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Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch) He has been with us since March 20, coloring our lives at a difficult time. By fate, the game was released in the midst of a global storm. He participates as an available tool to facilitate our quarantines generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, turning into a life within the home for moments of isolation when we cannot leave.
The bucolic atmosphere of the game delights and calms the external storm. The work done in the production of the game has been painstakingly calculated so that the particular island of the game is a retreat within a screen, as an escape from reality. When we talk about this quiet planning, of course, we include the soundtrack of the game.
One of the minds that led to the creation of the soundtrack for the newest game in the series was that of Kazumi Totaka, occupying the position of Sound Designer. Totaka has been part of the Nintendo team since 1992, with his work featured on Nintendo Wii channels and games on the console series, such as Wii Sports and Wii Music. He works as a voice actor, known for the voice of Yoshi, and has a guaranteed presence in the Animal Crossing series games as he worked on seven other titles in the franchise. Kazumi also appears on the list of composers, along with names such as Manaka Kataoka, a musician present in the games of the Zelda series, being praised mainly for his work on Breath of the Willd, on Nintendo Switch and Wii U.
The first line, with their heavy names, can explain the musical success that the Animal Crossing series has become. In New Horizons, one word that can represent ability is immersion. We spend hours with a track that becomes our ambient sound, which varies between moments in the game, as we will see below. Composers seem to have got the message that, with a slightly quieter and cleaner track, it does not mean a game with less potential for presence in our ears.
The Animal Crossing: New Horizons playlist consists of its variations. We have a melody for every moment of the day. Yes, 24 different songs played at 24 respective times. They also work with your climate changes, with the addition of elements when it rains or snows, for example, depending on the current weather conditions on your island.
In the first hours and days exploring the deserted island, the music played in the game is the same, regardless of the time, which can cause strangeness. This changes with personal progress. It is necessary to update the Service Residents, with the arrival of new residents of the island. Interestingly, New Horizons’ hourly song unlocking coincides with the arrival of the character Isabelle.
The dynamics only get better with the release of all the sound elements. One of the legal parts of such a varied track over the course of a day is realizing its purposes, the intentions of its composers. The difference between the compositions of a day (morning, afternoon, night and dawn) is very great. Everything seems lovingly designed to make the game fit our day, without causing an abrupt fanfare for those who play at five in the morning, and still captivating with a swing and encouragement for those who play at five in the afternoon. .
The idea of the list is to address the highlights of the different hourly versions and understand their dynamics, such as the difference in instruments and melodies throughout the day. Of course, all the songs deserved a place here, and maybe they will, maybe, in a second part of that list, but we selected some songs to liven up or relax the days of quarantine. Take a look at the Animal Crossing: New Horizons themes we highlight:
- So that anyone gets lost, the trails were divided between PM and AM, which, in countries like the United States, mean Post Meridiem and Ante Meridiem, respectively. The term Meridiem means something like noon, so the time would be divided between before and after noon. The PM, therefore, is in the range between 12h and 00h, while AM is between 00h and 12h.
5 pm.
The list begins with one of the highlights of the game, one of the most beloved moments by players, which is the sound of 5 PM. The lively track captivates with its elements and balance. It arouses a feeling among the players, something like: “yes, the afternoon is ending, but we still have a night ahead for our retirement on our islands.” The shine is in the jam and the dialogue between guitars, drums, synthesizers and effects, like the present wah-wah. It seems like a little push for the next few hours in the game and a sign of relief and encouragement to those who are activating the Switch on their return to business. The track will also be used to hook the next component on the list, showing how 12 hours can make a big difference in the New Horizons world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy9lg6VM58Q
5 a. M.
The day officially changes at midnight on our islands, but only at 5 in the morning does dawn begin. Whoever starts the day, turns on the Switch, or hasn’t slept yet will receive one of the most stylish themes in the game. The striking piano appears to have been borrowed directly from Breath of the Wild. The song causes a nostalgic moment, even though the game was recently released. There is nothing more appropriate right now than walking around the island, receiving your progress, like renovating your home, and realizing how your efforts are paying off with joyous days at New Horizons. The track even seems wasteful, considering this theme will be played at a time when many players will barely hear it. But, as we will see, this is not a waste, but a track composed with an exaggeration of quality. Here’s a 30-minute extended version of the song. If you’re someone like me, unlike Blathers, who faces an unlikely game at 5 in the morning, the song is worth knowing, even if it’s not in the game:
3 a. M.
The song that plays at 3 am is perhaps one of the most peculiar of the game. Not for its quality, but quite the contrary, it is very interesting and pleasant to listen to. She is particular for her moment and for her apparent purpose, as if she were screaming, “It’s 3 am, please go to sleep!” Insomniacs and tarantula hunters will encounter this song many times and refuse their orders. It can also serve as an alert for the careless, as an alarm naturally set for time perception. For those who like the series and have already seen “How I Met Your Mother”, one of their phrases, sung by Ted’s grandmother, tells us: “Nothing good happens after 2 am”. Are you sure? For 3 in the morning the topic seems to me a good thing. Following the instructions or not given by the series, which reinforces: “When it is 2 in the morning, just go to bed”, maybe it’s time to go to bed, in fact, but take the Switch with you, because this early morning trail is one more interesting thing to experience after 2 AM in New Horizons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzJiwCZKHU4
12 p.m.
