is saturated with some sort of progression constantly calling to be chased.

Games, as a result, are much less about playing to play than working through endless checklists. It’s why a series like Animal Crossing, one of Nintendo’s most unique, never ceases to confuse in terms of its appeal.

Animal Crossing’s mix of real world connection, aimlessness, and mellowed atmosphere means its something that’s always flown in the face of well timed rewards and spikes of pleasure.

Mindfulness replaces an eye for what’s ahead and it’s all the better for it.

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Does Animal Crossing have a story mode?

animal crossing story mode

Quick answer: No, Animal Crossing: New Horizons does not have a story mode in the strictest sense. The game falls under the umbrella of the life sim genre. Most of what you buy, find, create, and do is on your own terms.

Whether you’re playing on Xbox One, PS4, or Switch, games typically fall into one of two categories – narrative based or multiplayer focused experiences. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a game that has lit the world on fire in these off kilter times, bucks this trend. Similar to Minecraft or The Sims, Animal Crossing is absent of a well defined story mode. Instead, the crux of the game is personal expression, progression, and finding a way of (virtual) life that works for you.

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Can you play Fortnite on the Switch Lite?

playing fortnite on switch lite

Quick answer: Yes, you can play Fortnite on the Switch Lite. As with other platforms, the game is free. The only differences between playing on the Lite versus the regular Switch lie in the disparity of features. Find out how the two versions compare below.

Enough players to support playing video games as a job and an unending influx of updates, Fortnite still remains as one of the most popular games on the market.

  • Developer: Epic Games
  • Release date: September 26, 2017
  • Genre: Battle Royale
  • Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, mobile, PC, Mac

It also happens to be legitimately fun while catering to many different gaming tastes.

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Paper Mario returns to the Switch

Completely out of left field, Nintendo announced today that Paper Mario: The Origami King will release exclusively for the Switch on July 17, 2020. The first game in the series since 2016 (Paper Mario: Color Splash), the latest entry in the series looks to be equal parts unexpected and zany. One might say that the aesthetic and styling, at times, looks to be reminiscent of Sony’s Tearaway.

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Can you trade with yourself in Pokemon Sword and Shield?

can you trade with yourself in pokemon sword and shield

Whether you’re trying to attain all starters quickly or consolidate version exclusives, trading with yourself has always been an alternative to the hassle of setting up trades with strangers.
Traditionally, past Pokemon games allowed players to do this by utilizing the Global Trade System. The only requirement being that player needed 2 copies of the game.

And while the method carried some risks, namely strangers stealing your trades, the process was mostly painless with some due diligence.

Can you self-trade in Pokemon Sword and Shield?

Unfortunately, it’s very expensive to do as of January 2020 due to the exclusion of GTS. The only way to trade with yourself is by owning multiple Nintendo Switch’s and 2 copies of the game.

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Breath of the Wild is forever relaxing

breath of the wild main title

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a game of many faces depending on who you ask – overrated, boring, GOAT, hard, easy, and everything in between. For me, the open world adventure has continued to hit me hardest in its unique sense of relaxation and content.

I’ve poured over 80 hours into the game and I’ve still not beaten it. I’d go so far as saying that some of my favorite moments with the game didn’t require any sort of achievement.

And despite all of the things to do in the world of Hyrule, from the countless Shrines to subtle secrets all throughout, much of what Breath of the Wild does best is drawing the player in to the present moment.

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Nintendo Switch Online: Hope in the Unknown

nintendo switch online coming september 2018

A lot is up in the air concerning Nintendo Switch Online. What is Nintendo bringing to the table? Will it become a runaway success?

Find out what you can expect from the service on launch day, as well as my thoughts concerning the potential of Nintendo’s first foray into paid online.

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