Summary
TheAnimal Crossingfranchise is known in part for its multiple connections to the real world, since much of its appeal comes from how relatable its gameplay mechanics are. From fishing in the river of a town to making conversation with nearby villagers, the series never fails to create a cozy atmosphere that is crucial to its addictive gameplay. In-game events that coincide with real-life calendars, such as birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and more, also give the series the wholesome personality that it is so well known for. However, the latest entry in the franchise,New Horizons,has a notable event that seems to be missing.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonshas tons of events that players can take advantage of, such as Halloween, Nature Day, and more. Yet, for some reason, April Fool’s Day does not appear as a larger event in the Nintendo Switch game. In March 2021, an update fromNew Horizonsallowed players to buy whoopee cushions from Nook Shopping, from March 26 to April 1. This cannot compare to how the series has handled the tradition in the past, however.
April Fool’s Day In Previous Animal Crossing Games
Each game that precededNew Horizonswould find a creative way to acknowledge the annual custom. InNew Leafon the Nintendo 3DS, April Fools' Day is a massive event where the notorious faceless cat Bianca wants to play a variation of Hide and Seek. In the inaugural game on the Nintendo GameCube, tons of characters within the village will tell the player tons of pranks and jokes. Tom Nook even goes so far as to claim that he’s having a day-long sale where all of his items are 90% off.
InCity Folkon the Nintendo Wii, Mayor Tortimer claims to not understand the premise of April Fool’s Day, only to play a gag soon afterward and give the player a leaf, but not an ordinary one. This leaf is a furniture item that, when placed in a house, looks indistinguishable from how a dropped piece of furniture looks on the floor everywhere else.
How Future Animal Crossing Games Can Bring April Fool’s Day Back To Life
Multiplayer has always been such a big part of theAnimal Crossingfranchise, butNew Horizonstook it to a new level thanks to the Nintendo Switch’s online capabilities. Whichever consolethe nextAnimal Crossinggamelands on, April Fool’s Day can end up being a really fun event that can experiment with multiplayer.
Visiting the towns of friends is the core of the series’ multiplayer gameplay, and this is where an April Fool’s Day event can truly shine. Players could go to their friends' villages and play around with their infrastructure. For example,placing odd pieces ofAnimal Crossingfurniturein their houses, or an exotic fish in their local river could prove to be hilarious. The pranks would only last a day, of course, and the aftermath would vanish as soon as April 2 strikes the clock.
Playing Pranks Within Village Borders
If Nintendo doesn’t add such a wild multiplayer experience, it could be interesting to see how players can mess with the villagers of their town on April Fool’s Day. For example, in the firstAnimal Crossinggameon GameCube, tons of villagers joke around with the player. Officer Copper even warns the player of potential mischief that may be encountered throughout the day.
Allowing the player to engage in April Fools' Day shenanigans, rather than always allowing the NPCs to do so, would be a really fun twist for the franchise. Each villager is so unique that it could be an amusing way to find out more about their personalities.
