Amidst the boredom right now, Animal Crossing has yet again given players something to do that takes some of the negativity away from our current situations. Recently Earth Day came, but no one was able to go outside and help with that. Then May Day came, and same thing. So Nintendo got creative and released some fun in-game quests for players, yes yes! Not only did they give us all something to focus on, but they may have also woven some habits into our daily lives now that we have extra time on our hands.
Nature day was the first event to be released to let people participate in a semi-realistic adventure until May 4th. The goal here was to meet Leif, a lovely plant sales sloth (who seems to still be coming by) and beautify your island with plants you can’t get in shops. From there you probably know what else to do, plant everything, water everything and enjoy giving back to the land. For May Day however, you had to see Tom Nook for a special ticket to an island getaway that focuses on brain power. This event will end May 7th and hopefully everyone will get a chance to meet the special person on the island!
After your vigorous day in-game, you may have felt a bit motivated to go outside and garden, plant a tree, pick up some trash or who knows what else. Have you noticed a shift in the habits you may have picked up since playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons? I sure have. For someone that had never played the game, I suddenly wanted to maintain the areas around me.
If you have jumped into the game as hard as a lot of other people, you may be feeling a need to move your furniture, clean your spaces, or even redecorate. Since the game released, I have start growing some plants, cleaning up the yard, planning new decorations and even started thinking about how I can be more neighborly. So far, the game has had a dramatic effect.
Since my friends are spread out and I can’t see if the game has changed anything for them, I can only guess that they may have seen a change, or that other players have noticed a change. For children that have been indulging in the activities, I think they will have a better understanding of nature and possibly be learning how to further their interpersonal skills with the people around them because of the island dwellers around them.