Unlock a New World of Magic: How Animal Crossing Could Learn from Disney Dreamlight Valley
The next Animal Crossing game can take inspiration from Disney Dreamlight Valley to create a nostalgic experience that will cater to the desires of longtime fans, with a time jump and additional features
Highlights
Disney Dreamlight Valley allows players to relive stories from the past and recreate a village, appealing to nostalgic adults.
Animal Crossing has the potential to enhance players' experience by introducing a time leap and enabling character aging.
To offer a unique and immersive gameplay, a forthcoming Animal Crossing installment could evolve alongside its players through the implementation of meta features. This may encompass the ability to import data from past editions and seamlessly integrate role-playing game elements.
Disney Dreamlight Valley offers players the chance to construct their own village brimming with beloved Disney characters, much like Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Following an event known as "The Forgetting," Dreamlight Valley lies in ruins, prompting players to recreate it by reliving past tales. This clever storytelling approach encourages players to nostalgically revisit and fondly recollect Disney characters and stories from their personal histories. Mindful of its growing population of nostalgic adults, Disney has crafted Disney Dreamlight Valley with this in mind. It is now time for Nintendo to provide its fan base with a similar experience in the sequel to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons proved to be a tremendous success for Nintendo. Released amidst global lockdowns, the game offered both longtime enthusiasts and newcomers a cozy refuge. While New Horizons marked a significant breakout moment for the series, it originally debuted in 2001 in Japan and arrived in other countries in 2002. With a history spanning over two decades, many fans who grew up with the original title have now become adults. Nintendo has a unique chance to draw inspiration from Disney Dreamlight Valley and embark on an unprecedented journey in the world of Animal Crossing: a substantial leap forward in time.
Animal Crossing Needs A Time Jump
Disney Dreamlight Valley combines elements of an adventure game and a life simulator. By incorporating "The Forgetting," developers can evoke feelings of nostalgia and allow players to revisit the past without actually moving forward in time. This unique concept taps into players' love for previous experiences. In contrast, Nintendo's Animal Crossing could achieve a similar effect simply by implementing a time jump. This would not only bring back missing villagers but also open up the possibility for character development. Villagers could have new interests, professions, or even retire in the game. The potential for innovation is boundless.
Furthermore, a time leap in Animal Crossing would allow for broader changes to gameplay and characters. In addition to introducing new personality types for villagers and expanding existing systems, a future-oriented Animal Crossing game could feature villagers who are married or have children. Instead of just one resident per household, towns could be filled with families. Fans of the franchise would delight in witnessing beloved characters pair up, and the inclusion of families would create opportunities for more complex villager requests or the enactment of small stories.
A Nostalgic Animal Crossing Would Allow For More Features
A future Animal Crossing game has the potential to enhance its sense of time and continuity, offering exciting meta features. With advancements in technology and Nintendo's cloud save functionality, players could import data from New Horizons, enabling villagers to remember them and allowing for designs to be carried over between entries. These additions would be ideal for a nostalgic Animal Crossing game, providing fan service and integrating RPG elements.
The upcoming Animal Crossing game has the chance to evolve alongside its fan base and progress its world. While every new installment in a beloved franchise holds nostalgic appeal for returning fans, the comforting atmosphere of Animal Crossing makes it the perfect series to embrace and incorporate that sentiment within the game. Taking inspiration from Disney Dreamlight Valley's approach to nostalgia could present an opportunity for Nintendo to innovate and steer Animal Crossing in an exciting new direction, while still delivering a heartwarming experience for longtime fans.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now on Nintendo Switch.
