OK, so picture something that essentially plays like The Sims, but instead of human avatars you get extremely adorable animals and an aesthetic reminiscent of a Saturday morning cartoon. Part of a long-running series, the newest iteration of Animal Crossing, much like its predecessors allows you—as your cute animal self—to garden, fish, build and decorate a home, and more. This time around, though, you’ll find yourself on an island with an even more insane amount of customization options (landscaping tools, door wreath decorations, etc.) so that you can truly claim your space. The game is also set in real-time, so while you’re not playing, the world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still evolving—flowers grow and re-grow, the sun rises and sets, and seasons change; it will be different every time you jump in and play. And that’s what makes the game especially great when you play with other people, either on your couch or online—you can stomp onto their islands or they can stomp onto yours. Chaos has never been so soothing!
