The 10 best smartphone alternatives to Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing alternatives: yes, they exist!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the video games of the moment and has been the “pandemic companion” of many Nintendo Switch owners. You don’t have the console of the big N but you know it anyway? It’s normal. In reality, the phenomenon is so widespread that it has touched and intrigued even the less experienced.

However, not everyone is willing to buy Nintendo Switch to try it, also because – let’s face it – Animal Crossing is not a game for everyone. But you can find out if it’s right for you by trying a series of alternatives available on smartphones and tablets. A taste of the experience that helps you test the waters before taking the plunge.

What is Animal Crossing?

Before delving into the mobile landscape, a premise is necessary. What is Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

It is about a life simulator and it is the last chapter of a series that began in 2001. The protagonist is a human who moves to a rural village / island inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. His task is to contribute to the development of the city by cultivating flowers, fruit trees, going fishing and interacting with the other inhabitants. It all happens in real time following our own clock, which makes Animal Crossing a slow but relaxing game, where patience is king.

The first edition to reach Europe dates back to 2004 and was dedicated to Nintendo Gamecube. Over the years we then moved on to Nintendo DS, Wii and 3DS finally reaching the episode for Switch, entitled Animal Crossing: New Horizon.

Animal Crossing alternatives: which games can I try?

But let’s come to us and to valid alternativesand that we can easily find thanks to our smartphones, without the need to buy an expensive console.

Castaway Paradise

Thisfree game was one of the first alternatives to Animal Crossing. It all starts in a new island where the player has to go fishing, hunt insects, decorate his home, grow vegetables and solve some mini-missions entrusted to him by the other inhabitants of the island. It takes some practice to fully understand all the mechanics of the game, but overcome the mismanagement of the camera Castaway Paradise an excellent proving ground is confirmed.

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Castaway Paradise – Harvest, Animal Island Town

Developer:
Stolen Couch Games

Price:
Free +

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Castaway Paradise Town Builder

Developer:
Stolen Couch Games

Price:
Free +

Don’t Starve: Shipwrecked

Don’t Starve: Shipwrecked it doesn’t have the soothing and “cute & cuddly” look of Animal Crossing, but the principles behind it are the same. The player begins his adventure on a desert island and his task is quite simple: to research objects and materials necessary to create new products.

What changes then? In an effort to make the island as habitable as possible, the protagonist will also have to remember to stay alive!

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Don’t Starve: Shipwrecked

Developer:
Klei Entertainment Inc.

Price:
€ 4.49

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Don’t Starve: Shipwrecked

Developer:
Klei

Price:
€ 4.99

Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories

Harvest Moon is one of Animal Crossing’s biggest rivals. The title in question is based on the console game Harvest Moon 3D: The Lost Valley. In addition to the typical actions mentioned above, such as growing flowers and plants, here the player will also have in management an entire farm complete with cows, chickens, pigs etc. with all that goes with it. If country life doesn’t relax …

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HARVEST MOON: Seeds Of Memories

Developer:
Natsume Inc

Price:
€ 10.99

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HARVEST MOON: Seeds Of Memories

Developer:
Natsume Inc.

Price:
€ 9.99

Happy Street

This 2D game is a mix of life simulator in the city, on the farm and socializing. The player will have to build a town that is liked by his fellow citizens, collect various resources (wood, stone, etc.), build equipment useful for development and then explore the surrounding areas. All seasoned with an “animalistic” style similar to Animal Crossing.

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Happy Street

Developer:
Limebolt

Price:
Free +

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Happy Street

Developer:
Limebolt Inc

Price:
Free +

Minecraft

Minecraft it’s a classic. It is a valid alternative, as long as the cuddly and cartoonish graphics are not essential. The characteristic element of Minecraft is indeed its “brick” style. Everything, from the main characters, to the animals, to the objects is built from bricks that make everything polygonal. Here, too, you can have fun at build objects, explore, build buildings, fish and research materials.

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Minecraft

Developer:
Mojang

Price:
€ 7.49 +

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Minecraft

Developer:
Mojang

Price:
€ 6.99 +

Animal camp

In Animal Camp you have to transform your small island into a large Resort. Here, too, the cute & cuddly element is very present, and there will be no lack of classic functions of collecting materials and resources for the development of the new resort.

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Animal Camp – Healing Resort

Developer:
POOM GAMES

Price:
€ 1.09 +

Seabeard

The player plays a pirate intent on exploring all the nearby islands in search of food, treasure and other ships to save / plunder. It is also possible to forge alliances with other pirates to set out together in the various exploration sessions.

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Seabeard

Developer:
HandCircus

Price:
Free +

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Seabeard

Developer:
HandCircus Limited

Price:
Free +

Stardew Valley

In the same vein as Harvest Moon but with graphics that remind us of the first titles for Super Nintendo and NES. We don’t have cuddly animals but the classics from farm breeding. In fact, you have to rebuild an abandoned farm, interact with the other inhabitants and entertain exchange and sales relationships with them, go fishing, grow plants and much more.

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Stardew Valley

Developer:
Chucklefish Limited

Price:
€ 4.89

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Stardew Valley

Developer:
Chucklefish Limited

Price:
€ 4.99

Animal Crossing alternative: Pocket Camp

The most obvious choice and therefore left for last. Nintendo actually created an Animal Crossing spinoff for smartphones, and its name is Pocket Camp! This title is a largely neutered variant of console games, but it has several elements in common, not to mention the graphic style. It all begins inside a campsite, which will have to grow and expand with new objects thanks to the protagonist. Over 1000 different types of furniture items, 300 items of clothing and various mini games will allow you to spend several hours in front of this smartphone video game and experience firsthand a real “Animal Crossing experience”

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Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Developer:
Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Price:
Free +

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If you have come this far out of curiosity and you are already an owner of Animal Crossing New Horizons and Nintendo Switch, I recommend our guide articles on the title:

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• Insects not to be missed
• How does the turnip market work?
• How to get a 5-star rating