Memory Card: Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020)

It was the worst of times. It was Spring 2020, and in the light of a completely unforeseen pandemic, our lives were completely turned around and put on hold as we were put into lockdown and forced to isolate away from our loved ones. Naturally, this resulted in increased screen time, with little else to do to fill the days. But scrolling on Instagram and TikTok quickly got boring, and so I was in the pursuit of new avenues to cure my chronic boredom - which is where Animal Crossing: New Horizons came in. 

"Naturally, this resulted in increased screen time, with little else to do to fill the days."

I had little to no previous gaming experience, but I was compelled by the online hype and the cutesy graphics. The premise of the game was simple enough: do your tasks and build a town.  For hours upon hours, my virtual replica would run around my island, collecting fruit, chatting to my adorable villagers - no social distancing needed - and completing silly little side quests all while avoiding public enemy number one and dirty thief, Tom Nook. 

While real life was pretty bleak, with a constant stream of depressing headlines haunting our TV screens, life in the little Nintendo Switch screen provided a sweet escape from reality. Users had an island to be responsible for, which offered a new-found sense of purpose and proved valuable for those suffering with their mental health during the pandemic - so much so that a research paper has been published investigating the game’s benefits in satisfying user’s basic psychological needs during the pandemic. 

With the comfortingly familiar echoes of the Animal Crossing’s before paired with the simplicity of life on the island simulation, New Horizons altogether made for a relaxing gameplay experience and remains the staple of mine and countless others’ lockdown experiences. It asked for so little of us as to soothe the collective exhaustion we felt and for that, it will always have a place in my heart.