Animal Crossing New Horizons Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
I have written before about Animal Crossing: New Horizons and how it felt like catching lightning in a bottle. It hit store shelves on the same day COVID reached Australia, offering a space for creativity, routine, and social connection during a time defined by isolation and suppression. Ever since, I have wondered how I would score it if I were reviewing it properly, or even how I would describe it to someone with no idea what Animal Crossing actually is. Thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2 version launching alongside the massive 3.0 update, I finally have that opportunity. What’s it like? Book the next Dodo flight, pick an island, and prepare to owe a lot of money to a capitalist raccoon as we review Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch 2.
For anyone who somehow missed Animal Crossing: New Horizons the first time around, this is a cozy life simulation that begins with a fresh start on a deserted island, armed with little more than a tent for shelter. The game runs entirely in real time, meaning your island continues to exist whether you are playing or not. This approach allows progression to be carefully drip-fed, encouraging regular check-ins while reinforcing the game’s comforting routine. The core gameplay loop revolves around paying off your home loan, collecting furniture to decorate your house, and upgrading that home over time. Along the way, you will spend your days fishing, hunting for fossils, catching bugs, and generally filling your time with whatever activities appeal to you most in the moment.
While the loose objective is to become mortgage-free after upgrading your home several times, Animal Crossing: New Horizons never pressures you to do so, instead, the game fully commits to its premise of letting you enjoy island life at your own pace. For completionists at heart, you can collect and stock your museum with bugs, fish, fossils, and art. Many of these creatures are seasonal, meaning that without using time-travelling or other exploits, you would need to play the game across each real-life season to complete your collections.
Most days, a visitor will arrive on your island, either offering unique wares or providing opportunities to obtain rare furniture or clothing. The world of Animal Crossing is rarely idle, and there is generally always something to do. The stock at your local store changes daily, creating fresh opportunities to improve your Happy Home Academy score, which rates your interior design skills. For players eager to dive into the DLC content, there are also jobs decorating other villagers’ holiday homes, giving another layer of creativity and engagement beyond the base game loop. Whether it’s exploring, collecting, or designing, Animal Crossing keeps you engaged at a relaxed, personal pace, rewarding your time with a steadily growing and uniquely yours island paradise.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons employs a bright and colourful palette that makes the island setting instantly inviting. It uses a clean and simple engine, taking full advantage of lighting and shading, while softer edges give the world a handcrafted feel. Characters help bring your island to life, with each villager written with their own personality and charm. Behavioural quirks and cleverly written puns add warmth and humour, making even small interactions enjoyable. Villagers will clap and cheer when you catch a fish, send you gifts as friendships grow, and even invite you into their homes for decoration ideas. Environmental and seasonal effects also play a major role in the game’s presentation. Each shift in season brings noticeable changes to weather, lighting, and colour, transforming the look and feel of your island and ensuring it stays fresh throughout the year. Cherry blossoms bloom in spring, snow blankets the island in winter, and trees turn a golden brown in autumn, reinforcing the game’s real-time structure.
All of this is supported by a beautifully playful soundtrack that shifts with each passing hour. The music is light and expressive, designed to complement the time of day rather than demand attention. Morning tracks feel calm and welcoming, while later hours introduce slightly more relaxed or reflective tones. The score never overpowers the player. Instead, it acts as a comforting backdrop to daily routines and quiet moments. Combined with soft environmental sounds like ocean waves, footsteps on grass, and the buzz of insects flying past, the audio design helps make the island feel lived in and calming.
From a performance standpoint, Animal Crossing New Horizons runs smoothly and remains locked at 30 frames per second, matching the original Switch release. There are strong suggestions that the frame rate is closely tied to the game’s underlying systems, meaning a move to 60 frames per second could introduce unintended issues. In practice, the 30 fps cap is never distracting and suits the game’s relaxed pacing. Where the Switch 2 version makes a clear improvement is in loading times. Entering and exiting buildings is now noticeably faster, which helps maintain the game’s flow and reduces small moments of friction during longer play sessions. These improvements do not dramatically change how the game feels, but they do make returning to your island that much smoother and more enjoyable.
With the Switch 2 version comes several upgrades, including GameChat support, CameraPlay, and expanded online play with up to 12 players. For those who prefer to enjoy their island offline, the game now features enhanced resolution, bumping up to 4K in docked mode, convenient mouse controls for decorating, and a megaphone item that helps you quickly track down villagers.
While many of the new features focus largely on social and online play, I feel the $8 AUD upgrade price is excellent value. I personally enjoyed decorating the new hotel and several Happy Home Design houses using the mouse controls, which are activated simply by placing your Joy-Con on a flat surface. Even though the game already looked great on the original Switch, the resolution bump really shines on a larger screen.
For newcomers starting from scratch, at just under $88 AUD, the game still provides outstanding value. Whether you are looking for your own slice of island paradise or just a 30-minute daily escape, Animal Crossing New Horizons has a way of becoming part of your routine. Social players may also enjoy connecting with hundreds of online communities and Facebook groups dedicated to helping collectors complete item sets or track down rare furnishings.
For my villagers looking into accessibility, there are no dedicated options to speak of. I recommend researching further to determine if Animal Crossing suits your specific needs.
Animal Crossing has always been a series I keep returning to every few months, and it is one that always makes me feel welcome. Whether I am hosting an in-game party with my kids, playing hide and seek with them while filling my house with laughter and giggles, or simply enjoying a quiet moment fishing by myself, Animal Crossing New Horizons consistently provides that perfect island escape.
It is a game that can be almost anything you want it to be, one that lets you set your own pace of play. Ultimately, it is a game that fills me with joy every time I pick up the controller. New Horizons reminds me why video games are so special, offering moments of quiet contemplation while doing nothing at all, or connecting people through personal expression, decorating, or simply a shared love of island life.
So, What’s it Like? Animal Crossing New Horizons is like a personal island getaway in the palm of your hands.
Animal Crossing New Horizons on Switch 2 is a What’s It Like Certified Exceptional game.
In the interest of full disclosure, an upgrade key was provided by Nintendo Australia, but this doesn’t influence my score.
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