How Animal Crossing: New Horizons Kept Me Sane During The Circuit Breaker
Can a game give you semblance of a "normal" life?
When Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched on 20 March 2020, no one would predict that most people would be staying home, whether you're in Singapore or anywhere around the world. Its popularity wasn't guaranteed, but somehow, this game resonated with so many people that it ended up being on their best-sellers list for the next three months.
It doesn't matter if you're not familiar with the Animal Crossing series, with New Horizon being the 5th installment. There isn't really a continuous storyline brought over from previous installments, so you can jump straight into this version without having played the last few.
You start off at the airport with the staff of a company (Nook Inc.) looking to occupy a deserted island and with your help, hope to make this island into a bustling, lively and habitable island. The game operates in real-time, meaning if it's daytime in the real world, it's also daytime in your game. The first week is a lot of manual labour; you toil to clear the island of weeds, you decide where each of the first two animal islanders will set up camp, you harvest all the fruits available on your island, and catch some bugs and fish. The second week gets better, with you easing into island life, expanding your home and doing home decor.
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A lot of this is repetitive work and there's usually a set number of activities you'll go through – or daily quests. While these may be present in other games as well, Animal Crossing's repetition and similarity to daily chores bring solace to those who may have their regular schedule upended by the pandemic. It may not be possible to head out for a jog or morning coffee without coming to terms with the fact that things are different during the Circuit Breaker. Heck, I didn't think I'd appreciate my daily commute and going into the office until all these were taken away from me. All these uncertainties can cause stress and anxiety, and what I found important was to find a new routine to ease into – a new normal, and to feel like I have control over my life again. What Animal Crossing offered me was a new set of habits – motions that I can run through daily to find order in this chaotic world right now.
The social aspects of this game can also be very appealing. If you have friends who are also subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online, you can meet up virtually on each others' islands. In fact, the likelihood of me connecting to friends and acquaintances over Animal Crossing is higher than me texting a friend out of the blue to have a chat with them. Am I a terrible friend? Maybe, but Animal Crossing offered me a casual, no-strings-attached interaction which is frankly very hard to achieve during the Circuit Breaker. In fact, I actually connected to a few friends in the industry over Animal Crossing, and we are planning a beauty/spa day on someone's island. This type of bonding would not be possible without this game.
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Even if your friends are not playing Animal Crossing, the animal islanders who reside on your island offer their friendship and companionship. It happened to be my birthday last weekend, and while an actual birthday celebration was not possible, it actually felt really nice to have a virtual birthday party, complete with dancing, games and a birthday cake.
Everyday activities like shopping, running outside, smelling the flowers, and visiting the museum are scarce or impossible during this Circuit Breaker, but you can do them in Animal Crossing. In times of uncertainty, our brains are wired to crave the mundane and predictable, and perhaps this is the biggest draw that has made Animal Crossing: New Horizons the top-selling game on the Nintendo Switch for three months since its launch.
I'm not saying that this game will completely replace real life, nothing will beat being able to physically shop in stores, experience nature, or bask on a beach. But until all of us can safely head out again, Animal Crossing: New Horizon is a pretty good way of connecting with friends and feeling like you have control over your life again.
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