Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the best Nintendo Switch games to have released so far. The game offers some of the most unique gameplay in the simulation genre and has introduced thousands of new games to the genre. Veteran players of the series do feel a bit cheated, though, as it seems like for everything that was added, a core piece of content was removed from the game.
Many veterans have stated that they miss characters like Pete the mailman, the older furniture sets, and they feel that the amount of included events are heavily lacking.
10 Flee Market Day
Flea Market Day is an event that occurred regularly in the older titles where villagers would set up small flea markets that players could buy from and vice versa. This created a unique opportunity to mass buy furniture or make bells off of the items that didn’t fit in with your home.
All you needed to do was go to a neighbors house, walk up to an item, and they would tell you if it was for sale.
9 Shamrock Day
Shamrock Day is a smaller event that occurred on March 17 in-game. The day celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, and players could find shamrock growing in various places across the town. There was also a photo cut-out set up in the town square, and Isabelle would be there giving out hats.
While this was a smaller event, it could easily be expanded on for New Horizons so that every villager was wearing green.
8 La-Di-Day
This is a cute monthly event that actually helped to flesh out the villagers more. On La-Di-Day, the inhabitants of the town would be in completion to sing you what they considered to be a great new town tune. You could choose to use that village’s tune if you wanted to or reject them.
In addition, the more you reject the tunes, the more determined the animals will get to win the competition.
7 Bright Nights
Bright Nights was an event that happened in February during the evening hours. Villagers in the town would decorate their homes with lights and then ask the player to judge which one is the best. While players can get presents from the winner, this is another event that helps add life to the town.
Depending on the personality of the character, the player also might see some resentful behavior from those that didn’t win.
6 Yay Day
Yay Day is a favorite for players that were trying to collect photos of all their favorite villagers. Yay Day occurs once a month and is a day all about complementing everyone around you. Giving out the proper compliment was a way to net extra friendship points with the villagers.
Afterward, villagers will remember the compliments you gave them and even bring them up in later conversations.
5 Valentine’s Day
While players did get some Valentine’s seasonal items, it was nothing like the past events. Valentine’s day was a day where the player could receive gifts from villagers. Some game’s allowed for multiple villagers to send gifts, while others only let the villager the player was closest to send a gift.
Even Brewster participated in the gift in later games and gave the player a decorative cake item.
4 April Fool’s Day
April Fool’s Day has actually been a series staple throughout the history of the franchise. In the first game, Tortimer would give the player a fake NES game. In the Wild World, the player would receive a joke letter, and in City Folk, the player was given a furniture leaf as a furniture item.
New Leaf stepped up the event by bringing in Bianca for a game and having villagers try to trick the player.
3 Autumn Moon
The Autumn Moon or Harvest Moon festival depending on your region, is an event for viewing the moon in-game. This is another smaller festival that was upgraded in New Leaf to include Isabelle giving out an item and a photo cut-out for the player to use in the plaza.
The moon would reflect on the water at night, and the event always takes place in September or October depending on the year.
2 Summer Solstice
The Summer Solstice is a newer event that was actually introduced in New Leaf. The event did get an item for the Nook Shop in New Horizons, but the event was still missing. The event is unique in that the sun actually never sets on the day of the solstice, although players can still catch nighttime critters.
Isabelle is also in the town square, where she gives out an accessory to players who speak with her.
1 Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is an event that has gone through changes over the years. In the first game, villagers gathered to watch the groundhog. In City Folk and New Leaf, Isabelle would hand out a Resseti model to players, an item that is also completely missing from New Horizons.
As with most small events, there was a cardboard cut-out in the town square where players could take pictures.
