Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Games review
As of Jul 13, 2026, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is rated 90/100 on Metacritic (122 critic reviews), and 90/100 on OpenCritic (151 critic reviews). Each source is shown in its own units, never blended into one score.
Different sources measure different things, so each is shown in its own units and never merged into one number.
Is Animal Crossing: New Horizons worth it in 2026?
A 90/100 across both OpenCritic (151 reviews) and Metacritic (122 reviews) represents about as coherent a critical consensus as the medium produces, and the praise holds up under scrutiny: island customization from the ground up genuinely expands what the series offered before, a revamped challenge system gives players concrete incentives to explore fishing, bug-catching, fossil hunting, and terraforming rather than just wandering, and the relaxed tone is a deliberate identity rather than a production shortcut. That identity, however, comes with a structural cost that no amount of playtime fixes: progress is gated behind real-world days, meaning a player who puts in forty hours in a week will still hit locked content that skill and effort cannot unlock faster. This is not a niche complaint, it will frustrate anyone who plays for achievement loops, forward momentum, or completion, and buyers should weigh it honestly before purchasing.
Players who want a low-pressure, open-ended life sim they can dip into daily at their own pace, casual or experienced, any age, and who are comfortable letting a game unfold on its own schedule rather than theirs.
Progress is deliberately drip-fed over real-world days and cannot be accelerated through skill or extra playtime; if you are goal-driven or want to push through content in focused sessions, the game's pacing will feel like a locked door rather than a design choice you can work around.
AI-generated editorial synthesis of the source scores and sampled review themes, not a hands-on test. Reviewer experiences and allegations are not independently verified facts.
Pros
- relaxing peaceful gameplay5
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- Overall, playing New Horizons was well worth the wait. The game is relaxing, enjoyable, well thought out, and fantastic chilled out fun for all ages. Right now, we really need a di...
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a respite from the current state of the world. I find my general anxiety slowly subside as I run through my town, water my plants, and build furnit...
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons transports the player to another world, one where the hardships of life seem inconsequential.
- expanded content improvements4
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- Animal Crossing: New Horizons is an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises.
- An impressive suite of improvements combine with a more clearly defined structure for Animal Crossing's finest outing to date.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons gives you more creative freedom and more to do on any given day while preserving what makes the series special.
- customizable island design3
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- Animal Crossing: New Horizons revitalizes the series formula with a fully customizable island that players get to design from the tent up.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons gives you more creative freedom and more to do on any given day while preserving what makes the series special.
- By bringing players into their own island, Animal Crossing: New Horizons works the series' charming, wholesome magic like never before.
- appeals to all players3
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- Overall, playing New Horizons was well worth the wait. The game is relaxing, enjoyable, well thought out, and fantastic chilled out fun for all ages. Right now, we really need a di...
- The best thing I can say about New Horizons is that I think it's going to win over some players who previously bounced off the franchise. And it will do so without losing any longt...
- A beautiful, welcoming game that is everything and anything you want it to be. This is one you'll play all year and beyond, and it's exactly what the world needs right now.
- engaging activities variety3
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- A new challenge system reinvigorates the familiar core, providing a wonderful incentive to explore all of Animal Crossing's myriad activities. This cheerful life sim is the next be...
- Animal Crossing has always been a series where every little thing leads to something productive.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons is beautiful and peaceful, offering safe harbour from the stresses of everyday life. There's so much to do and so much to see, so what's wrong with ma...
- series revitalization3
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- Animal Crossing: New Horizons revitalizes the series formula with a fully customizable island that players get to design from the tent up.
- There continues to be nothing quite like Animal Crossing, and New Horizons proves that there's life in the old Nook yet.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons is everything I hoped it would be, and it’s yet another stellar release that showcases a confident Nintendo at its best. It is excellent, and is easil...
Cons
- slow pacing2
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- Animal Crossing: New Horizons is everything I hoped it would be, and it’s yet another stellar release that showcases a confident Nintendo at its best. It is excellent, and is easil...
- After a few weeks with the latest Animal Crossing, our craving for catching rare bugs and improving our island hasn't calmed one bit. The series' first console release in over a de...
Themes and quotes are drawn from 20 sampled reviews with text; the scores above reflect all 273 ratings. Counts are how many of the sampled reviews mention each point.
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