Animal Crossing: New Horizonsfeatured all sorts of items for players to decorate with, letting their creativity run free through expansive furniture, clothing, and interior design selections. One rarerACNHitem, in particular, served as a way to make house customization even more intricate than past entries of the series; through purchasing from theAnimal Crossingvendor Saharahor crafting DIY recipes, animated wallpapers could be put up in players' homes that helped to make their spaces feel more alive.
Given the sheer amount of customization available inAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsand its predecessors, the introduction of animated wallpapers feels like a surprisingly novel and clever addition to the series. This makes it understandable as to why the items are held to rarer standards, as they are not included in the game’s shopping catalog or Nook’s Cranny but instead through Saharah’s wares and DIY recipes. Purchasing from Saharah acts as a lottery system of sorts, where players spend bells to receive a ‘mystery’ edition of the customizable feature, meaning that obtaining such an item is never a guarantee, aiding in its sense of exclusivity and uniqueness.
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More Animated Wallpapers Could Shake Up House Decorating in Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Successor
Animated wallpapers inAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsact as their name suggests by going beyond static imagery to feature backgrounds in motion. A fewAnimal Crossingthemeshave been spotlighted in creative ways; many have taken a natural approach, letting players bring the outside in through such means as the ‘stormy night’ wall, which intersperses rain with the occasional strike of thunder, or the ‘water horizon’ wall that paints an idyllic view of moving clouds and swaying ocean tides. Others have leaned towards the more futuristic or electronic side, such as the science-fiction-inspired ‘laboratory’ wall and security-themed ‘CCTV room’ wall.
Lastly, some animated wallpapers have even gone the sports route, like the ‘pro-wrestling match’ wall which creates the illusion of a players' room being a wrestling ring accompanied by fans cheering from all sides. The design feels quite ingenious when considering how much freedom it opens up for customization that works in tandem withAnimal Crossing: New Horizons' items, helping to make interior decorating more in tune with players' visions. This raises a question about whether the feature could be expanded upon even more in the title’s successor, opening up the number of themes available while retaining their sense of rarity.
Moving wallpapers have the opportunity to feature all sorts of backgrounds inAnimal Crossing: New Horizons' successor, weaving their way into players' home themes. Some could take a standard approach by fitting into a more customary home setting; perhaps a log cabin backdrop could be used in a player’s sitting room, animated by a crackling fireplace to create a cozy atmosphere. Alternatively, a kitchen scene could be fitted with a running tap and bubbles on dishes to create the illusion of a lived-in space.
On the opposite end, wallpapers could tie into certain events or establishments, like a motorway for a racing event or a high-end restaurant setting, allowing for more inventive uses. GivenAnimal Crossing’s emphasis on seasonal events and items, animated wallpapers could be an ideal backdrop for the holidays; an outdoor scene for December festivities accentuated by falling snow or a Halloween-themed room dotted with candlelit jack-o'-lanterns could work to create the perfect ambiance.
ACNHexplored this through its highly sought-after ‘cherry blossom’ animated wallpaper, rewarding players' petal-collecting during the spring through a whimsical forest background. Leaning on similar designs could be a way to get players out and engaging with their spaces, collecting items to work towards DIY recipes while testing their luck with Saharah’s wares intheAnimal Crossingseries’next entry.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis available now for the Nintendo Switch.
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