2020's Animal Crossing: New Horizons was celebrated for granting players an unparalleled level of freedom. Nevertheless, a significant feature was conspicuously absent and warrants a comeback.
While New Horizons introduced several franchise firsts, it omitted a popular, albeit somewhat limited, mechanic from New Leaf. In the latter game, players were empowered to customize their town hall, aligning it with the overall theme of their village. This feature seems tailor-made for the series, yet Nintendo chose not to include it in its most substantial entry to date. Hopefully, the next game will reintroduce this feature and expand on it.
Breathing Life Into Animal Crossing's Town Halls
New Leaf Empowered Players Through Town Hall Customization
Since Animal Crossing: Wild World, players have overseen a village with a central town hall. This building has served as the hub for essential village services, including town inquiries, town tune alterations, donation collections, letter sending, bill payments, and bank access. However, players had limited control over its physical appearance. This changed with New Leaf.
In Animal Crossing: New Leaf, players assumed the role of mayor, granting them the ability to customize the town hall to their liking. Upon achieving a perfect town status, they could raise funds to expand the town hall with unique appearances, such as a Zen Castle, a fairy tale-inspired building, or a modern structure. Despite the cost, this level of freedom in town design was a fantastic addition to the game.
Elevating Town Hall Customization in the Next Game
Animal Crossing: New Horizons afforded players a deserted island to design as they pleased. Despite the substantial changes and increased freedom, the customizable town hall was omitted. Although the Resident Services building could be upgraded into a large town hall, further customization was unavailable, regardless of the town's perfection. This decision seemed peculiar for a game that championed player freedom.
Considering the game's unparalleled freedom, the absence of this customization option was surprising. New Horizons missed an opportunity to significantly improve the concept by offering more exterior options, control over the plaza, and even interior customization. The next game in the series may remove more barriers, ideally granting players complete control over their town hall, providing not only more island customization but also ensuring each village is unique. Moreover, players aiming for a specific themed island would no longer have to contend with a town hall that stands out. If the customization process is enjoyable, providing this option is essential.