Is New Leaf worth playing in 2024?

Animal Crossing: New Leaf released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012 and almost immediately became a must-own Nintendo title. From its welcoming environment to the way it has perfected the Animal crossing formula, New Leaf it brought the series to life and made even more people play it. To this day, it remains one of the best in the series, with many praising it as the pinnacle of the series. Animal crossing and even cozy games in general.

Naturally, when New Horizons came out, many ran there, leaving New Leaf back. Of course, it helped New Horizons was on Nintendo’s fancy new console, while New Leaf it was stuck on the 3DS that everyone apparently quickly abandoned. There are many differences between New Horizons and New Leafenough to make them distinct experiences. However, that doesn’t mean that New Leaf should be ignored completelybecause it still has a lot to offer and, in some cases, even more than New Horizons.

Why care about the New Leaf in 2024?

It still remains absolutely

Animal Crossing: New Leaf had a small resurgence in 2024with several cozy gaming YouTubers and others flocking to the title in search of a dose of nostalgia. Videos of people revisiting their old cities or starting new ones have been popping up everywhere, despite New Leaf released in 2012. This, of course, despite the fact that New Horizons still exists and offers several improvements over the 3DS title.

However, players are discovering that there is a lot missing New Horizons which was featured in New LeafSo it makes sense that they would return to the game that many players consider to be the best in the series. There are so many 40+ minute videos – some even lasting an hour and a half – of people just relaxing New Leafshowcasing the many wonderful facets of its gameplay.

Of course, just because it’s suddenly incredibly popular doesn’t mean everyone has to start playing it. However, considering New Horizons released over four years ago, it’s not hard to see why people want it Animal crossing game cycle. Most people sold out their cities in New Horizons and I want something elseand New Leaf It’s easily the next best option.

Is New Leaf better than New Horizons?

Many people actually prefer New Leaf to New Horizonsand in many ways, it’s not hard to understand why. New Leaf was a huge improvement over its predecessors, placing the player in the role of the mayor of his citygiving them the ability to decide where new locations would be built, which projects to invest in, and even which decor items should adorn their city. There were minigames, lots of vibrant villagers to meet, and a whole host of new mechanics like diving.

New Leaf added much more to Animal crossing formula while maintaining that compelling gameplay loop that made the series so engaging in the first place. He managed to balance interesting villagers with a plethora of things to do to ensure the player never gets bored, even when waking up at 2am listening to peaceful music and wandering aimlessly.

Of course, there are also many things New Horizons do better than New Leafwhich probably won’t come as a shock to many. In the end, New Horizons introduced many quality of life features and important mechanics that completely changed the way players approach the Animal crossing experience. The ability to place literally any furniture outside, as well as terraforming mechanics, have added a level of freedom never before thought possible. It also greatly improved the overall visuals and added all the extra islands that players could visit.

However, it also makes some activities feel like a chore, making the entire experience much less unique. Additionally, the villagers felt like they were giving up New Leaf and other entrieswithout the distinct personalities that graced the beloved previous characters. It’s not that they were completely boring, but it was easy to feel like they all blended into one, and players quickly exhausted everything they had to say.

How to play New Leaf in 2024

It’s locked to the 3DS

Playing New Leaf in 2024 it’s surprisingly easyespecially considering it’s a 2012 game. All players will need a 3DS, which can still be purchased very cheaply on eBay and other second-hand sellers, and a copy of New Leaf. Surprisingly, New Leaf updated version, Welcome amiiboit can be purchased on Amazon for around $25/£20 and is on eBay for even less than that.

Of course, It would be amazing if Nintendo ported New Leaf for the Nintendo Switchbut unfortunately it’s not available there, even through Nintendo Switch Online. That means if fans want to get their hands on it, they’ll need a 3DS. However, there are many other amazing 3DS games worth playing, from Yokai Watch and Pokémon games for Dragon Quest and Mario entries. It’s a console worth owning, as its library is full of surprises.

Yes, New Leaf is worth playing

It’s an Animal Crossing classic for a reason

Animal Crossing: New Leaf is it worth playing now and it will always be worth playing in the future. Although it lacks some of the bells and whistles that New Horizons introduced, in many ways it surpasses the Switch title. Its villagers are more dynamic, there’s a lot for players to focus on, and it doesn’t always feel as task-focused as New Horizons.

That doesn’t mean that New Horizons It’s a bad game, but for those who played it exclusively, or for those who perhaps skipped the 3DS generation, New Leaf It’s an incredible title that easily holds up today. Its gameplay is as attractive as modern Animal crossing Titles and their visuals are still a delight, even though they’re confined to the 3DS’s tiny screen. Fans of Animal Crossing: New Horizons who are looking for another Animal crossing experience should definitely check it out New Leaf if only to see how the series has evolved.

Source: YouTube/Nintendo of America