Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Seasonal Updates - A Review

Introduction

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH), released in March 2020, quickly became one of Nintendo’s most beloved life-simulation games. One of its defining features is the introduction of seasonal updates, which keep the game fresh and engaging long after launch. These updates bring new events, items, and mechanics that align with real-world seasons and holidays.

In this review, we’ll explore how these updates have shaped the ACNH experience, their strengths, and areas where they could improve.

The Evolution of Seasonal Updates

1. Early Updates (2020-2021): Building the Foundation

When ACNH launched, it included basic seasonal changes like cherry blossoms in spring and snow in winter. However, Nintendo quickly rolled out free updates to enhance the experience:

Bunny Day (April 2020) – The first major event introduced Zipper T. Bunny and egg-themed DIY recipes. While fun, some players found the egg spawn rate overwhelming.
Summer Update (July 2020) – Added swimming, diving, and sea creatures, expanding gameplay beyond fishing and bug-catching.
Halloween (October 2020) – Introduced Spooky Season, with Jack the Czar of Halloween and exclusive furniture.

These early updates set the precedent for holiday-themed content, though some events felt repetitive over time.

2. 2021-2022: Expanding Depth & Player Engagement

Nintendo refined seasonal updates with more interactive elements:

Festivale (February 2021) – Pavé the peacock brought vibrant dance-themed items and feathers to collect.
Thanksgiving (November 2021) – Franklin the turkey hosted a cooking event, introducing meal crafting, a welcome expansion to DIY mechanics.
2.0 Update (November 2021) – The biggest free update added Brewster’s café, farming, Kapp’n’s boat tours, and new furniture sets, making the game feel more alive.

These updates showed Nintendo’s commitment to long-term player retention, though some fans wished for more frequent major expansions.

Strengths of Seasonal Updates

1. Keeping the Game Fresh

By syncing with real-world seasons, ACNH maintains immersion and replayability. Players return for limited-time events like:

Toy Day (Christmas) – Jingle the reindeer delivers gifts.
Fireworks Shows (August) – Redd’s raffle and custom fireworks designs.

2. Encouraging Creativity

New items and DIY recipes allow players to redecorate their islands with seasonal themes. The introduction of vegetable farming in 2021 added another layer to island customization.

3. Community Engagement

Updates foster online interaction, as players trade event-exclusive items or visit each other’s islands for seasonal activities.

Areas for Improvement

1. Predictability of Events

While fun, some events (Bunny Day, Festivale) follow the same structure yearly. More randomized or evolving mechanics could prevent repetition.

2. Limited New Gameplay

Most updates focus on cosmetic additions rather than deep mechanics. More expansions like Brewster’s café or farming would enhance long-term play.

3. Missed Opportunities

Some real-world holidays (Lunar New Year, Diwali) were underrepresented, which could have added cultural diversity to the game.

Conclusion: A Strong but Flawed System

Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ seasonal updates have been a major success, keeping players engaged for years. However, future updates could benefit from: