Why Animal Crossing: New Leaf is EASILY the Best Game in the Series

Animal Crossing: New Leaf is easily the best game in the series. But how can a decade-old 3DS game beat out the brand new Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Today, let’s talk about what New Leaf did to receive such a status, and why it’s still beloved and critically acclaimed to this day.
0:00 - All Aboard!
3:41 - Turning Over a New Leaf
8:51 - Train to Nowhere
15:16 - Mayoral Mishap
19:52 - Sight Seein’ and Sound Hearin’
32:07 - Your Friend the Cat
36:39 - Slow-Going Growing
44:44 - A Tale of Two Players
50:37 - The NEW New Leaf
53:26 - Last Stop
Additional Footage:
SwimmingBird941:
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Gameplay Database:
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Twitter: @ProtendoYT
Outro Theme: • Undertale - "Last Good...
#AnimalCrossingNewLeaf #AnimalCrossingNewHorizons #AnimalCrossing

[@Yeti1473]

I just want to have a conversation with my villagers that I haven't had with 5 other villagers that day.

[@DieAlteistwiederda]

I kind of miss the randomly rude or funny villagers. They all were their own little characters and you could start beef with them if you were bored.

[@soabac0835]

its true though... i stopped playing new horizons few months after i got it, because i built what i wanted and there was nothing to make me come back. while new leaf i still reexplore my town to this day, my villagers just never bore me, they'll always be my friends in my cozy town

[@eightfoottallman]

@@DieAlteistwiederda rightt they had personality at least 😭 no matter how rude or silly they all had their own personal touch

[@EmeraldMan25]

I mean, New Leaf kinda does that too, just to a little bit lesser of an extent. It excells at everything else though.

[@soabac0835]

@@EmeraldMan25 that's what he said, he was talking about new leaf i think

[@killsleepy]

a nice detail from new leaf is that villagers who have moved away can be found in main street or in the shops its so cute and makes it feel like they’ve visited on the train to say hi

[@Sailor-Khione]

It's not good if it's villagers you hate.

[@greatclutzz8763]

fr, like I lost my beloved kid cat because I didn’t play the game for COUGH *five years* BUT I still see her in the plaza

[@Diamoondust]

​@@Sailor-Khione I mean it's not like they are permanently there

[@bepis_real]

A similar feature can also be seen in City Folk, where past villagers appear in the city!

[@lemonlime79]

@@Sailor-Khione why... why do you care about the appearances... its not healthy to judge....

[@weebovv3176]

I'm surprised you didn't talk about how when villagers move out, they often move to your friend's towns and will actually recognize you when you talk to them. It blew my friggin mind when I first realized it. I've never felt more connected to another person's game before this

[@stormhought]

One of my little sister's villager moved to my town once. One time she visited my town and told her to talk to the villager, and it blew her mind. It was pretty to cool watch

[@DarthFhenix55]

That feature is there since the GameCube game tho, NL didn't implemented that.

[@WreckItRolfe]

​@@DarthFhenix55 Yeah. One of my mates' sheep villagers moved to mine.

[@Emanuele_Polisena]

In NH, they'll just forget about you.

[@weebovv3176]

@@DarthFhenix55 I never said it did?

[@moomillmarloseph9179]

Honestly the fact that Pelly and Phyllis were replaced WITH A STAND makes me tear up. I loved those characters so much. And I remember the first time I went to the island in NH, I got so emotional when I heard Kappn’ sing his little shanty. New leaf was TOO GOOD.

[@Nerdface.]

Phyllis is kind of annoying and rude though, plus the stand is a bit more practical.

[@giraffe1219]

@@Nerdface. she is supposed to be rude. That’s part of her character and personality.

[@brendanreilly4675]

@@Nerdface. the whole point of her being angry and rude was because she had to work night shifts and her sister Pelly didn’t

[@ida6950]

She was so sassy in wild world I love it

[@liesebeam8910]

They couldve had pelly and phylis have a stand in the airport. Not much had to change, they didnt have huge roles in any game so it wouldnt have been different.

[@ryebreadsoup]

im mad they didn't bring back the island fruit. Like we are literally on an island! and we don't have Durians or lychees or bananas??!!

[@ryebreadsoup]

also yes. the music is the best (my favorite was 3am)

[@dietotaku]

i will admit i would like to see the return of those trees, and with the advent of shrubs & crops in ACNH i hope we get grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc in the next one.

[@michikomi6358]

Mangoes too

[@ladynoname3621]

And lemons

[@whiterunguard9397]

NO LITERALLY MAKE IT MAKE SENSEEEE it truly can’t be that hard to add

[@TodayInGoodMusic]

The problem with NH is that it feels hollow, it doesn’t feel like an Animal Crossing game, it feels like a shell of what the series once was, and instead of being about the town, its about customisation. It wasn’t a sequel to New Leaf, it felt more like a sequel to Happy Home Designer.

[@FroggyGizmo]

I mean not even. In my opinion terraforming is super annoying and such a hustle to do. They should have some sort of a top down planner to make it easier. You're god anyway

[@RedTabby10]

I mean, as happy home designer is my favorite animal crossing game, I can’t complain about the creative aspects. But I do wish the game was more alive so you could actually feel the life in the island you spent so much time on creating

[@brendanreilly4675]

Also keep in mind, in order to really start getting fun and creative with your customizable town, you’ll have to wait a really long time to get that tall white screen that people would print their own designs on to make cliffs look like buildings

[@colev4499]

yeah seriously like after you get timmy and tommy’s place to expand there’s not really much to do .

[@archinavaridas9900]

And the DLC says everything

[@swansawng]

Main Street was something I thought had THEE most potential for expanding in new leafs successor and to my surprise they just removed it completely 😭

[@Protendo]

Main Street itself was already an expansion of the city concept, so you’d think they’d push it further instead of just… dropping it completely 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@swansawng]

@@Protendo well anyways your video was very effective I immediately went and purchased a THIRD copy of new leaf after watching so I can start another town. 😈

[@heartsforbrooke]

@@nezahuatezwell, they also got rid of (correct me if im wrong) kind of 7 different aspects to the game from main street (club 101, nooks homes, post office, gracie grace, the spontaneity of harriet's, label's shop, and katrina). sure, some of these were changed into other things such as how label visits the island regularly, but she doesnt have the opportunity to have her own shop. this also got rid of characters that people loved (shrunk, pelly, phyllis, pete, katrina, gracie) which is a shame :( its perfectly reasonable to have different opinions to someone bt just leave them be rather than arguing (sorry i yap so much)

[@WobblesandBean]

Nintendo is infamous for ruining the only good aspects of their games. They don't care what the players want, they think we're all peons.

[@Kodeb8]

This was my first animal crossing game, and it got me through a lot. I am Puerto Rican and for those that don't know, we got hit with hurricane Maria in 2017, which left the island in a state of disrepair. I was left without electricity or water for 3 months. Amidst all the chaos, this was my comfort game, the one place I could escape to. Getting my 3ds charged was a bit tricky, but I always found a way. The one thing I looked forward to when I got back home from school was playing new leaf.

