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Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been its second best-selling flagship game. Since its launch, the massive number of players engaging with the title has testified to the game's success. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a welcoming art style with the freedom to explore, create, and share builds. Players can also partake in myriad activities.
Given that it's a Switch exclusive, players on other platforms have been eagerly watching from the sidelines, with many having expressed a desire for a multi-platform game.
The diversity of chatter on online forums about Animal Crossing: New Horizons shows that gamers on every platform want the title to be ported. Before that materializes, such players can check out similar titles that cater to multiple platforms.
Which games are similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons
1) Stardew Valley
Developer: ConcernedApe
Publisher: ConcernedApe
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS
Designed by indie developer Eric Barone, Stardew Valley feels at home for players familiar with the Animal Crossing series. Animal Crossing inspires Barone's game.
Players are tasked with reviving their grandfather’s farm, which has fallen into ruins. Overgrown weeds, unkempt land, and the impact of corporatization have led the farm to its death. Players will have to build their farms from the ground up.
Players should not write off the title because of its pixelated art style. Stardew Valley is flush with content and managing the day-to-day activities at the farm quickly becomes addictive. There are many characters that players come across during their journey as their farm expands. You can even invite up to three friends to lend a hand.
2) Sims 4
Developer: Maxis, The Sims Studio
Publisher: EA
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, and macOS
This popular long-running life-simulation franchise doesn't need much introduction. Players will not have animal characters to play around with, but they can keep pets. The gameplay loop and aesthetic are similar to Animal Crossing games. Players can create new characters, change the landscape, play god, and make game-life-altering decisions.
Sims 4 is a sandbox where players can roam various neighborhoods, meet other people, manage their relationships, and more. Multiple DLCs can expand the experience in whole new ways. There are festive-themed costumes, characters, and even new environments.
3) My Time at Portia
Developer: Pathea
Publisher: Team 17
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Nintendo Switch, PC, macOS, Android, and iOS
My Time at Portia is an excellent combination of an art style close to Animal Crossing, a story resembling that of Stardew Valley, and quirky characters similar to Sims 4. Players take over the farm and are tasked to restore their father’s farmland to its former glory with minimal resources at the start.
You don't feel engaged in a mindless grind as My Time at Portia presents menial tasks as part of a moving story. This gives players the incentive to break free from mining and farming resources at their leisure. There are plenty of farm animals to manage and goods to sell. A guild system also keeps players busy by constantly ranking up.
4) Stranded Sails: Explorers of Cursed Island
Developer: Alchemist Interactive
Publishers: rokaplay and Maple Whispering Limited
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
Stranded Sails: Explorers of Cursed Island has players exploring a mysterious island after their ship crashes due to a storm. The vibrant color palette and cartoony art style are attractive for players looking for something similar to Animal Crossing. Stranded Sails is more inclined towards being a survival simulation, as players will have to cook for themselves and the crew frequently.
Players must watch for stamina gauge depletion when performing certain actions like running or mining. There is no huge dedicated area for building a farm, but there are plenty of options to keep players busy and less overwhelmed. In fixed areas, players can set up crew shacks and decorate them to their heart’s content.
5) Spiritfarer
Developer: Thunder Lotus Games
Publisher: Thunder Lotus Games
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Android, and iOS
Spiritfarer is a unique offering in which players help the dead spirits to guide them to the afterlife. Players have a ship as a home base that acts as a carrier of souls they befriend throughout the game. The player perspective is similar to that of Fallout Shelter, which has a side-scrolling view of buildings and characters.
Players use the same ship to sail to different cities to search for souls. Players can also collect various resources as the souls request them to help. Such tasks help players increase their bond with the soul and give added rewards to upgrade their dwellings on the ship. The art style also enhances the appeal that resembles 2-D hand-drawn animated movies with striking colors.
