Animal Crossing: New Horizonshas been a massive hit for Nintendo, with the game breaking sales records andcausing Switch consoles to fly off the shelves. However, now that the game has been out for almost two months at this point, it’s safe to say that some fans may have done a lot of what they can hope to do in the game and are looking for a different, but similar gaming experience to fill their time.
There are manyAnimal Crossing: New Horizons-like games available, but some are certainly better than others. In truth, there aren’t many high quality games that perfectly replicate theAnimal Crossingstyle, but there are some that have similar gameplay mechanics and tone.
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Here are five video games/franchises to try for anyone that likesAnimal Crossing: New Horizons.
Fantasy Life
Level-5 may be best known forNi no Kuni,Professor Layton, andYo-kai Watch, but back in 2012, the studio released a great RPG/life simulation combo calledFantasy Lifefor the Nintendo 3DS. Similarly toAnimal Crossing, theunderratedFantasy Lifelets players completely daily living goals, decorate their homes, and customize their character. WhereFantasy Lifediffers is its focus on more traditional RPG combat. The life simulation gameplay is combined with monster battles, ensuring that the game has a little more action than other titles in the genre. This makesFantasy Life’s minute-to-minute gameplay more engaging than one might expect, and also helps it stand apart from other games in the genre.
Fantasy Lifeis out now for the Nintendo 3DS.
Farm Together
One of the most relaxingfarming gameson the market,Farm Togetheris a highly addicting experience that is hard to put down. The game gives players a massive swath of land and gives them free reign to do with it as they see fit, whether that be plant crops, raise livestock, build a town, or create an ocean full of different kinds of fish.Farm Togetherconstantly gives players new quests to complete, encouraging them to plant specific crops or purchase new animals, and eventually, players will find themselves with a sprawling farm with endless tasks to complete. One of the most appealing aspects ofFarm Togetheris co-op play, letting players tend to a farm together in split-screen or visit other players' farms online.
Farm Togetheris available for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons
When it comes to recommending games to someone that likesAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, the entireHarvest Moon/Story of Seasonsfranchise is a no-brainer. Fans can take their pick from pretty much any game in the long-running franchise, though it may be best to go with one of the newer entries. As luck would have it, anewStory of Seasonsgameis set to release soon in the form ofStory of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town, a remake of the beloved Game Boy Advance game of the same name.
TheHarvest Moon/Story of Seasonsgames are out now for a variety of platforms.
My Time at Portia
My Time at Portiais similar toFantasy Lifein the way that it combines life-simulation elements that players like about theAnimal Crossingseries with more traditional, combat-oriented RPG gameplay.My Time at Portiaplaces an emphasis on crafting and harvesting resources, shaping the look of the Portia by completing various crafting assignments. But likeFantasy Life, players also have to fight off monsters when they’re not busy building up their town. Those on the fence about it should note that the game is currently free to play for anyone that has an activeXbox Game Pass subscription.
My Time at Portiais available for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Stardew Valley
Taking inspiration from theHarvest Moon/Story of Seasonsfranchise,Stardew Valleylooks to provide a more streamlined take on the experience that weeds out some of the less desirable elements.Stardew Valleylets players run their own farm, battle monsters in dungeons, fish, cook, craft items, and much more. Similarly toAnimal Crossing, there is no true ending toStardew Valley, with players able to play the game indefinitely.
Stardew Valleyis available for PC, PS4, PS Vita, Switch, and Xbox One, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices.
All of these games can potentially scratch theAnimal Crossingitch for any fans ofNew Horizonswho are looking for a new game to play. However, it’s also worth mentioning thatAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsitself will continue to roll out new content throughout the year. May alone has already featured theNature and May Day events, with a museum event coming later in the month as well. Looking ahead, June will feature a special wedding-themed event, and one has to imagine that Nintendo has many moreAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsspecial events planned for the game throughout the coming year.
More information on newAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsevents will come to light later this year. For now, fans can continue playingNew Horizonsand check out some of the games listed here to whet their appetite.
