Ava Mac ‘21, Managing/Copy Editor
It is so easy these days to get caught up in all of the things wrong with the world. A pandemic has taken hold of our country, the economy is tanking, and there are now murder hornets in America. For many cooped up in their homes, stuck watching a constant stream of depressing news, it seems like an apocalypse is brewing with each passing day.
To put it simply, people need an escape: a place to forget the sense of impending doom that threatens the population every day. No better way to do so is to play the game Animal Crossing: New Horizons, released for the Nintendo Switch on March 20.
With adorable graphics and easy gameplay, it is hard not to fall in love with the idyllic paradise of the island and the charming characters that inhabit it. Your goal is as simple as this: explore the deserted island, make the most of its wealth of natural resources, and create a community however you want.
“It eases your stress, it is simple to play, and it is nice to take your mind off of things,” avid player and freshman Lana Mac said. She also loves accessing Nintendo Online to visit the islands of her friends, including fellow player senior Allison Faragher, who said, “I would say my favorite part is building my town and decorating it so it looks really cute, so then my friends can come visit it.”
In a time when in-person interaction with friends is limited, the next best alternative to hangouts in person is hanging out with their virtual characters online. Animal Crossing: New Horizons not only gives its players a way to maintain socialization, but creativity as well. As Faragher said, “it gives you a way to be creative,” especially during quarantine, when inspiration and motivation can get very low.
But more of anything else, Faragher added, it is a peaceful way to pass the time, and it is “a game you can play for a couple hours every day without getting bored.”
A perfect mix of escapism, imagination, and much-needed bliss, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the best remedy for quarantine stress.
Photo courtesy of gamestop.com
Lyon Life 