[@angelique1940]

cb yo tambien. maria fue la primera vez que realmente jugué animal crossing and it rlly got me through it. maria was the only reason i really made my town so beautiful and im happy i did. that was the good thing about maria, it forced us to just live life for a little lol

[@JaContex]

I miss being able to meet random players on tortimer’s island :( I wish Nintendo wasn’t so sensitive with its online nowadays

[@shc4551]

It really is a shame, so much potential for 8 players on club tortimer and yet they refuse to allow it because someone might say a bad word. Which i don’t understand because if you’re bothered by someone you can easily block them.

[@metameow1]

wait they removed online?

[@metameow1]

i played like 5 months ago ooof

[@lyraharpstrings8025]

@@metameow1 I don't think they did I was on tortimer island online last night.

[@ExperiencersInternational]

@@metameow1 no they haven't

[@pastawater2969]

Honestly, the limited public works projects and inability to terraform or relocate houses in New Leaf kinda inspires creativity, I think. Like, seeing how people bent custom design paths to wrap around rocks that spawned in the way, or created parks with a windmill in the centre, was what made people's towns really charming. I think it was very grounding, in a way, that even though you were the mayor, there were still some things you couldn't change.

[@zeckma]

I still blame NH for basically making the player feel like God instead of just being a resident doing good for the town, which made the previous games feel satisfying.

[@pastawater2969]

@Zeckma Yeah, definitely! Even though I love new horizons it really feels like the player is separate from the other villagers, but in earlier games you felt like a part of the community, which made the whole "you're a human living with animals" work better as a concept, because you were just like them

[@healgoth]

@@pastawater2969HHD is the perfect middle ground, you get almost total control over the environment but it’s sensible in universe, you’re an interior designer so it makes sense we would solo design a store, cafe, school or… uh, hospital for the town (okay maybe we are a little OP for just an employee) Things like the map and town looking the same at the start each playthrough (because it’s established a little already) helps emphasize the changes you make to the town after playing for a while, restarting a save copy of HHD to me is like an easier version of flattening a NL island/deleting HHP data piece by piece

[@mastermarkus5307]

The one thing I would argue against in having villagers pick their own house locations is that I do think there should be some limits so they houses aren't seemingly randomly placed at weird angles from each other, or are visually blocking something.

[@pastawater2969]

@@mastermarkus5307 yeah it was annoying at times, I agree

[@MatchYuu]

Man as a kid I loved staying up past 8 to catch the rare beetles on Tortimers island 🏝️

[@cheesencrackers9135]

As someone who still plays ACNL and has been beetle farming at 1-3 am for years... You can start catching them after 8??? (TT_TT) I always thought it had to be the dead of night

[@RedTabby10]

Yeahh, I always felt so cool staying up past bedtime laying in bed ds in hand under the covers catching bugs selling bugs catching bugs selling bugs repeat, I wish NH had an easy straightforward way to earn bells like that (other than tarantulas they confuse me)

[@catscanhavelittleasalami]

same, it was the best way to get tons of bells without cheating

[@klltx2001]

@@RedTabby10 Agreed. I wish there were bugs that were a good money sink than spiders. Plus I'm super terrified of spiders to try and catch one in NH, so I prefer bell farming from beetles for sure xwx'

[@Arkalay]

this, such great memories.

[@millychapman]

I don’t think there is a word to describe how new leaf makes us feel. Even thinking of the game, I just feel so warm and spirited. It genuinely changed my life. I think it’s saved me on multiple occasions and that sounds a little silly but from the age of 7 it has been my remedy for everything. The music like you said was quite something. The closeness to your villagers and the detail of all parts of their personality was a major part of the game, whilst nh feels so distant and robotic. On my way to play.

[@achduschreck]

I feel like I‘d loose all of my motivation if I‘m the only one still playing so i‘d love to start the game again with some more people like back in the days :) Are u still playing ?

[@alinikki5153]

@@achduschreck I've only ever played NH but I just got a 3ds xl and new leaf today! I haven't even started it yet but this will be my 1st time playing it. I'm so excited because I love NH but I got bored after a while. I love the endless customization options but the game play itself felt stale after awhile. I hope I enjoy this version more!

[@achduschreck]

@@alinikki5153 If you‘re more a fan of unlocking things and really interacting with your town, then you‘ll love this game. It has more depth and possibilities, it feels more alive, like you‘re really achieving something. Hope you like it as much as I do

[@victini248]

I think it's because you were younger and not about how the game made you feel.

[@notashy_]

New leaf is just so magical bro. I’ve played New Leaf since I was little, it will always have a place in my heart. Me, my little brother, and my dad all had New Leaf towns, and we’d join eachother and play all sorts of games. We’d play hide n seek on our towns, and go on tours. When New Horizons came out, all three of us were excited and we put our nintendos down and ditched them for horizons. We played horizons for awhile, it was great, don’t get me wrong the game was amazing. All three of us still played together, and we forgot about New Leaf. Back in November of 2021 my dad passed away due to some health problems and such, and watching this video made me cry. I found my Nintendo and opened it, and I left my house and saw my town for the first time in awhile. New Leaf gave me so many memories about my dad that I’ll never forget, it seems like New Leaf is a part of my dad, something I can’t lose while I lost him. I love New Leaf :)

[@giadaa]

This is so sweet :( please go on his town on NL and keep it alive for him

[@AlexisTwoLastNames]

rest in peace to your dad 😇 his favorite villagers probably still think abt him

[@v1llger192]

Aww, that's so sweet! R.I.P. to your dad, what a chad.

[@notashy_]

@@v1llger192 Tysm

[@sublimari]

this is such a beautiful story its so touching, and i’m so sorry for your loss

[@voyan38]

I've never even thought about how contextless New Horizons is in handing you special privileges, it doesn't even try to immerse you- you're just God, island version. But New Leaf's mayor stance is balanced, letting you change things about yourself but restricting your influence on your neighbors. Helps make them feel like they're their own people making their own decisions compared to New Horizons' dolls. Solid analysis, dude. ALSO NEW LEAF 5 PM IS THE BEST NO CAP BB BOSSA BIAS

[@jebross6120]

Bossa Bias!

[@liun1390]

Decide an island name - everyone claps at the name you suggests - you must be good enough to decide on the entire infrastructure of the whole island, dictate if the people have to get up early or stay up late and be the spokesperson of everyone on the island. Makes sense to me.

[@osnapitzpoppy]

make villagers mean again!!!!

[@mrsuperheatran2794]

The sting is that people STILL wanted more control than we got in New Leaf. New Horizons is a product of listening to those people who *have* to control every aspect of their town.

[@ipupi8784]

What does the time mean?

[@SpacemanSamuel6671]

I have never, in my life, hear someone talk as passionately as you did about Animal Crossing, and thank you for that.

[@sublimari]

ill always miss the friends i made on the new leaf islands when i was 12, they made my life for such a long time and i loved them. i wish i could find them again

[@izu2ku]

no bc same 😭 There were these two girls that I played with every single day. We randomly met on an island and we added each other and we just stuck for some reason 😭 we would have “sleepovers” (or until our internet disconnected us) and I just remember having so much fun playing with them. I always wonder how they’re doing now because it’s been like a decade since we’ve played together

[@victini248]

yeah, I remember saving your friend code then telling the person you meet on the island your friend code so that you can meet each other again, then forming whole online friend groups with people in animal crossing

[@supermarionicholas931]

@@izu2ku Same I use to have Animal Crossing Island friends too but back in 2018 I was friends with this guy named Knux and he was a cool dude. Ever since 2019 and forward I never saw him again and the other people I met aswell I wonder how they are doing nowadays since it's now the 2020s and the late 2010s was when I last saw them. Made the 2010s the best decade in history because of that game.

