Things you'd like to see in the next AC installment?

[EmGee]

Thinking back on New Leaf and how you could remodel your house exterior not just with different materials and styles, but also change the overall shape (mansion, castle, modern, zen castle), I wish they had taken that a few steps further. As cool as it is to be able to put furniture outside, it would have been amazing if we could drastically alter the outward appearance and shape of our house to, say, a tree or a hobbit hole, maybe do the old woman in the shoe or a Rapunzel-esque tower. That's just my two cents, I'm curious to know what else you wish the developers will add in a new game?

 

[Etown20]

I've mentioned this in other threads, but I'd like to see the series adopt more of a living game structure with small updates or activities each week. There are other games I play that do this (at no extra cost), so I feel like it would be possible (although I'm not sure Nintendo would ever do it).

I'd also like to see more interactive furniture and more villager activities to make the island/town feel more alive. I think NH improved on NL quite a bit in this particular aspect (the villagers just kind of walk around in NL and rarely interact with anything) but there's still a lot of room for improvement.

 

[Dunquixote]

At this point, I am not going to buy the next AC. What will make me reconsider it is for it to not repeat how they handled NH. If they disregard the criticism that they are receiving now and think it is totally acceptable to make all future ac like NH (drip fed and a lot of recycled stuff that looks worse than better), then yeah, no brainer that I won’t invest in it if i’m just going to drop it. I’d like more variety in the furniture and better new sets. I am okay if they don’t bring all the old NL stuff but I do expect the furniture they give us to be just as good or better. No paid dlc of content that should be in the game; paid dlc for themed sets like crossover stuff is okay (i still don’t like paid dlc but that is more acceptable than making nook upgrade or something into dlc). Better house upgrade, upgrade villagers houses, some mini games. I could probably think of more but I’ve already said what i want in so many similar threads and honestly, I’m not sure even with what I said there and here will bring me to play another one as time goes on. I may post again if I think of anything else.

 

[Mezzanine]

deleted

 

[Brookie]

Is this what Nintendo wants?...For a hyped-up, waiting-fan-obsessed (did that make sense? lol), super different and "improved" game to be so eluding and frustrating that we are already looking at what the NEXT would look like? It's been 1 year!

(Note: To be clear, this is me bashing Nintendo. NOT the OP, any of TBT's members, or even the AC community)

And now to actually answer the question: at least 50% of what was removed from New Leaf.

 

[Croconaw]

I’ve said this before, but I think terraforming and crafting has to go. The addition of these things makes the game seem more like Minecraft and less like the game we came to love. It seems that Nintendo was trying too hard to satisfy their fans with this game. I think the first iteration, Population Growing, was the game that got most people into the series as a whole. The morning aerobics, the dump, finding balls on the ground that you could interact with to play ball with the villagers are just some features I think made this game unique.

I love that you can place items outside in New Horizons, but that could have just been a feature added to the game if it were more similar to the original. I thought New Leaf was a great game for a handheld. Like I had previously mentioned, I feel that Nintendo was trying too hard with New Horizons. The game was clearly rushed to get it released.

I’m just adding that I hope villagers asking you before moving out is a feature that stays. I love not having to worry about my dream villagers moving. I’m truly hoping Nintendo doesn’t remove this feature and keeps it for the next installment.

 

[Brookie]

I’m just adding that I hope villagers asking you before moving out is a feature that stays. I love not having to worry about my dream villagers moving. I’m truly hoping Nintendo doesn’t remove this feature and keeps it for the next installment.

I remember this being an annoyance. Was it also on WW? I can't remember. But that was one of the reasons did not like the older games (but I still liked them). New leaf felt like JUST the right balance of old and new.

 

[Croconaw]

I remember this being an annoyance. Was it also on WW? I can't remember. But that was one of the reasons did not like the older games (but I still liked them). New leaf felt like JUST the right balance of old and new.

Yes, but I believe in Wild World, you could convince them to stay even if they were in boxes.

 

[Lancelot]

I’ve said this before, but I think terraforming and crafting has to go. The addition of these things makes the game seem more like Minecraft and less like the game we came to love. It seems that Nintendo was trying too hard to satisfy their fans with this game. I think the first iteration, Population Growing, was the game that got most people into the series as a whole. The morning aerobics, the dump, finding balls on the ground that you could interact with to play ball with the villagers are just some features I think made this game .

to be honest I think terraforming and crafting are alright to stay, but maybe with some tweaks? Crafting in particular as it feels like more of a chore than something fun to do…

I think they just need to put them in a backseat position so they’re not as prominent as to me it feels like a lot of the time there’s nothing else to do. I think rather than removing them they could bring back other features that previously felt more core to the games to balance out

 

[Tiffany]

i'm not sure i will buy any future versions of this game. i have played ac since the gamecube version and i loved it from the beginning. but now? i'm not a fan of the terraforming or crafting. its like they are trying to turn ac into other games. i am not a big gamer so when there is a new ac game out i buy the system/guide specifically for that game. that is a big investment already so if they turn this into pay to play with microtransactions and charging for updates i'm done for sure. thats not to mention the huge lack of content this time around. its clear they are focusing on pc because its still making them money and since nl isnt they dont care. i mean they gave us an update consisting of whoopie cushions and prom clothes, really? that was when i knew they were done with nl. and why are the holidays still locked? i get doing it the first year i guess but its totally pointless now except to annoy the people who like to tt(and why do they care?) they can add items to the holidays without them being locked i'm sure. and they say they will support the game for up to 3 years right? so what happens to the holidays after that since they are locked? they just cease to exist in game? and i really really wish they would just give us control of the moving in/out of villagers. why in the world must they make it so difficult? yes im glad they wont leave without asking us but how often is the one we want to leave doing the asking? and dont get me started on the time suck that is trying to move in a camper or the constant changing of how we get villager photos. also why do they feel the need to fix glitches that people like? if it was causing an actual problem with the game ok but just to stop people going in otherwise unreachable areas or making fast money? just why? let people play how they want to play.

 

[CL4P-L3K]

The villager interaction improvements in NH make me wish for a shopping district type area where there are more characters and more advanced interactions. Something like a mall, or a step up from what NL had. There can be random street performers, days where construction dodos have part of the road blocked off, real life stuff like that.

 

[Brookie]

i'm not sure i will buy any future versions of this game. i have played ac since the gamecube version and i loved it from the beginning. but now? i'm not a fan of the terraforming or crafting. its like they are trying to turn ac into other games. i am not a big gamer so when there is a new ac game out i buy the system/guide specifically for that game. that is a big investment already so if they turn this into pay to play with microtransactions and charging for updates i'm done for sure. thats not to mention the huge lack of content this time around. its clear they are focusing on pc because its still making them money and since nl isnt they dont care. i mean they gave us an update consisting of whoopie cushions and prom clothes, really? that was when i knew they were done with nl. and why are the holidays still locked? i get doing it the first year i guess but its totally pointless now except to annoy the people who like to tt(and why do they care?) they can add items to the holidays without them being locked i'm sure. and they say they will support the game for up to 3 years right? so what happens to the holidays after that since they are locked? they just cease to exist in game? and i really really wish they would just give us control of the moving in/out of villagers. why in the world must they make it so difficult? yes im glad they wont leave without asking us but how often is the one we want to leave doing the asking? and dont get me started on the time suck that is trying to move in a camper or the constant changing of how we get villager photos. also why do they feel the need to fix glitches that people like? if it was causing an actual problem with the game ok but just to stop people going in otherwise unreachable areas or making fast money? just why? let people play how they want to play.

I have to agree with this. The only reason I didn't mind paying so much for the 3DS that literally has barely any games I wanted to play, was because the genius ACNL was on it. That made it worth it. I'm just glad the switch has more PC and xbox-like games on it, or I'd be VERY annoyed considering it's much more expensive.

Speaking of holidays, why can't they add any meaty updates beyond holidays. Like you said: the whoopie cushions and prom dresses. Really? Out of all items and content to include, you go with THOSE?

