Events are used to keep gameplay interesting in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but not all the events introduced in 2020 should come back for 2021. New Horizons has been a popular slice-of-life simulation game on the Nintendo Switch for over a year, and the list of seasonal and special events has introduced new crafting recipes, daily tasks, and decoration items to expand gameplay. While some of these events, like Halloween, were exciting and fun to participate in, other Animal Crossing: New Horizons events have fallen flat and would benefit from being replaced by new options in 2021.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has already resurrected unpopular events from 2020 that could have been skipped or replaced. A good example would be the infamous Bunny Day event. While the event wasn't 14 days long in 2021, the change didn't really improve the original issues players had from the previous year. This includes dealing with the terrifying Animal Crossing event mascot Zipper T Bunny, and participating in the infamous egg hunt that overruns islands with Bunny Day eggs. While these eggs can be used in crafting recipes or eaten, the amount hidden in trees or hung on fishing lines outweighs their actual uses. To add to this, the decorations and furniture players can craft are garish and themed so specifically for the Bunny Day event that they are hard to use during other parts of the year.
Another seasonal event that has returned for a second time is Wedding Seasons. Running from June 1 to June 30, Wedding Season is one of only a few summer events in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The event takes place on Harv's Island, where players can participate in wedding-themed photography throughout the month. Players collect Heart Crystals to purchase event-themed decorations and outfits, but otherwise, there is a general lack of content for the month-long event. Wedding Season also feels out of place for New Horizons, which doesn't offer romance or marriage as an option in standard gameplay. While fans can choose to make and hold in-game wedding ceremonies, an entire event based around weddings could be replaced with more inclusive options like a beach event, or a bigger Summer Solstice festival. Besides these events, there are a few others Animal Crossing could consider skipping in 2021, or replacing with better options.
Mushrooming Season is an event held through the month of November. Each day, mushrooms can spawn on deserted islands, and DIY recipes for mushroom-related decorations can be found by popping balloons with a slingshot. Much like Wedding Season, this event lacks the content to take up an entire month, and most items can be collected fairly quickly. The mushroom decorations are also boring compared to sets available during Animal Crossing's Cherry Blossom Season, and may not be worth wasting Nook Miles tickets for mushroom collecting.
Mushrooming Season could be skipped entirely for the fall of 2021, or it could be replaced with another fall-themed idea like an orchard event where all trees produce double the fruit. A line of fall furniture like haybales or barrels full of fruit could be crafted to decorate player homes and other buildings around the island.
Turkey Day falls on the 4th Thursday in November. In previous Animal Crossing titles, it was known as the Harvest Festival, but still featured the turkey mascot Franklin and a fall feast. In New Horizons, Turkey Day appears to be nothing more than the American celebration of Thanksgiving, with the main task of the event requiring players to gather ingredients for a Turkey Day four-course feast. Franklin returns as a guest chef on the island, and the decorations players can snag are all American Thanksgiving-themed, featuring dinner tables, crockery, and place settings.
Because the game is played internationally, it is frustrating the more inclusive Harvest Festival was replaced with a holiday specifically geared for American audiences. While it likely wasn't a problem for those who enjoy Thanksgiving, replacing it with a fall event like a harvest festival could allow a better range of fall items. The Plaza could be decorated with piles of pumpkins, hot drink stands, and fall-colored streamers, and Fall-themed Animal Crossing crafting recipes like drinks and outdoor games could be added. While it would still be celebrating the end of the colorful season, it would be done in a way players around the world could relate to.
Toy Day falls on December 23 and 24 and is lead by the reindeer mascot Jingle. In New Horizons, Toy Day is primarily about giving and receiving gifts. Players can purchase holiday-themed clothing from Able Sisters and different decorations from Nook's Cranny. The main task of the event is to aid Jingle in delivering gifts to all the inhabitants of the community. In exchange, players receive decorative items from Jingle. While the decorations are cute and can add a splash of color to snow-covered Animal Crossing towns, the overall event is dull and surface-level, lacking the spirit expected of a holiday event.
Winter 2021 should skip Animal Crossing's Toy Day and replace it with a winter solstice festival on the 21st instead. The solstice event could omit the focus on gift bags and goodies, and replace it with a goal for the community to decorate a solstice tree at the town plaza together. After crafting a needed number of ornaments, the event could end with a tree lighting ceremony. DIY recipes like strings of lights, glass snowflake decorations, and ugly sweaters could be found inside icicles hanging on trees the players would need to shake to break.
While it is possible Animal Crossing: New Horizons will introduce new events in the upcoming months to add variety to the 2021 calendar, there hasn't currently been any confirmation on what might be expected beyond June. Unfortunately, it is likely New Horizons will continue to use past major seasonal events with new DIY recipes and rewards for participation, instead of overhauling events that weren't as popular in the 2020 year, so developers can focus on other aspects of the game. Despite this, Animal Crossing: New Horizons events offer a way to break up the monotony of daily tasks like fishing and beachcombing for those who want to participate.
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