
However that only furthers the criticism that a more robust split screen mode for local co-op would have been a worthwhile investment. Perhaps the designers restricted this function because they felt it would be awkward if a visiting friend saw someone teleport to follow their leader. Players can not use the Call Resident app when inviting friends over to see their recreations of locales like Pokemon's Pallet Town, despite one of the game's biggest selling points being its ability to have eight players on one island. The local co-op functionality of Animal Crossing: New Horizons also bristles against its online multiplayer.

Why then are they unable to get all the same tutorial-dependent items and event triggers as the first player? The game also keeps track of which players donate what critters and fossils to Blathers at the museum. Players who are not the Resident Representative have a direct say in quite a few things: They can invite new villagers from Nook Miles Ticket islands, independently terraform when that function is unlocked, and advance certain quests like providing supplies to build Nook's Cranny. What makes this gatekeeping of permissions especially bizarre is how inconsistent it is. Secondary players can help gather resources alone, but are unable to help beyond that. For instance when Tom Nook asks players to furnish three houses for new animal villagers toward the beginning of the game, only the Resident Representative is given the DIY recipes to craft items necessary for completing this quest.
ANIMAL CROSSING 2 PLAYER ONE SWITCH FULL
What makes this limited multiplayer presence in Animal Crossing: New Horizons work is that the leader can shake their Joy-Con or access a menu at any time that allows them to swap roles, right down to the former follower having their full inventory from the last time they logged in.Īnyone who joins after this first player is treated like a second-hand citizen, as if the game were designed under the assumption that every "Player Two" is a younger sibling who should not be allowed to advance the game without their older sibling's say. With multiple users on one Switch the first player is considered the leader, while the called resident has a simplified presence: They can only access tools, they are automatically teleported when caught off-screen, and anything they collect goes to the recycle box in Resident Services. The Switch's built-in multiple account system makes it easy for different players to log in, and from there the Call Resident app allows a second player with a home on the island to simultaneously play with a separate controller. Where the game succeeds in creating an interesting experience most is in how relatively seamless it is to transfer control between those players.

Now that the game has been out for a few weeks, it's fair to say there are baffling design decision that hold New Horizons' local co-op back from being something truly great, things that could potentially see adjustments going forward.Īnimal Crossing: New Horizons allows for up to four-player local co-op on each Nintendo Switch. When it was first revealed that each Nintendo Switch can only host one island, meaning multiple players on one device would have to share the space, there was widespread skepticism and pre-emptive disappointment that led to review bombing on Metacritic. However, one area that has garnered Animal Crossing: New Horizons flak is its strange handling of local co-operative features. RELATED: Full Animal Crossing: New Horizons April Calendar Its online functionality is also rather impressive (for a first-party Nintendo game), allowing for eight-person multiplayer sessions on any island at any given time. The addition of features like outdoor decorating and the prospect of updated content throughout the year has given the newest Animal Crossing game a long shelf life, and no doubt players will continue to play with their friends, to show off decor, and offer up access to different shops on their once-deserted island.
