Animal Crossing: New Horizons really dropped at the right time, huh? I had no idea what was going on in the world and I was stuck inside. Naturally, I decided to prolong finding out by escaping to a deserted island far, far away.
You name it, I did it: fished, chopped, and collected all the custom stuff I could get my tiny hands on. I had a routine again! Not to mention, I could get on a plane and travel. So that’s precisely why I’ll be visiting Pandora Island, a brand new destination brought to you by the jewellery brand.
Pandora Island, full of custom outfits and materials for your mini-me, launched on September 30 to help celebrate the new Pandora ME collection. Players can tour the homes inspired by the creators who feature in the collection, including Charli XCX, Donte Colley, and Cecilia Cantarano, as well as the Pandora Factory.
Imagine the number of custom goodies you can get your hands on. We all know that’s a flex in AC. So, if it’s been a while since you’ve visited your island, here are five reasons to inspire you to head back.
People can’t judge you
My brother once questioned why I spent literal hours trying to pave down a custom path on my island. I was going for a sort of fairy/cottagecore look, so the path was made up of about six different parts and all of the pieces had jagged lines that connected in very specific ways. It was an absolute pain trying to form decent curves in the path, but I wanted the aesthetic.
I needed it.
My brother, however, thought I was wasting my time. He’d look over my shoulder and frown. I didn’t need that energy in lockdown, so I simply got up and took myself and my (brother’s) Switch to my bedroom and continued playing there.
Bliss.
My postie didn’t hate me
Like many, I tried to buy my happiness in lockdown via about a gazillion books and skincare products. So my poor postie was at my door a few times a week, while I was knee-deep in interior design.
Anyway, the postie would ring the doorbell and I didn’t even have to pause what I was doing. I could either a) put down the Switch and answer the door or b) bring my Switch with me to the door.
Try doing that in the middle of a raid.
Me, Myself, and I
Animal Crossing: New Horizons just hits different in general, but the reason it kept me afloat during the worst of Melbourne’s lockdown was because of the escapism. I could take my Switch with me upstairs, curl up in my grandad’s old rocking chair by the window, and just play for hours. There was no talk of case numbers, restrictions, or lockdown, so I could just pretend I was on a deserted island somewhere in Woop Woop. And it was really, really nice.
It’s just so chill
There are no stressful boss fights! None, zero, zilch! Back in the day, I’d grip my Nintendo DS so tightly while battling lord knows what in Dragon Quest IX. Wild childhood, I know.
There’s none of that intensity in Animal Crossing though. So I can prop the Switch up on a pillow in my lap and just play to my heart’s content. No harm, no foul.
Custom everything
I horde custom things in Animal Crossing. I just need to have it all, especially all the seasonal items. But rare, one-off goodies like what I’ll find on Pandora Island? Oof, that’s next level. And then you can run around your actual home and force your Switch into people’s faces to show them what you’ve got. Winning!
Pandora ME is available in-store and online from September 30, 2021.
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