“Garden Paws” populates its rural town with cute animals. Image: Bitten Toast Games via AFP Relaxnews
The adorable, laid-back “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” has been getting a fair bit of attention since its March 20 release on Nintendo Switch.
With “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, here’s a whistlestop tour of five other options across console, computer, and mobile: “Garden Paws”, “My Time at Porta”, “Mutazione”, “Seabeard” and “Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp”.
Garden Paws
Instead of a human mingling with an animal population, you’re a cat, fox, bunny, dog, even a cute, kindly dragon. There’s still a load of fishing, digging, crafting, trading and customization to make your rural town a happy place to live. Currently playable in its Early Access form on PC (through Steam) and confirmed for Switch at some point in future.
Seabeard
It’s got the daily dip-in, dip-out rhythm of “Animal Crossing” coupled with a more adventurous spirit, with quests, seafaring, monster hunting and building up a functioning retail economy. Free with optional payments for iOS and Android.
My Time At Portia
Another town sim which, upon its debut, was likened not only to “Animal Crossing” but also community farming game “Stardew Valley” and its inspiration, “Harvest Moon”. It’s all about building up a town in (an extremely pleasant) post-apocalypse. There’s no multiplayer mode so if that’s not something you want to concern yourself with then “Portia” could be ideal. On PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and Windows PC.
Mutazione
Set on an island, much like “Animal Crossing: New Horizons”, but one that’s more than 100 years into recovering from a meteor strike. This one’s about looking after your grandparent, helping mutant islanders with their neighborly dramas, and growing plants to help with their ailments. For PlayStation 4, Apple Arcade for iOS, PC and Mac.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
It’s got the general play style and characters of “New Horizons” and its predecessors, within a campsite setting, visits to and from friends, and an upfront cost of zero (though “Pocket Camp” has been criticized for its reliance upon microtransactions). For iOS and Android. JB
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