[@supermarionicholas931]

Same I missed my old Animal Crossing island friends too I wonder how their doing nowadays.

[@adualaispuro]

i remember getting this game during quarantine because i didn’t have a switch and saw everyone enjoying new horizons and wanted in on the fun so i got new leaf on my 3ds and honestly expected the game to be worse than new horizons but i’m so glad i was wrong that was probably the best summer of my life despite the state of the world, just staying isolated in my room having a nocturnal sleep schedule and playing new leaf all the time while listening to mac miller’s posthumous album that dropped recently at the time. man i kinda wish i could go back to that summer and relive it i never felt so relaxed. Around the end of that summer in 2020 i finally got enough money for a switch and new horizons and i was shocked to find out that new leaf a way older game on a weaker console had more features and personality and fun with its dialogue, i still love new horizons but honestly it just can’t compete with new leaf, in all fairness when i started new leaf i happened to be in a low point of my life and new leaf being the only thing i had is probably making me biased but tbh if that’s the case then oh well, watching kapp’n drive a boat and sing will forever be one of my comfiest experiences 💯

[@aadjy_]

nah new leaf is just better new horizons gets boring fasy

[@vickyd6719]

@@aadjy_ do you Play new leaf? Im Looking for People to Play with !!!

[@aadjy_]

@@vickyd6719 I lost my 3DS 😭 but if I still had it I would totally play with you

[@jasonflores3737]

@@vickyd6719 i can play with you if you want!!

[@shadesoftime]

​@@vickyd6719 me too

[@supremeleaderfrancisco9062]

i really would like if in the next ac game the player starts out as a non important role in the town but can become the mayor or resident representative with time idk just a thought

[@alloounou6900]

That could be neat. Like if you need develop a relationship with villagers before they'll vouch for you.

[@deaddwives]

@@alloounou6900 animal crossing: election week

[@alloounou6900]

@@deaddwives LOL

[@svgstarlight]

@@deaddwives animal crossing: election fraud?? 😱

[@WESWANGKTA]

Kinda like in Stardew valley

[@torger8305]

I have very fond memories of playing this game in the dark of my bedroom on a summer's night listening to that beautiful 1am soundtrack while trying to catch scorpions. I'm glad someone else feels that New Leaf is the height of the franchise.

[@cravdraa]

I actually liked the style of the music in the original GC Animal Crossing. It's so different from every game since then. It's cute and bouncy. It uses random cat meows as instruments.

[@miavianth]

New Leaf was my whole childhood If I'm being dramatic it had a huge Impact on my life and it will always be my favorite game. When New Leaf lovers talk about New Horizons it often sounds like we are just complaining about it. We are complaining about it, but only because we are used to better with New Leaf. When you describe Acnh you would say it's a game where you live on a deserted island and build it up to anything you want. Basically a building simulator. And that's just not Animal Crossing. The old Animal Crossing games were about connecting with your villagers and living a dream life in your cute little town which you could mostly only customize with plants. The majority of acnh players are resetting their island as soon as they have filled every corner of it because it feels like the game is over as soon as you reach that point. And that's just making me so sad because I know the old Animal Crossing games had a completely different intention. I apologize for this huge text😅😂

[@Tea-bw7ht]

Speaking facts 👆

[@plumie]

You literally just copied the words from my soul! Exactly this.

[@tristankrammel5041]

So true. If any NCNL nostalgic folks want to get back into the game and want to play together, lmk. I got a N3DS XL recently and it's the best.

[@missingsummerur7wq]

Whoa, you are so right!! I haven’t even finished my new horizons island because once you complete all your tasks and everything it’s just boring, it’s like you don’t know what to do with the freedom at first but then it’s just not super fun. You still get to enjoy the cozy gameplay and ambiance and re decorate a few things from time to time. But I think I’ll get new leaf to see. I’ll update if I do!!

[@jaydenc367]

Animal Crossing was always about making your place feel like it's yours too though...which New Horizons does very well. It really isn't over, you can customize as much as you. The intention wasn't really completely different.

[@Dilpik]

New leaf was magical. It came out at the perfect time in our childhoods to truly make it one of the best games I’ve ever played to this day.

[@dietotaku]

must be why you're so attached to it. new leaf came out when i was pregnant with my second child and i just missed the hack that would let me terraform my town, so to say i was stoked about ACNH would be an understatement.

[@watergirl929]

Lol The Original gamecube was my childhood that came out at the perfect time in my childhood 😂

[@lynntaylor9681]

I didn't grow up with Animal Crossing at all since the first one came out when I was in my early 20's. I love New Leaf though. I was in my 30's when I first played it in 2015 and I still love the game. It's my first AC game and it's so much better than New Horizons. I have three physical copies of the game and still play it from time to time.

[@graveyardpansy]

i agree with you so deeply. 7pm music enjoyers rise up!! the NL atmosphere is so unmatched. one thing you didn’t mention that i loved was how on main street, villagers that moved away would sometimes visit! you could find them wandering the street and they’d recognize you, and it made you feel like a part of the wider community. and the tree!!!!! the tree that grows as you play and gives you a little credits scene when you sit there long enough… stunning.

[@gwendolyn9797]

I love how you mentioned the difference between the island / town vibe and how towns just feel better. You described it perfectly… Islands feel too absolute whereas towns are cozy and secluded but also apart from others… the beach just surrounding you feels meh. New subscriber 🤍

[@kmckinley0707]

I started playing AC when Wild World came out. I made a male villager and a female villager. I had this little background storyline going on where I pretended my two villagers were competing to be the next mayor once Tortimer retired. You can imagine my surprise when I found out you could be the mayor in New Leaf. NL even came out on my birthday! It's like Nintendo knew lol. For these reasons NL will always have a special place in my heart but I love all the versions. Never got to play the Gamecube one though.

[@pigeon1923]

I did that too! My female villager was a confident fashionista who loved to design clothes, while my male villager was a shy yet avid collector of anything he could get his hands on. I used to pretend that there was to be an election for new mayor and they both had to become good residents and friends to everyone.

[@kmckinley0707]

@@pigeon1923 I'm so happy to hear I'm not the only one who did this lol. Who did you end up picking to be mayor in NL? My female villager was similar to yours but she was less into clothes at first and more into having expensive everything lol. My male villager was the more responsible one and less arrogant. The reason I made my female villager that way was because I meant her to be sort of an "anti" version of myself. 😅 The town was even named after her so it would go with the story that she HAD to be mayor, but my male villager still wanted to try to win lol. (He did win against the odds in NL).

[@AlexisTwoLastNames]

this idea is so stinking cute

[@pigeon1923]

@@kmckinley0707 My female villager liked expensive clothing and loved the Regal set. She was pretty headstrong but softened up and became more friendly after many of the villagers started wearing her designs. My male villager was called Finn and his favourite thing to do was fish late at night and early morning. He would try his best to avoid villagers but became good friends with Boone. I ended up creating a system where they would be mayor biannually, so Dolly would be mayor in Summer and Winter and Finn was mayor in Autumn and Spring. They both had their own fruit tree, Dolly had a cherry and Finn had an orange I believe. When they became mayor, they would cut down the other mayor's trees and plant their own ones. They were both two parts myself that I felt clashed and it was really interesting to explore myself through these villagers. I really loved Wild World and how happy it made me feel. Dolly is my mayor in New Leaf and Finn's still an avid fisher and collector.

[@kmckinley0707]

@@pigeon1923 Wow, our female villagers would probably be good friends haha. Mine loved the regal set too. In Wild World she didn't like Gracie since she tried giving her fashion tips but once City Folk came out and I saw how nice all her furniture was, I realized it was right up my female villager's alley lol. My male villager was named Steve and my female one was (Anti) Kristen. That's really cool that you made a system like that, I wish I'd thought of that lol. Instead I just finally decided once NL came out I'd let Steve when but the storyline was that (Anti) Kristen sort of "let" him win secretly. Steve was always my outlet of being social. I have ASD/social anxiety so have always been the quiet kid. So back then, I'd make Steve act really social and befriend all the villagers where as (Anti) Kristen acted snobby and only befriended a few of them. It's kind of funny, I always said Goldie broke Steve's heart when she left back in WW and to this day, he hasn't seen her in any of the games. Even in HHP, (Anti) Kristen has gone there twice and seen Goldie but Steve went many many times and still hasn't seen her. Idk if this'll be the last AC game but I'm trying to plan on her finally moving back here in NH but if he still hasn't seen her and a new AC comes out, I may wait for that one lol. Thanks for sharing your storyline, it sounds interesting! =)

[@boredpreston]

I almost hate that New Leaf was my first AC game. It ruined my expectations for the rest of the series. I loved it!

[@AS-cs9gi]

I hate that new horizons was my first AC game cause it made me realize I missed out on new leaf

[@Peloisreal]

@@AS-cs9gi same

[@Snailtrash]

Since I have a 3ds I should probably pick up new leaf before the eShop shuts down

[@simplybeezknees]

@@Snailtrash I think the eshop is closed already

[@Snailtrash]

@@simplybeezknees doesn't it close in March 2023? Just checked it's still there but I'm broke so I can't buy it 😭

[@PumpkinCove]

New Leaf truly means so much to me. It got me through some rough times. The music was beautiful and the slow-paced life gave me pure joy and happiness. I was disappointed when New Horizons came out. I want a complete reboot of New Leaf with all the luxuries and customisation of New Horizons, and all of the beauty and nostalgia of New Leaf. I hope one day I can plant that town tree once again 😌

[@TheAstralBlade]

It's so wild to think of New Leaf being over a decade old now, from memeries of being in elementary school playing the game, to now all grown up in college to look back on it. I probably havent touched my town in over six years, but remembering back to it always makes me feel a nostalgic yearn.

[@vixenrevitup]

I played New Leaf for the first time at a very low point in my life. In 2018, I developed a rare disease that took 13 months for doctors to diagnose. In 2019, a medication that I was given relieved the pain but also gave me severe depression and insomnia. It was around this time that my family Chihuahua, Ditty was dying. This furthered the depression. I decided to play New Leaf as a distraction from all that was around me and it gave me the escapism that I absolutely needed. I met both Stinky and Lobo and the two became my closest friends in the game. I loved to power walk, so Stinky’s exercise comments made me laugh. I was also moody, so seeing a cranky villager like Lobo made me see myself, in a way. In 2020, Ditty passed away and I again used the game to escape that pain. I wrote letters to Stinky and Lobo about how I felt. Despite the fact that the game is not programmed for villagers to understand, to me, they did. Their warmth and kindness got me over a huge hurdle. Then New Horizons came out and I stopped playing New Leaf. My depression had subsided and my medication regimen changed. New Horizons was great during the pandemic, but it lacked the heart and warm fuzzies that New Leaf had. I can have Stinky and Lobo on my island with me, but their banal dialogue and lack of depth take me away from the characters they were in New Leaf. It’s a great game, don’t get me wrong, but it cannot hold up to New Leaf. There is such a cozy atmosphere to New Leaf that will never be overridden. I would love to see it remastered/ported for the Switch since New Horizons is finished with major updates. I doubt it will happen, but who knows. Excellent video!

[@katherinag.]

Thank you for sharing your story with us. I hope you feel better now. :)

[@harperthegreat]

I remember as a child SOBBING my heart out because I time traveled and both Stinky and Phil had left in essentially the same day.

[@xxangelthebearxx]

lobo was in my village too! he's one of my favorites (he didn't stay in my town for as long as i hoped though. same with Twiggy who was my very first "friend" in the game T~T)

[@killerblodychuky6]

i hope in future animal crossing games can strike a balance between immersion and customization better to appease both sides of the community

[@killerblodychuky6]

i'd also say i fall at 3.3 on the chart

[@LittyLuke]

To me ACNL already struck that pretty perfectly.

[@Jakeimator]

@@LittyLuke can we at least place SOME furniture outside, like the bird bath. COME ON WHY CAN YOU ONLY PLACE IT IN YOUR HOUSE, ARE THE BIRDS GONNA CRASH THROUGH YOUR WINDOW?!

[@user-wp5no6cn2b]

No, NH was the customization one, immersionbros get the next one it's only fair

[@killerblodychuky6]

@@user-wp5no6cn2b by that logic customization bros only really got nh lol A lot of the previous were mostly simulation games with really limited customization options that the community had to work AROUND

[@SteadyxSword]

If there was only 1 thing that makes New Leaf better than New Horizons, it's Tortimer Island. Despite the massive playerbase and easier connectivity, there's no multiplayer activity besides a quick island tour. 2nd thing is Shink's nightclub.

[@creekstones6959]

I also prefer towns to islands, I almost feel unsettled on an island and I like feeling connected to another world.

[@CuckooKukri]

Now I really wish I had a 3DS. I'm definitely more of an immersion/progression player. The amount of control you have in New Horizons is honestly overwhelming to me.

[@LpsfudgeandMlpTV]

You can still get them second hand 😊

[@LawMasterTimmy]

Can always emulate it

[@raleo7466]

A second hand 3DS and a homebrewing tutorial let's you experience the golden era of Nintendo for the price of two switch games imho

[@alinikki5153]

@@raleo7466 Today I bought a second hand 3ds xl home-brewed and I'm so freaking excited to play new leaf and all the latest Pokemon games. The last ds I owned was the OG blue one & the last Pokemon game I played on it was Heart Gold. That was over a decade ago. 🤯 Homebrewing back then would have been THE absolute DREAM! I'm excited to re-live all of this as an adult lol.

[@improvisedchaos8904]

I've got a homebrew 3ds; the only game I own is new leaf

[@tomb6576]

Would seriously happily pay 60 bucks for a Switch port. This game deserves it. Real talk tho I'm just hoping it emulates well on the Steam Deck!

[@dibdap2373]

They'd never do that.

[@tomb6576]

@@dibdap2373 unfortunately true

[@itsd3br33]

@@dibdap2373 You never know. Nobody expected Mii Topia to get ported.

[@bonjouritsready]

A port of New Leaf that had no changes apart from slight graphics upgrades would literally print money for Nintendo, but it’s just a pipe dream alas

[@tomb6576]

@@bonjouritsready it runs real well with upscaled resolution on the steam deck 👀

[@nightbomd7768]

What I loved about new leaf was unlocking new characters and shops, it just brought an amazing feeling, and the obliviousness of not knowing how to unlock certain shops made the game have such an amazing vibe

[@VegasCarcass]

This game means so much to me despite losing the cartridge, accidentally resetting, etc And I’m so happy that I found a video that completely encapsulated the feel and essence of animal crossing new leaf :] This video is so amazingly well done I cannot express how good it is :]

[@vacafuega]

New Leaf was odd and imperfect - as in, the buildings and villagers are a little worn around the edges, a little sad in some ways, a little worn down. Which makes it welcoming and gentle however you're feeling. It can be raucous fun or if you're feeling super down you can go sit on the bench on the cliffside and let the view soothe your soul. New Horizons is aggressively perfect and bursting with toxic positivity, to the point where I feel comparatively ugly and lesser when I play it - it also lacks the oddity, the character of NL and preceding games. When I first played it I was honestly shocked because it looked like a mobile game *copying* and genericising an AC game, not AC itself. In making it universally appealing, it's lost all its long-term appeal.

[@AlexisTwoLastNames]

the feeling of being lesser because of the graphics/positivity and the community of insane builders is something i can relate to. i’ve never been the building or uber design type, and there’s just not much else to do in NH. coupled w bad depression, it just felt like another “failure” in my life lol. better now tho!

[@militant_pacifist5900]

absolutely. it stressed me out so badly trying to mold my town to something "aesthetic" enough and i finally gave up and restarted it. then i gave up for real and have gone back to New Leaf although I fear for my 9 year old 3ds

[@bunbunartco2501]

Glad I'm not the only one who played New Horizons and felt like it's not an actual AC game!

[@Sketch_3003]

Oh my gosh you said it perfectly, I got burn out so fast because I felt like so bad about how "ugly" my island looked compared to everyone else's

[@haydenmoore3045]

I think new horizons is an amazing game. While it’s not as good as new leaf, the positivity is nice to hear once in a while.

[@andrewq51]

Opening up this game on Christmas morning in 2013 was unforgettable. 7 year old me jumped with joy, eager to commence his very own journey after watching Chuggaaconroy let’s play it for weeks. Even today, I think it is mind blowing how New leaf flawlessly expanded the series without losing Animal crossing’s iconic charm and simplicity. It remains one of my favourite games of all time.

[@kabib5490]

i had the exact same experience 😭

[@ataata3922]

Omg chuggaaconroy i remember watching all those paper mario and mario galaxy videos

[@realrx2306]

chugga has such a special place in my heart man

[@andrewq51]

@@realrx2306 Me too. That man is a legend.

[@hsdkitty-chan_official]

@@ataata3922 conroy was the best man, what happened now.....

[@svenja02]

New Leaf had SUCH an big impact on my early life. My mom bought it in June 2013 (which was the release month in my country) and I spent sooo much time and seriously never got bored. This game will always have a special place in my heart

[@chrisbaldinger1099]

I feel like the 7pm song was for me special because I had just finished my homework for the day and was finally getting to relax and indulge in playing this special game!

[@theresabrockhaus1585]

7 pm is my favourite in the game it’s so nice!

[@brettvormkopp9448]

I had literally tears in my eyes watching this video. I just wanted to scream "Yes, I feel that too" as you described, what you feel when you hear the acnl songs. I miss this game soooo much. You showed me the great, no fantastic sides of this game. This is my favourite game of all time. I wish I could start this game again without memory about it, so I can renew the memories. Thank you for bringing the memories back with your video

[@Goofballhero]

We can only hope for a return to form; but with the success of New Horizons, all we can expect likely is a compromise between both formulas. I'm really hoping for a return to a classic yet modern rendition of AC. New Leaf is really an amazing, amazing game and it also brings painful nostalgia to even open the game up at this point.

[@lemonlime79]

I agree its THE BEST

[@m44rlene]

FR

[@tomb6576]

With regards to being "nostalgia blind" I can confirm it really depends on what you look at as improvements! New Leaf was my first AC game and I started playing it mid 2019 and spent a good amount of time being hyped for New Horizons. NH ultimately felt empty to me after playing NL because, frankly, it was comparatively in all aspects except customization. They did an amazing job at improving the creative side of the game but in doing so they lost sight of the other immersive half!

[@MiggyBird]

I knew when the soundtrack section started that 7pm would get special love and recognition. There’s not a player in the world who doesn’t love it. It’s the first song I think of when I think about Animal Crossing, and losing it in Horizons honestly pained me. The feeling I get from listening to that song is the feeling I play these games for.

[@sagemonarch3627]

I recently lost my old ancl cartridge, i missed it so much i ordered a new one on ebay. It came in the mail today and its just so comforting to play this game again even if it hasnt been that long. The game means alot to me, i just remember grinding on the island catching rare beetles all the time when i was 12 and extremely isolated and depressed it got me through alot and was a little light in the darkness for me. Even though i was young i had severe depression and suicidal thoughts, but I couldnt leave my villagers or my little town i helped create. In my opinion theres nothing really like it

[@aboxyguy]

i think NL does the best job with its characters and atmosphere. nearly every NPC has a role tied into your town, and having your town connected by train is incredibly charming. NH feels a bit feels clunky to have things on a deserted island, disconnected from everything when you can only travel by boat/plane. NL feels like a complete game, fully building off of previous entries. NH feels next generation, cutting a lot of the fat with arguably better gameplay and mechanics, but we also lose a lot more character now that decorating takes priority. with less NPCs and buildings, villagers with more sanded-off personalities (but theyre still pretty funny), and even amiibo cards making it easy to replace and hand-pick villagers you want. theres a bit of immersion lost from the days where we simply move to a new town and see what happens, seeing villagers come and go, all that

[@NinjaPickle]

Ive also felt the distinguish between Immersive players and Designer players to be an important one (I'm a 2 who tries his best to make his island look good. I love the idea of furniture outside, but honestly it's too overwhelming for me, and everything I do feels like it's not good enough to show, so I prefer just enjoying living in my town/island). Even as much time as I've put in New Horizons, it always still felt hollow in a way to me. The villagers seemed plastic, the island I made felt empty, and I eventually left the game. However, New Leaf, even after I left the game, NEVER felt fake. All of the villagers felt like genuine friends for my character. I loved visiting each and every one of them and see how their days are going. The town felt so alive, felt lived in. And every PWP was me adding a portion to an existing place, not just putting paint on a blank canvas. And I played New Lead nearly triple the amount of time I put in New Horizons. It's simply just so much more warm and welcoming.

[@starryrose6168]

It gets overwhelming for me too. It's to the point where I get choice paralysis and end up doing nothing. I do put some things together on my island that I feel looks nice, but then I look online and I'm crushed like a pre-teen looking at pictures of all the people who are prettier than them.

[@randomperson3629]

I'm probably about a 2 as well, in NH, I've tried to design my island, I even spent 4 days removing all the flowers, but I find it way too slow and clunky. If you could customise the island the same as you can customise your house with a drag and drop system, I think it would be much easiet

[@FrecklesHasAQuestionMark]

i have mixed feelings on it because I really like designing and decorating, the ability to make things your "own" was a major thing I enjoyed while playing new leaf. I spent hours making custom design clothes and shit lol. and I definitely enjoyed it in new horizons as well. but I don't like how it came at the expense of the game's personality or the life sim aspects of it. Decorating outside is fun but it doesn't really actually feel like I'm developing a real *place* that people live in over time like it did for me in acnh. I feel like I'd be a 5 or smth on the scale, both aspects are important for me and I hope the series finds a good balance between the two in the future

[@svgstarlight]

i feel the exact same way. i love the decorating mechanisms in NH, but that’s all i feel towards the game. whenever a villager wants to move out, i don’t really care. meanwhile in NL, i cared more about my villagers and genuinely felt sad whenever i saw that one moved out.

[@P0W3RH0U53]

omg thank you for bringing up the difference between town and island! I have been thinking this for years, and thought I was the only one who did not like the Island. I loved the cliffs of the towns, it made me feel like I was cozy in a forest. The island made me feel like I was on vacation. And that was not what I want from an animal crossing game.

[@NintendoHero]

This may be the very best video you've made so far. You've really managed to capture the pure magic of New Leaf, and you can feel how much passion and love you have for this game and the series throughout the video. New Leaf is an impressive accomplishment by the whole team who made it, and honestly I'm not surprised the following entry didn't live up to it (although they could have gotten a lot closer than they did.) I'm definitely on the immersive side of your Animal Crossing chart, so I agree with basically everything you said. This video was a beautiful tribute to an incredible game, fantastic job with this one man. The final minutes of this vid were literally perfect

[@tusamec6587]

One more thing that I miss ist the smaller community. Of course, it's great that the Animal Crossing Franchise is growing but.. I miss the times where I spend hours and hours on a blog-side where you could chat with otheres (it closed in favour of discord but that feels so unpersonal). Everybody helped everyone, even with the silliest requests like "please visit me 50 times so that I get the badge" (wich I really miss). If villagers got dealed with, everyone acted like it's a going or comming friend (not like in New Horizons "villagers are objects" *cough* raymond). I remember the comparatively little amount of fanarts and when merchandise like the trading cards had acceptable prizes. As mentioned, it's nice that more and more people like Animal Crossing. But it feels like the New-Commer dont like Animal Crossing, for what it originally was.. Also, the most hurtful part IMO also is the music... I mean, sometimes I listen to older Animal Crossing music during playing New Horizons ^^" (except 5am) Edit: I want to add the sad thought that newcommers will remember the whole Animal Crossing Series only for New Horizons because I bet most newcommer don't try the older titles.

[@zoruasnivy]

I played New Leaf almost entirely single player, it felt like a little community on my 3DS personal just to me and me alone. My town wasn't pretty or anything, I barely had any town projects actually outside of buildings... but it felt cozy, I loved fishing and catching bugs for hours and hours, and making flower gardens for my neighbours.

[@AirMage50]

I feel same about Monster hunter. 4U on 3ds when there was smol, but very active and friendly community that gave me tons of lovely memories. World interested too many random normies and they ruined everything. Teamplay is completely dead in both world and Rise. Rarely anyone knows etiquet and they die in dumb way and don't learn anything.

[@Cametek.CamelliaOfficial]

Thank you for digging down and explaining what I love about and why it feels different to play ACNL even after the ACNH. This is so resonated with my feeling with NL, great job

[@holyheckles5855]

28:50 Oh my God, YES. I LOVE New Leaf 1 AM. I remember I would play on school nights, trying to get stuff done in my village. Multiple times the music would almost lull me to sleep. Recently I decided to play the track before I go to sleep and I feel like it works like a charm.

[@serranobricks6302]

As someone who bought the game when new horizons was announced I can say with little nostalgia blinding that I love this game more than new horizon. There is just something about going to Main Street then the roost while listing to the hourly music that new horizons can’t achieve.

[@jase_b9655]

The tale of two players is so accurate, I was not a fan of having to customize everything and much preferred the randomness of new leaf

[@graceharrison7066]

The summers I played New Leaf with my friends were the best. Such a good game and such beautiful nostalgia. Words can't describe how much I cherish those memories.

[@alicemuguet6947]

New leaf was one of the three games i chose when i first got my 3ds at 13, along with pokemon and mario. For that I'm forever proud of my younger self, I couldnt have known how much care I would put into that game, the friends i would make, and the impact it would leave on me years later.

[@shibememes]

Honestly I really miss New Leaf’s graphics sometimes. It has a bit more of a realistic look that feels just right to me. Honestly, New Horizons looks like it’s all made out of Play-Doh or something in my eyes, Still nice, but it’s always struck me a weird way. Idk, I just like New Leaf’s balance of realistic textures in a cartoony world than New Horizons’. I feel the same way about base Mariokart 8 VS the DLC tracks; they’re not bad, but i think the base game had the perfect balance of realistic textures in a fictional world like Mario’s.

[@viviennemorgan7217]

i got new leaf and tomodachi life in 2020 and my sister downloaded the game back in 2021.

[@greenberrygk]

Idk what your talking about cause new horizons is going for more of a real look while the previous games look more toy like due to the polygons

[@viviennemorgan7217]

@@greenberrygk but new horizons looks boring though and the animals don't look realistic at all, they don't look like villagers at all, they look like bots taking over them.

[@viviennemorgan7217]

@@thekimfiles yep.

[@spoonmeanie5644]

@@greenberrygk New Horizons looks a bit empty tbh

[@lemnlyme]

11:02 i did such a quick double take, chuggaaconroy’s new leaf videos were such a big part of my childhood, i was struck by immediate nostalgia upon seeing the town name 💕

[@simonshallowgrave5864]

Same! I got suspicious when I noticed the player was wearing similar cloths that Emile did in the beginning of his file. I love Emile’s New Leaf let’s play. It was a huge part of my childhood and my intro into the series.

[@lemnlyme]

@@simonshallowgrave5864 on my way to rewatch it right now i need the comfort

[@beforegrim]

the immersive vs designer segment blew my mind. i love new horizons because the designing in that game is so cool, but in new leaf I didn't care about that at all I was completely immersed. You explaining what made new leaf fun for the immersive side brought back every single thing I loved about the animal crossing series that id forgotten about from playing new horizons. new leaf was one of the first games I ever loved and this video reminded me why its one of my favorite games of all time

[@omeirai]

i feel exactly the same, thank you for taking the time and digging into your sensibility to put it into words! the genuine care that has been put into New Leaf so that everything is geared towards that warm, undescribable feeling. i have been meaning to pick the game back up after trying to get finally immersed in New Horizons for months, i'm gonna do just that now ♥

[@KmVwOfficial]

I think I’m a 4 on the “2 kinds of Animal Crossing players” chart. I love customization and personalization, but the cozy atmosphere is what I look for in Animal Crossing. This video has inspired me to start playing New Leaf again. When I first played it I got about a week in and then for some reason I haven’t touched it since. Don’t know why but I haven’t. I’m gonna start a new town soon (this isn’t important but I’m gonna name it Snowdin after Snowdin town from Undertale. I just think that name is perfectly cozy) Great video. 10/10.

[@_amya__]

Update on the town ?

[@KmVwOfficial]

@@_amya__ Still haven’t started it yet. I still really want to but I keep getting sidetracked with other games and stuff.

[@arabellat]

really loved seeing chuggaaconroy's footage in this video, his let's play reinvigorated my love for the series and made me buy new leaf!

[@militant_pacifist5900]

this is probably one of my favorite videos on youtube now ... you put exactly into words why it's such a good game and just how nostalgic it is. crazy that it's been almost 10 years since then. enjoyed your passionate take on the game :)

[@elena_eleen]

Loved you touching on the town vs island aspect and that the train feels nicer than a taxi or seaplane. I completely agree, these things nail the cozy vibe the best, this game is just sooo comforting! And then you touched on the music, which, YES, best soundtrack, absolutely!

[@visibly-tired]

I love New Horizons, but it doesn't have that magic that New Leaf had for me. New Leaf was the first Animal Crossing game I played and I had *no clue* what it would be but when my friend convinced me to buy New Leaf it was honestly the best purchase I ever made. It's been over 2 years (yes I got New Leaf after New Horizons came out. I got my Switch for Christmas in 2020) and Animal Crossing is probably my favorite video game series of all time.

[@Vira8734]

I agree. It’s sad how robotic the villager dialogue is

[@visibly-tired]

@@Vira8734 Yeah it sucks. Now I just get the villagers I want exclusively for their looks. In New Leaf it felt like you were making friends but in New Horizons they just feel like decorations. For me Sparro was the villager that was my "best friend". He's my favorite villager of all time. But if I found him in New Horizons I probably wouldn't have cared at all about him. There are a few villagers I love because of New Horizons like Yuka and Rudy. But I don't really care about their personalities or them as friends.

[@Vira8734]

@@visibly-tired true! I got new leaf almost 2 months ago and Groucho and doc are my favs. I can care less about their looks and that’s what made me realize NH’s problem…

[@visibly-tired]

@@Vira8734 I really like Groucho. I just looked him up and he looked *nothing* like I thought he would.

[@visibly-tired]

@@Vira8734 I know I keep talking A LOT about this but some of my other favorites from New Leaf are Kitty, Poncho, and Vic. I also really like Tammy. Also one thing about ACNH I hate is that I don't have any villagers I hate lol. My "enemy" in New Leaf was Peggy. I know it sounds stupid that I would hate a villager so much but she was just the worst lol.

[@Pinkkittymew]

i love how a lot of your footage was of chuggaconroy's playthrough. easily one of my favorite of his let's plays

[@carrot1701]

that last stop part made me tear up a bit, this is such a great video and i hope you continue to make amazing videos like this one, thank you!

[@maipaiii]

I really really miss new leaf. one of the best most nostalgic games I've ever played alongside wild world which I also grew up with. goes to show how sometimes less is more, having control over pretty much every aspect of life in new horizons is pretty overwhelming in contrast and ends up getting boring pretty fast. all your choices are handed to you on a silver platter leaving no ways for you to think outside the box like in previous games. i also miss the online islands in new leaf, I met so many amazing people there yet new horizons has nothing like it. absolutely new leaf is the best in the series

[@Miinafied]

The thing I miss the most about new leaf is going to tortimer Island with all the mini games and meeting other players there. And Just the music itself. It gives the game a whole different feeling itself. Just the music is so important the cozyness. I wish they would let us choose wich music to play in New horizons. There's Just so Many things missing in New horizons that new leaf had.

[@sads8457]

Holy cow 10 years since this game came out!!! I adored this game and didn’t really understand most things since I was young at the time. But man do I remember my town even if it’s long gone! I loved this game and remember catching cicadas at 3am to get bells!! This game is a core memory that I will never forget. What a video man!!! Thank you for letting us remember our childhood and the great game we had!!!! From the deepest part of my heart, THANK YOU ❤

[@RedTabby10]

It’s like, you’ve spoken my heart, and inspired me… I’ve already started going back to new leaf for the single purpose of build town with easy time travel, which I’m surprised you didn’t mention at all actually, but now I actually understand what makes new leaf so magical. It’s so personal, and inspiring, and nostalgic. I’ve always loved animal crossing for its customization, and I do enjoy the immersive aspects of it, but now I feel like I’m starting to appreciate that even more. Thank you.

[@Helianthus03]

this is my favorite video from you, i don't really know what to say besides that i completely agree with everything you said. while watching this i kept thinking about all the memories i have with this game, and it made me remember all the reasons why this is my favorite game ever. and i gotta say, i really like the way you structured the video, it was very nice how it started like you entered a train, and ended like you were leaving the train. i haven't played new leaf in a few months, but now i really wanna get back on again. thanks for making this, it's such a well made video! and not gonna lie i kinda teared up at the end

[@Helianthus03]

i also want to say, i really agree about the whole immersion thing, i just love how it's like some small town in the middle of nowhere, but still feels like it's connected to the rest of the world, like you said. it's nice to see trains sometimes going by, as a kid i always wondered who was in there and where they were going

[@loudpacklynk]

back in 2012-2015 i used to play animal crossing everyday for hours just running around, talking to villagers, etc. i grew so attached to all my neighbours and would get so sad whenever they moved away. that’s what made it special. it felt so real. it felt like every single one of those villagers were my friends that i grew up with. for a kid who didn’t have a lot of friends at the time, it meant a lot and it still does. recently i managed to get ahold of the game and even though i have to start fresh again, i don’t mind it at all. it’s so nostalgic for me and i spend hours playing. i was hoping that i could experience that again with new horizons but unfortunately it just didn’t feel the same.

[@cindy8966]

I love that you used Chuggaa's footage for a lot of the video because it exemplifies all the pros of New Leaf you talked about. I loved his sense of community, his storylines built off the characters, and just how much fun that series was. It served as a further reminder of how awesome ACNL is.

[@183_annika]

i really miss New Leaf sadly, today, anyone is playing New Horizont, decorating their perfect island, but for me, New Horizont will never give me the feeling, the atmosphere, and nostalgia that New Leaf gave me I just have to hear the music of 7 or 8 PM, and I'm back in my childhood summer evenings, where everything was easy and okay, and I just enjoyed life

[@brittanystorey9460]

Hey I agree with you, tortimer island was a huge miss for new horizons to drop. Those damn mini games settled so many debates with my friends and got me laughing all hours of the night when randomly matching with people. Unlocking all of the shops felt like this fulfilling feat. Getting to place new public works projects felt so special, and it gave me something to look forward to.

[@dangofluff2193]

Ok thank you so much for the town vs islands portion, i thought i was the only one !!, i literally feel so lonely and deserted on my island no matter how much i decorate it , its like one of those survivor shows or something and we got stranded on an island and were told we have to create a new life and community here 😭!, i miss the train so much i loved watching it pass by , i even have a passing train where i live irl so the nostalgia really hit me , and i think the graphics in new leaf are charming and nostalgic as well, the rain and the evenings and even the autumn my favorite season still look just as cozy and comforting and pretty to me :")💙💙💙💚

[@DaGrubb97]

I played this as my first AC game in summer 2016 when I was doing my first summer classes in college. All the friends I met in Fall and Spring went home for summer, so I was very alone for 3 months and wasn't doing well in my classes. ACNL gave me so much joy that summer and helped me do better in school with an improved mental attitude. I played it every day throughout the next 4 years of college, but stopped play ACNH after a couple months of its release

[@TheSwagGals]

this video is a treasure. the detail and passion went into this brings out the best of ACNL! i am currently replaying the game now on my modded 3ds, with plug ins for it. this is my 3rd time playing, i can’t seem to ever get tired of it. the immersion of this game is unlike no other. truly a masterpiece.

[@user-tw4lt3po6v]

I've never understood people who argue that New Leaf with NH's graphics would be "the perfect game". New Horizon's graphics feel so childlike, toyish, and sterile. Personally my favorite animal crossing graphics are gamecube and Wild World, with New Leaf close behind. The whole point of animal crossing was always to feel homey, quirky, and charming. So much of the peculiarity and coziness that made animal crossing special is lost in New Horizons. Gyroids are the perfect example of this. While their origin is haniwa (Japanese burial statues), in New Horizons they look more like gacha toys. New Horizons is made to appeal to people who are not core fans of the series. The weirdness and quirks of the old graphics are the essence of animal crossing. This sterilization and loss of uniqueness is present in every feature of New Horizons, from its graphics to its music to its gameplay.

[@neonmajora8454]

グーブラ I think what I dislike the most about NH's graphics is the partial realism of it, like the fuzziness of the fur. Animal Crossing was always a cartoony game and the middleground they aimed for just looks off to me. Also think the lighting at some points looks unrefined like you're looking through orange jello at sunset and looks washed out most of the time

[@yournightmare7891]

You guys always find something to complain about, right?

[@iamrightandyouarenot2466]

the new graphics just look way better imo but you do you

[@neonmajora8454]

@@yournightmare7891 It's normal to not like everything lol

[@yournightmare7891]

@@neonmajora8454 That doesn't have anything to do with what I said lol

[@spider.jasper]

To me, it easily comes down to the soundtrack. It’s so nostalgic, you have to admit.

[@Storm74.]

Wonderful video. One of the best I’ve ever watched on KZbin. Thank you.

[@Handington]

This video is absolutely fantastic, and I wish your channel success! You're incredibly talented!

[@awesomeocelot7475]

I wonder how a more populated city-Like setting in an animal crossing game would work out as the main setting. Seems like it could be interesting.

[@LpsfudgeandMlpTV]

Idk, I used to really like the city in City Folk however a lot of people didn't for the reason that it takes away the who charlm of animal crossing, I mean it was originally called animal Forest on the gane cube, i think adding a city feature that is more varied than past city interpretations on other games in the sereis, but still have it disconnected from the main game setting, mabye somewhere you can travel to through online play. I like the idea of exploring the world more but it would have to be done tastefully and rewardingly its not very animal crossing to just have access to a load of shops immediately

[@strawberrycats6880]

this video is so important to me!! I love new leaf with my whole heart, it will always be my favorite game in the series. I bought it after new horizons and fell in love with it. it feels like coming home, it’s so cozy, I love the characters and Main Street and just the amount of content :”) this video just shows the magic of it and I’m happy to see someone else who appreciates nl as much as I (and I’m sure a lot of others) do!! great video 💖💖

[@Resonance1919]

7pm music makes me cry to this day. When I hear it, it's as if I'm looking at the ghost of my childhood and easier times. Beautiful, dead, not forgotten

[@sirbabybee6267]

I have watched well over a hundred game retrospectives and this one is easily one of the very best. Phenomenal work man.

[@M3morybomb]

Ok but this video made me tear up, and like never in my life have I played New Leaf, you did a very good job with this video and I could almost feel all of the love you have for this game, Im surprised this video isnt more popular

[@redomiifa8225]

I have to say that I am impressed with this video. It made me remember when I first watched an ACNL video. I was one the disanfortunated people that couldn't play this game because I hadn't have a Nintendo 3DS in that time until today (also I don't have a Nintendo Switch), but through the internet I was able to experience and enjoy it with some of my favorite KZbinrs, making this game filled with such a nostalgic aura that I'll never forget. (Sorry for the bad english xd)

[@kat9077]

7pm music makes me so happy. I’m glad it’s your fav too

[@summarcaki]

7pm is so good! Great video. You did a fantastic job of nailing a lot of the feelings I had with New Leaf, my first game in the series. I always felt warm and cosy playing New Leaf, like drinking coffee rustling through autumn leaves. I'm still gutted when my best friend Bud left me when I went to a musical festival irl even after me checking in everyday. I got him back for New Horizons, but it just wasn't the same, man.

[@Nooby.]

I’ve waited ages for this video and I can proudly say the wait was worth it. This is your best video yet. You deserve many more subscribers, Protendo.

[@yajastudio8241]

Great review! You hit the nail on the head with the two types of players. My wife is the designer and I like getting caught up in the world. She was new to series and absolutely loved New Horizons. She made a gorgeous island while I kept feeling there was something missing. It didn't have the same soul as the ones before it

[@hntr7162]

I genuinely don't think I'll ever be able to express how much this video means to me. My memory has blocked out a large portion of my life, only being remembered when certain things trigger certain memories, and this entire video was an hour long of nostalgia reminding me of every little thing I did on Wild World and New Leaf (sadly never got the gamecube version, but played it a little when my cousin let me borrow his disc) and New Horizons was basically a very cool, updated version, but seemed like every other sequel to a game, just new and improved, but lacking a lot of the nostalgia. But again, I can't even begin to explain how many memories this video resurfaced for me, and how many times I'm going to rewatch this video. I genuinely thank you from the bottom of my heart Pro

[@sausrelics4838]

we, desperately, need more people to see this. i havent even seen the video but the length is telling me that its phenomenal.

[@coco4wii422]

Great video man. You’ve made me want to go back and play an animal crossing game all over again.

[@undercubed]

New Leaf was my first Animal Crossing game, even though I got into it a while after the Welcome Amiibo update, but the almost magical experience and atmosphere, the music, and also some of the memories I have right after school with friends. This game will stay as one of my favorites forever

[@d_novelette]

Amazing video, couldn't agree more (especially with night town)! Non sequitur, but I love the editing in this video; the choice and usage of tracks in certain points of the video, the visuals, and the formatting of each part really encapsulated the atmosphere of New Leaf perfectly!

[@estiekung4752]

Animal Crossing New Leaf taught me how to read. To say it was my childhood is an understatement - it raised me.

[@SwitchStop]

Putting this one on the TV

[@toastyxr6519]

Absolutely amazing video, probably one of my favorite games ever growing up with it.. sunk over 1k hours into it and I don't regret any minute of it.