Highlights
- Animal Crossing's success can be further capitalized on by uniting the franchise with The Legend of Zelda, creating a full-scale crossover that combines the cozy atmosphere of Animal Crossing with the adventuring opportunities of The Legend of Zelda.
- Despite having custom Zelda items and villagers in previous Animal Crossing games, a proper crossover didn't happen in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, although there is clear interest from players who have created Zelda-themed islands.
- A future collaboration could include in-depth features like traversal items reminiscent of the Sheikah Slate, themed official islands modeled after locations in The Legend of Zelda, and cosmetic options like Master Sword reskins and interactive props such as bows and swords. Nintendo should consider releasing official Zelda outfits and providing more information about its plans for the future of Animal Crossing.
Animal Crossing is one of Nintendo's best-selling franchises alongside Mario, Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda. The community has become home to millions of players over the years which isn't surprising considering the cozy atmosphere of the life simulation game. Though there are various customization options, adorable animal villagers, and satisfying mechanics, Nintendo could be capitalizing more on the success of Animal Crossing by uniting two of its franchises.
Nintendo is one of the oldest and biggest video game companies in the world, which is largely thanks to its collection of beloved games. The last addition to the Animal Crossing series was no exception to this when it launched in 2020. A new installment to the franchise hasn't been confirmed at this point, but there are those who are hoping that another Animal Crossing game will be announced soon. If it is in the works, Nintendo should focus on an in-depth cross-over with The Legend of Zelda.
The Legend of Zelda Needs To Get a Full-Scale Crossover in Animal Crossing
The Legend of Zelda games have become well-known for their fulfilling storylines, adventuring opportunities, and intense puzzles over the years. Since the original game debuted in 1986, the unique cast has cemented themselves as iconic and incredibly recognizable characters in media. Because of the longevity and popularity of the franchise, it would make a lot of sense for Nintendo to pursue a full-scale collaboration between Zelda and the Animal Crossing series.
Interestingly, since 2001 there have been custom Zelda items in every Animal Crossing game, except for Pocket Camp and New Horizons. Zelda-inspired villagers were even added in Animal Crossing: New Leaf Welcome amiibo. Unfortunately, the closest thing to a crossover in New Horizons is an island evaluation quote that references Red Moblins and the secret caves. However, there is clearly recent interest in such a crossover. Some players have even taken it upon themselves to create Animal Crossing islands themed after The Legend of Zelda.
What exactly a future collaboration could entail is uncertain, but it should be on the same level or better as the Super Mario Bros. 35th anniversary content in New Horizons. One of the items from the Mario collaboration included the introduction of Warp Pipes, which let players teleport around their islands. Perhaps a traversal item like the Sheikah Slate could behave similarly.
Additionally, a themed official island curated by Nintendo could be fascinating to explore, especially since there's already an official Dream Code for Ninten Island. Nintendo could model it after the Sky Islands in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. New Horizons lets players explore the ocean, but the airspace is still rather untouched.
On top of this, Animal Crossing is well known for its variety of cosmetic options so a Master Sword reskin for tools like the Axe could be well-received. Custom Animal Crossing patterns have been designed to look like Zelda and Link, but official outfits could be a big hit if they were to be released. It might also be interesting to see props like a bow and arrow or an actual sword that players can interact with.
At this point, it's uncertain if Nintendo has any real plans to do a Zelda crossover with Animal Crossing. Seeing as Zelda will reach its 38th anniversary in February 2024, next year could be a good time for a new Animal Crossing game and a Zelda collaboration. Hopefully, as the year comes to a close, Nintendo will release more information about its plans for the future of Animal Crossing.
