Summary
Animal Crossingis one of Nintendo’s best-selling franchises alongsideMario,Pokemon, andThe Legend of Zelda. The community has become home to millions of players over the years which isn’t surprising considering the cozy atmosphere of the life simulation game. Though there are various customization options, adorable animal villagers, and satisfying mechanics, Nintendo could be capitalizing more on thesuccess ofAnimal Crossingby uniting two of its franchises.
Nintendo is one of the oldest and biggest video game companies in the world, which is largely thanks to its collection of beloved games. The last addition to theAnimal Crossingseries was no exception to this when it launched in 2020. A new installment to the franchise hasn’t been confirmed at this point, but there are those who are hoping that anotherAnimal Crossinggame will be announced soon. If it is in the works, Nintendo should focus on an in-depth cross-over withThe Legend of Zelda.
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The Legend of Zelda Needs To Get a Full-Scale Crossover in Animal Crossing
The Legend of Zeldagames have become well-known for their fulfilling storylines, adventuring opportunities, and intense puzzles over the years. Since the original game debuted in 1986, the unique cast has cemented themselves as iconic and incredibly recognizable characters in media. Because of the longevity and popularity of the franchise, it would make a lot of sense for Nintendo to pursue a full-scale collaboration betweenZeldaand theAnimal Crossingseries.
Interestingly, since 2001 there have been custom Zelda items in everyAnimal Crossinggame, except forPocket CampandNew Horizons. Zelda-inspired villagers were even added inAnimal Crossing: New Leaf Welcome amiibo. Unfortunately, the closest thing to a crossover inNew Horizonsis an island evaluation quote that references Red Moblins and the secret caves. However, there is clearly recent interest in such a crossover. Some players have even taken it upon themselves to createAnimal Crossingislands themed afterThe Legend of Zelda.
What exactly a future collaboration could entail is uncertain, but it should be on the same level or better as theSuper Mario Bros. 35th anniversary content inNew Horizons. One of the items from the Mario collaboration included the introduction of Warp Pipes, which let players teleport around their islands. Perhaps a traversal item like the Sheikah Slate could behave similarly.
Additionally, a themed official island curated by Nintendo could be fascinating to explore, especially since there’s already an official Dream Code for Ninten Island. Nintendo could model it after theSky Islands inThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.New Horizonslets players explore the ocean, but the airspace is still rather untouched.
On top of this,Animal Crossingis well known for its variety of cosmetic optionsso a Master Sword reskin for tools like the Axe could be well-received. CustomAnimal Crossingpatterns have been designed to look like Zelda and Link, but official outfits could be a big hit if they were to be released. It might also be interesting to see props like a bow and arrow or an actual sword that players can interact with.
At this point, it’s uncertain if Nintendo has any real plans to do a Zelda crossover withAnimal Crossing. Seeing as Zelda will reach its 38th anniversary in February 2024, next year could be a good time fora newAnimal Crossinggameand aZeldacollaboration. Hopefully, as the year comes to a close, Nintendo will release more information about its plans for the future ofAnimal Crossing.
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