Animal Crossing: New Horizonscontinues to be a game of many strengths, featuring a bevy of furniture, clothing, and tools to enhance players' creative outlets. Though much of the title’s inventory falls into the decorating side of its life-sim nature, some items work beyond their aesthetic to blend into the game’s mechanics. One such example was featured in the title’s collaboration with the Super Mario franchise asthe Mario Warp Pipe, allowing players to fast travel across their islands through teleportation.
The Mario Warp Pipe was a belated addition toAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, as the collaboration between the two franchises took place nearly a year afterACNHfirst debuted. Nevertheless, the item provided to be a pretty groundbreaking shake-up to the title’s methodically-paced gameplay, allowing players to traverse more quickly across their island spaces. Working as a neat reference to theSuper Mariobrand while having effect onNew Horizons' gameplay, the Warp Pipe begs the question of whether a core mechanic of fast travel could be implemented in future entries of the series, operating under a different look.
RELATED:Animal Crossing: New Horizons Fan Comes Up With Interesting Concept for New Villager
Animal Crossing Could Add Fast Travel As a Late-Game Mechanic
Despite how large players' islands inNew Horizonswere,the next entry of theAnimal Crossingseriescould prove even more expansive, making traversal an increasingly pertinent point in its gameplay. With how much back-and-forth there is from players between villager houses, shops, and other notable landmarks, fast travel could alleviate much of the time spent moving between spaces. While it can be argued that this slower kind of traversal works in tandem with the series' leisurely style, a fast-travel mechanic could be used as a late-game reward, tying it into the title’s core gameplay loop for players who already moved past the initial stages of developing their environments.
Similarly to howAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsoffered players the ability to terraform after receiving a 3-star rating on their island, fast-travel could open up during the later stages of the series' next entry, easing customization. Having the mechanic work similarly to the Mario Warp Pipe while iterating on its look and means of traversal could help it to become a more established feature separate from theSuper Mariobrand; becauseplacing more than two Warp Pipes inNew Horizonsresults in the randomization of which area the player will emerge into, a newer rendition could allow players to set definitive spawn points so that they know exactly what spot they’ll be teleporting to.
In addition, making fast-travel its own mechanic could allow for some unique aesthetic uses; perhaps a special door in players' homes could serve as aNarnia-esque gateway, allowing players to select from numerous spawn points to make getting where they need to go that much more efficient. Alternatively, fast-travel points could tie into the nextAnimal Crossing’s theme. IfNew Horizons' successor takes on an otherworldly approach in setting, perhaps by way ofanAnimal Crossingspace colony, then it would be interesting to see how the mechanic might amplify its environment. Teleportation portals in such a place could provide a quality-of-life adjustment while supporting the high-tech, futuristic theme.
Despite many avenues thatNew Horizons' successormay land on, it’s safe to assume that the series will continue to iterate and expand on its formula, offering players more ways to customize their experiences. Given the positive reception of the Mario Warp Pipe, a fast-travel mechanic in future entries could prove to be a welcome addition, working to accommodate their potential growth in scale. Taking into consideration the new types of terrain that might pop up and the possible increase in villagers, the feature may make a world of difference in how players move about their spaces, leaving more time for decorating.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis available now for the Nintendo Switch.
MORE:The Next Animal Crossing Needs the Best of New Horizons and City Folk
