Nintendo is ending 3DS and Wii U online functionality and Animal Crossing: New Leaf fans aren't taking the news well
Oct. 4, 2023Fans see the end of online play as the end of an era
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Nintendo has announced it’s ending online functionality for the 3DS and Wii U next year, leaving fans of the systems to mourn the end of an era.
This isn’t anything new from Nintendo - last year the company announced it wasclosing the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops, so clearly the Super Mario developer is eager to close the chapter on its previousbest gaming handheldand home console contenders.
Although several fans of the 3DS/Wii U are struggling to accept the news, Animal Crossing fans are being hit particularly hard since New Leaf (the mainline game prior toAnimal Crossing: New Horizons) is about to lose one of its key elements - visiting other players' towns.
Other fans replied to the tweet, sharing their reactions too: “That’s so sad… I’ve met tons of people thanks to that game. It will always have a special part in my heart,” one Twitter usersaid. “I still play New Leaf :( this sucks,” anotheradded.
Others have pointed out that, once the game loses its online features, completing New Leaf to 100% will soon be impossible. Similar to New Horizons' Nook Miles, in the 3DS Animal Crossing game, players can earn achievements (aka Badges) every time they complete an in-game task.
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The two achievements that will be affected are the ‘Host’ and ‘Dreamer’ Badges, which require players to visit a Dream Address and have other players visit their town 50, 200, and 500 times. Once Nintendo removes the online aspect of the game, it’ll be impossible for players to even attempt to obtain the bronze, silver, and gold Badges.
It’s possible that not all hope is lost though, as pointed out by several fans in response to the tweet above, fan-made servers could still be a thing for New Leaf players. Still, it’s a shame to think that all the hard work players have put into their Dream Addresses could soon be for nothing as the Dream feature vanishes from the game.
Looking for something new to play? Take a look at ourgames like Animal Crossinglist.
After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training. My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I’m also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.
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