NO:

Both Minecraft and Animal Crossing are franchises that I’ve played extensively throughout my childhood. Animal Crossing City Folk was one of my favorite games growing up, so I of course had to pick up New Horizons for some Nintendo nostalgia. 

Yet, there’s a reason Minecraft has been the game I’ve poured the most hours into throughout my life, and why I keep returning to it whether I’m 7 years old or 17.

First off is the replayability. With the progression system in Animal Crossing, it takes ages to work your way through the game’s accolades and achievements, leaving you never wanting to start from scratch and replay the game.

 Minecraft, on the other hand, has infinite options in the type of gameplay that you want, so it makes sure that you never get tired of the game. When you’re tired of survival mode l, start building in creative mode. Tired of that? Go multiplayer and explore the millions of servers, all with different communities and objectives.

Animal Crossing gets the upper hand in its simplicity. The only objectives are to grow your island, pay off the mortgage, and explore the tropical islands around you. 

Minecraft presents you with truly endless objectives, as you pick the kind of game you want to play. With its infinitely generated map and hundreds of different building materials, there’s no way to actually finish the game, so there’s always more for you to do. 

At the end of the day, both games are great for their respective reasons. Animal Crossing, even the new one, will always have a special place in my heart, but the simple fact is that Minecrafts replayability and infinite options make it the better game. That’s the reason I play Minecraft with my friends and not Animal Crossing.

Written by Tanner Patterson

YES:

Animal Crossing New Horizons is an amazing game with endless hours of entertainment. Released on March 20, 2020, Animal Crossing New Horizons took the world by storm. 5 million copies were sold in March, and now 11 million people are playing. 

“Animal Crossing is a game that experienced players and newcomers alike can enjoy,” Aya Kyogoku, an Animal Crossing developer, said. 

As soon as you open the software for the first time, you’re whisked away to a deserted island where you can meet your new neighbors and start to develop your island. Animal Crossing New Horizons even gives you the ability to restart to get new starting villagers so your experience is even better. 

Now, Minecraft and Animal Crossing New Horizons do have some similarities, but I believe Animal Crossing took ideas such as crafting and brought them to a new level. Minecraft instantly lets you craft anything you want, but in Animal Crossing, you have to acquire DIY recipes from villagers, friends, balloons, or even message bottles that wash up on your beaches. 

Animal Crossing New Horizons also lets you play with your friends. While it’s very similar to Minecraft in that way, you can message people while you’re on separate islands or send them gifts on Animal Crossing. 

“Whether playing online* or with others beside you**, island living is even better when you can share it,” Nintendo, the creator of Animal Crossing, said.

Animal Crossing gives players the ability to use their accumulated Nook Miles, which you earn from doing tasks around your island, and redeem them for clothes, furniture, DIYs, Nook Miles Tickets, and more. Nook Miles Tickets bring you to mystery islands where you can find other villagers to invite to live on your island. While there are almost 400 villagers, only 10 can live with you on your island. 

Animal Crossing New Horizons even has shops and upgrades you can only get after completing previous tasks. In Minecraft, you almost never stop building or mining, but Animal Crossing New Horizons allows you to travel, terraform, shop, talk to your neighbors, and interact with special island villagers. 

Animal Crossing is an amazing game with endless opportunities for fun and can even improve one’s mental health. I strongly recommend Animal Crossing New Horizons to anyone who enjoys games where you can interact with others or enjoy slow progress