A new major update is right around the corner for the popular hit game, Animal Crossing New Horizons. Nintendo has cut new content and updates to New Horizons since November 14, 2022. It seems this update might have been caused in part by the recent release of the Switch 2. Customers are able to buy an upgraded copy of the game, though it isn’t needed for the update. The revival of an already 6-year-old game has also revived the argument of which Animal Crossing game is better. The debate between the newest and soon to be updated Animal Crossing New Horizons, or the much beloved previous installment, Animal Crossing New Leaf.
After New Leaf’s initial release in 2012, it became an instant hit for new and existing fans of the series. After nearly eight years of silence following the initial release, fans were worried the series was over. Many fans lost hope until the year 2020, when Animal Crossing New Horizons was released. This new entry into the series had fans longing for the good old days when New Leaf was actually “New” Leaf. I will look at some key parts of both games and compare the two, old and new.
Accessibility
These games are both masterpieces in their own right; unfortunately, it is getting considerably harder to play New Leaf every year. New Leaf is only available on the Nintendo 3DS, which has been out of production for some time now. If you don’t already own a 3DS, you will have to spend around $250 to $300 on eBay or some other third-party seller. Recently, the 3DS has soared in popularity and has frequently sold out in many online stores. On top of the scarcity, Nintendo has pulled support to their virtual storefront (eShop). This means you will have to source a physical copy of the game, which isn't too hard thankfully, but is still another roadblock in the way of playing this fantastic game. On the plus side, copies of New Leaf can be purchased for around thirty to forty dollars. Without any of the hardware already owned, someone looking to play Animal Crossing New Leaf should expect to spend around $300 total.
On the other hand, we have New Horizons which is still very easily accessible on the Switch Lite, Switch 1, and the newly released Switch 2. Contrary to New Leaf, you can buy New Horizons virtually or physically for sixty dollars. With another major update on the way, it looks like Nintendo doesn't plan on completely abandoning this game anytime soon. Chances are, if you are reading this, you or someone you know probably has one of the three available Switch models. All these consoles make Animal Crossing New Horizons very easily accessible. If someone wanted to play New Horizons but didn't have any hardware already owned, they would have to spend $280. The $280 price is using the Switch Lite price of $220; it would be significantly more expensive if someone wanted to play on the Switch 2. The Switch 2 has the large price tag of $450, making the grand total to play Animal Crossing New Horizons on the Switch 2 $510.
The Music
The music from Animal Crossing has put me to sleep many times, in a good way. There are beautiful piano melodies all the way to upbeat bossa nova songs. One of the best aspects of Animal Crossing New Leaf has to be the music. There is a specific track that plays each hour and depending on the weather. Each and every one of these songs are beautiful and unique.
The music of New Horizons is one of the few areas where New Horizons falls short of its predecessor. New Horizon has the same gist, new music every hour of the day, matching the weather. But not all of these tracks are unlocked and available to hear until a significant time is spent in game. Even after all these tracks are unlocked, New Horizons still falls short of New Leaf. Many of the songs in New Horizons feel hollow and lacking life compared to the tracks in New Leaf. There are also many tracks that sound very similar to one another, making it feel like you are always listening to the same track over and over again. Music is a big part of the Animal Crossing experience; it is a detriment to the overall feel of New Horizons.
Graphics
With Animal Crossing New Leaf being released 12 years ago, you can imagine that it would not hold up graphically. But Animal Crossing’s unique art style and direction are its saving grace. The most limiting aspect of New Leaf’s graphics are the low frame rate and the low screen resolution of the 3DS. The shortcomings of the 3DS make New Leaf look choppy or not as clean as it could have been on better hardware. Overall, the graphics are still charming and cute but show clear signs of aging.
Animal Crossing New Horizons is the best looking Animal Crossing game to date. It keeps the charming art style that the previous games implemented, but gives them the graphical fidelity that the Nintendo Switch has to offer. Now with the Switch 2 being released, the graphics have only gotten better. The Switch 2 can run New Horizons at 60 FPS and with HDR, making the colors really pop. Another option that I personally enjoy is playing New Horizons handheld on the Switch OLED model. This OLED version of Switch really showcases how far the series has come graphically.
Content
When New Horizons was first released, it didn't even compare to New Leaf in terms of content quality and amount. Nintendo realized this and had a team of developers constantly work on the game and release large updates and patches. There has even been a full DLC, which feels like it could be a spin-off game of its own. It is also worth mentioning again that at the time of writing, there is another large content update for New Horizons coming out later this week. Taking all this into account, Animal Crossing New Horizons had rather poor content at launch, but grew to be bigger than itself. The amount of content added after release is truly staggering. The quality of this content is also nothing to laugh at, you can tell real work went into each and every one of these updates. Animal Crossing New Horizons feels fully fleshed out and is a joy to play.
The content of New Leaf is a different story entirely. New Leaf was released with all its content besides the amiibo, which came later in 2016. Though New Horizons now has more content than New Leaf, New Leaf is still fun to play. This game keeps it a little simpler, making the game feel more like a game and less like a chore. Where New Leaf shines in content is the fantastic multiplayer. There is a treasure trove of minigames and fun islands to explore with a friend or with random people. All the islands and minigames feel much more interactive than their counterparts in New Horizons. Each player will require their own 3DS to play New Leaf together, but it is more than worth it. New Horizons offers multiplayer of up to 4 players on the same system and up to 8 players for online play. Unfortunately, the multiplayer for online play in New Horizons has serious mechanical issues, crashes and slowdowns are commonplace. This same system play in New Horizons would be fantastic if only there was multiplayer content to match New Leaf. Therefore, New Leaf is my de facto choice for Animal Crossing multiplayer and my relaxing game of choice.
Customization
The customization in New Leaf has more of a roleplaying element. To choose your gender and all your appearance options, a character asks you personality questions. Depending on the personality you get, that's how you will look in the game. To get a hairstyle, your character must physically go to the salon and choose a haircut. This makes the game feel more like a real place, it's immersive. One major drawback New Leaf has is that there are no dark skin color options available and there are also no afro-textured hair. This is really unfortunate, especially for people who want to put themselves in the wonderful world of Animal Crossing New Leaf.
Instead of being assigned a look based on your personality, you have complete control over your appearance in New Horizons. This game includes darker skin colors as well as afro-textured hair. New Horizons has the most options and most diversity for customization in any Animal Crossing game ever. Though it starts to feel more like a simulation when you can change your appearance whenever you want, rather than having an in-game feature such as a hair salon.
Which is Better?
Many people prefer Animal Crossing New Leaf simply for the nostalgia of their childhood. But New Leaf is deeper than just nostalgia. Even though it shows signs of age, New Leaf is a charming little game with fantastic multiplayer and a world that feels alive. A little harder to get and play, but definitely worth it for new and old fans alike.
If it's too hard to get a copy of Animal Crossing New Leaf, then New Horizons is also a fantastic choice. With better customization and graphics, New Horizons is the modern choice. Though some may argue that New Horizon has lost the charm, there is a mountain of content to keep you occupied. Overall, both Animal Crossing games are worth the time to play, but whatever one may become your favorite is up to you.
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