In this list we talk a lot about the purposes of each song and how they fit into everyday life. But sometimes, you don’t even need to understand this dynamic. A song may be in the game for its combination of instruments and its nature and beauty. The fluidity of the midday song enters this vision of belonging to the game, but in a natural way: it is there as a composition, ready to embrace the players and tone the immersion of the game. The most interesting thing is that it is located at a particular moment, which is the transition between morning and afternoon, being a very available moment for players. The idea of a friendly guitar demonstrates the connecting power between the players and the game itself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBBWep92A_k
7 and 8 AM
One of the concerns of the sound designers of the game is a certain continuity in the times and the songs. The concern is with the spirit and dialogue. For example, the morning songs are more joyous, conducive to the start of the day. Here is the sunrise example. The 7 and 8 am themes are the highlights of excerpts that fuel the new day for gamers. Instruments are also thought of. The guitar is one of the instruments-examples of the songs of the morning, the noon and its surroundings. At 7 a.m., the instrument is played with more flexible notes and riffs, speaking on drums, synthesizers, and keyboard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6s6I0tu8GA
Another instrument that appears more during the day is the double bass, included in the two songs on that subject. The guitar is also here, but now it alternates between chords, causing a feel similar to midday music, making these hours a continuity. At 8 am, the bass is more present than ever, which is worth seeing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9EwML77OlM
3 p.m.
The concept of the afternoon on the Animal Crossing: New Horizons soundtrack surrounds a proximity to lively, swinging rhythms. Until 5 in the afternoon, which would be the culmination of this concept and that we saw before, there is also a good time in the game. The 3PM theme is an example. With wind instruments, strings and drums, you will surely have a pleasant feeling on the island. The animation is such that it can be a good time to carry out the activities that you like the least. For those who have free time or an afternoon break, this may be a good time to enjoy the tour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IYQVVGs6P0
Honorific mention:
Store closing
Choosing this song for the list creates a contradiction. Yes, the closing song for Nook’s Cranny is sung at a specific game time and point, but does not have hourly numbers in the name. Since this is a daily time, we decided to include it in the list. And what a great addition this song is to the game’s soundtrack.
The music that declares the store’s closing hours is one of the most powerful in the game. The moment is tense: As 10pm approaches, we have less and less time to buy or sell our items (and to annoy Timmy and Tommy). Many players’ first reaction to listening to this song is to release the Switch control and let it play. The situation, while dramatic to the ears, is at least visually amusing: raccoons begin to show their tiredness to residents. As if they wanted to say: “Sir, tomorrow, at 8 in the morning, we will open normally, there is no need to despair.”
I think this song may represent some different feelings in the players, some momentary and some long-term emotions. At that moment, the knowledge that another day is ending on our islands can awaken and we can sleep peacefully. For others, it may be negative, not wanting the time and hours to pass. But, one of the truths is that this song has everything to represent a future nostalgia in the players, given the condition of its theme. The melody is very pleasant to the ears, relaxing and calm. Something in the song can recall many orchestrated moments from Super Mario Galaxy and the vastness of galaxies when looking inside an observatory.
Another truth is that Timmy and Tommy can’t wait for you to leave the store right away, hoping to rest. The tip: embrace the tune and experience what it means to end another pleasant day in our wonderful lives in New Horizons. For those with alterity and compassion, who don’t want to abuse the goodwill of the raccoon family, we have separated an extended version of the song, so that no more kicks are needed to withdraw from the store:
The daily way
The work of Kazumi Totaka and his team achieved the goal of composing the game track with great beauty. And, unintentionally, he went further: he turned this soundtrack into a hymn of tranquility and animation during the terrible quarantine. The concept of “normality” seems to be reinvented. The tracks point and knock in an attempt to emulate an everyday life, but they also stand out at other highlights, making players really want to know all the 24-hour songs, even if that means a meeting and schedule issue. They are moments of calm, where the song is the main feeling of the island, and of joy, composing our animations and shining during the game.
The idea of a full life at Animal Crossing completes what is an isolated empty life. Their routine and dialogue of songs and breaks provoke a feeling of normality, of everyday life, which is exactly what we need now. But, as we believe this moment will pass, and it will pass! – the path will certainly stand out in the temporality test. The certainty is of nostalgic moments in the coming years. Enjoy the feelings, both momentary and lasting, that the soundtrack provides, and remember: every day is a new opportunity to listen to your favorite songs during the game!
Tell us in the comments what other Animal Crossing: New Horizons songs make your game and stand out on the game’s soundtrack. Good concert for everyone!
Review: Vladimir Machado
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