Tag Archives: Animal Crossing

Why might games contain elements that seem diametrically opposed to their core fantasy? A Hairy Situation Recently, I’ve been playing a lot of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The game provides a welcome escape from real life: during a stressful time when I am quarantined inside my apartment, I can feel free to visit a tropicalContinue reading “Creepy Crawlers in Animal Crossing”

Rewarding Players for Playing the Game In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there are balloons carrying presents that occasionally drift over the player’s island, and the player can shoot these balloons with a slingshot to retrieve their loot. The present-laden balloon is a small yet masterfully designed feature that gently pushes players to engage with mostContinue reading “The Subtly Brilliant Design of Balloons in Animal Crossing: New Horizons”