The Next Animal Crossing Should Revisit a Scrapped Idea from the GameCube Title (2024)

The Animal Crossing franchise's evolution and increasing popularity throughout the years have made it synonymous with the social simulation genre of gaming. While the core gameplay of every title remains largely the same, each has introduced unique features or modified mechanics that help give them their own identity. One big change for the next Animal Crossing title could see the implementation of an idea originally planned for the franchise's early stages but has yet to be introduced.

Animal Crossing originally started as Animal Forest, a Japan-exclusive Nintendo 64 title that was eventually remade into the popular GameCube version. While many changes came with the transition, both versions initially intended to have human NPCs that players could interact with. There is no official reason why the idea was scrapped and people can only speculate about its exclusion. However, the next Animal Crossing game has the opportunity to revisit and introduce the concept to make it appealing to both newcomers and dedicated fans.

Why the Next Animal Crossing Game Should Have Human NPCs

Although the games are known for having anthropomorphic creatures to build relationships with, having human-like characters other than the player would be reasonable considering the vastness of the in-game world. Not having any can seem like a missed opportunity to immerse more players in their playthroughs, as it would have allowed them to form bonds with those similar to their character. Scrapping the idea of having human NPCs for the original Animal Crossing also meant the removal of other potential features. Should the next title in the mainline series consider its implementation, then it could benefit from also having the following:

• Modification of the relationship system to include romantic engagements with human NPCs
• Showing how the anthropomorphic animal villagers and human NPCs can coexist and build their own bonds
• Human NPCs having similar gameplay mechanics to the player, allowing for new features or game modes
• The potential of introducing a story mode in Animal Crossing

These possibilities could establish the next mainline entry as a unique title even among its predecessors. While it will deviate from the original formula and may even displease longtime fans, the opportunities that human NPCs present are too beneficial to completely ignore.

How Human NPCs Can Be Properly Introduced in the Next Animal Crossing Game

The next Animal Crossing has a big choice in choosing its setting, as where it's set can affect already established features and mechanics. However, it also means the possibility of revisiting old concepts, like introducing human characters into the world. A good candidate for the next game's environment that can easily implement the idea of human NPCs would be that of a city. Having a large area with numerous structures makes for an excellent location for a diverse cast of individuals. With an area as big as a city and the potential of others that players can visit, it would be reasonable to have human characters with different roles and personalities.

Having an urban focus for the next Animal Crossing title also means more opportunities to blend the anthropomorphic animal and human NPCs. More characters can make an environment feel more alive, and the two types of NPCs interacting with one another can make for sequences that will engage and immerse the player. It can even lead to new events that show the similarities or differences between the two, giving the in-game world more depth.

While the rumored release window of the next Animal Crossing game seems a long way off, it gives Nintendo more time to consider introducing human NPCs. The future title could potentially deviate from previous entries' formula, meaning that there is a possibility that players may find themselves building relationships with characters that aren't animal-like.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the fifth major game in the Animal Crossing series. This slice-of-life simulation game tasks the player with developing an abandoned island into a small town for its resident villagers. The game was released at the start of worldwide lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which catapulted it into massive success. It's currently the best selling game of all time in Japan.

Franchise

Animal Crossing

Platform(s)

Switch

Released

March 20, 2020

Developer(s)

Nintendo EPD

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Genre(s)

Simulation

ESRB

E for Everyone: Comic Mischief

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer , Local Multiplayer

Expansions

Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Happy Home Paradise

How Long To Beat

61 Hours

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