New Horizons Player Crafts Intricate Recreation of New Leaf Town

An avid Animal Crossing: New Horizons enthusiast has poured over 2,000 hours into recreating their beloved New Leaf town in the latest entry of the series, complete with every detail imaginable. When New Horizons launched, it quickly became a global sensation, offering solace to many during the early days of the pandemic. While some long-time fans hold affection for older installments due to their quirky villagers and varied dialogues, it’s undeniable that New Horizons opened up new avenues for island customization and creativity.

New Horizons debuted on the Nintendo Switch in 2020, succeeding New Leaf, which appeared on the 3DS in 2012. This eight-year hiatus between major games in the series left New Leaf fans with ample time to grow attached to their towns and characters. Although the fresh island life in New Horizons brought exciting new features, it also sparked nostalgia for New Leaf among players missing their old stomping grounds.

One dedicated player, known as justplainrii on Reddit, undertook the ambitious task of recreating their New Leaf town within New Horizons. Their meticulous work left fellow enthusiasts awestruck. To achieve an accurate recreation, this player set up eight user profiles on their Switch, mimicking the distinct buildings of New Leaf. The result, the D’Nalsi Island on New Horizons, now mirrors the charms of its New Leaf predecessor after thousands of hours spent on resource gathering, terraforming, and item placement.

For those eager to explore this impressive recreation, fans can visit via a Dream Address. While exploring, they can step into a New Leaf nostalgia trip with reconstructions of notable town buildings like Shampoodle, the Photo Booth, and Kicks. The project even incorporates imaginative stand-ins for New Leaf characters, including Tortimer as a golden turtle statue and Isabelle behind a plush dog in a make-believe Town Hall. Perhaps the wittiest touch is Pelly’s representation in the Post Office—a rubber ducky posed behind a pink dress.

This five-star island dazzles with its attention to detail, complete with original timestamps for each screenshot. Even five years on, the New Horizons community continues to delight with stunning creations, eagerly anticipating what future releases may bring, particularly for the potential Switch 2.