 

[Nunnafinga]

"Katsuya Eguchi, a Japanese game designer, was inspired to create the series after feeling isolated when he moved away from home at age 21 to work at Nintendo headquarters in 1986. The game explores themes of family, friendship, and community."
-From Business Insider,Apr.2,2020

Animal Crossing really needs to go back to its original core themes as stated above: family,friendship and community.I like New Horizons but its core themes seem to be crafting,terraforming and replacing broken tools.NH lacks the depth of previous AC titles(specifically Population Growing and New Leaf)and I believe that has considerably shortened the shelf life of this game for many players.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

i want it to take place in space on another planet and I want there to be bat villagers

 

[Moritz]

I want to be able to chose things like my airport colour (or its equivalent) and native fruit instead of it being random.

I'd like to be able to move all parts of my town, island, moon base. That way you never need to restart to change things.

I would not object to seeing old NPCs return but a lot of them would need new roles. The game plays a lot better with such features as being able to change your appearance at a mirror, and not having to buy paper at the shop/ having an awkward mail section in your inventory.

I would like them to make it so if talking to NPCs and stuff, there is a "wait go back" option if you clicked the wrong thing instead of restarting the whole conversation.

I would want villagers to NEVER display clothing as furniture. And to be able to remove ugly gifted clothes and items from them. I refuse to do delivery favors because of this.

I would like to see a return of an achievement for having bells in savings. Making bells in this game stops serving a purpose. It would be cool if getting more rewarded you in some way again.

I would like all furniture and fruits to be available to a completely solo player. No trades ever required.

Most importantly I want the return of mini games to play with friends, and items and achievements tied to these games.
It was great in new leaf being able to actually do something with a friend instead of just check out their town. Because in new horizons once you've seen their finished town, and played hide & seek with them a few times, you have no reason to visit ever again.

But I still think new horizons is the best game in the series by a very large mile so I'm in no rush to get the next game.
I'm still playing the game daily for several hours a day, and it's been a year and a half since it came out. The older games could not hold my attention for more than a couple of months. So clearly they are doing something right!

 

[King koopa]

I would like for them to have things that made the older games great, expand on that concept, add new and exciting features without making the game feel too sandboxy, and overall giving the player a pleasant animal crossing experience. That folks, love it or hate it, I what I think a new ac game needs.

 

[kiwikenobi]

I'd like for it to be New Leaf HD, with the addition of villagers only moving out if you give them express permission, and being able to put their houses in places of your choosing. New Leaf was as close to perfect as an Animal Crossing game has ever been, in my opinion, lacking only those two improvements I mentioned, and new and improved graphics, etc. on whatever new system it would be on.

Plus, then I could keep using all of the amiibo that I got for New Leaf that aren't compatible (yet) with New Horizons. ^o^;>

 

[Islander]

Unbreakable tools, without question in my eyes.

Return of the tropical island and Brewster.

I do like some of the things they added in NH - putting furniture outside which makes each island unique, complete control over whether villagers move out or not, so I think I would like something of a blend between NL and Nh, taking the best aspects from both games.

 

[Croconaw]

to be honest I think terraforming and crafting are alright to stay, but maybe with some tweaks? Crafting in particular as it feels like more of a chore than something fun to do…

I think they just need to put them in a backseat position so they’re not as prominent as to me it feels like a lot of the time there’s nothing else to do. I think rather than removing them they could bring back other features that previously felt more core to the games to balance out

Now that you mention it, this might be better than removing them altogether. I don’t have anything against terraforming or crafting, but it’s not necessarily the point of Animal Crossing. Right now, they seem like very prominent features and that’s not the main point of the game, I think there are plenty small features that could be brought back and maybe that’ll balance things out a bit.

I do think it’s possible to make a nice island with a natural look. Some of my favorite islands I’ve seen were on New Leaf, where of course, terraforming had yet to be introduced.

 

[BalloonFight]

If in the next installment they fixed a lot of the obvious things (bulk crafting, more older NPCs return, bigger shop) and brought back some of NL's ideas, it would be fantastic. Maybe a separate smaller 2nd area to expand to and decorate as well. More villagers, waaay more furniture, and a more varied dialogue would be fantastic as well. I personally really like ACNH but wish it was just slightlyyy different. Hopefully in like 5 years (which would probably be the absolute soonest a new AC would be out) they'll listen to everyone.. finally.