Tell GR is a weekly Game Revolution community feature in which we ask you a question, and you answer it in the comments section below. Read the GR editorial team’s opinions before sharing your own responses!
Some say there’s no wrong way to play Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but die-hard fans of the series will tell you that those people are liars. The Game Revolution team has spent the past week prettying up our islands, but have we been playing by the rules while doing so?
From time-skipping through to an unlimited Bells cheat, there’s plenty of ways to game the system in Animal Crossing. So, admit it — are you an innocent islander, or have you gave yourself an advantage as you try to get on top of your Nook loans?
“I will heavily judge you for cheating”
Paul Tamburro, executive editor: No, I have not and I WILL NOT. I am an unashamedly elitist Animal Crossing player, and while I’ll pretend that I’m easy-going enough to not judge you for time traveling, I will also heavily judge you. Time-skipping in Animal Crossing defeats the entire purpose of the game and I have no idea how anyone enjoys it. It’s meant to be enjoyed on a day-to-day basis — do you really want your neighbors to give you a birthday cake a week ahead of schedule?
On top of that, those who time-skip and share the results with the community inevitably wind up ruining its seasonal events for the rest of us. If you skip ahead and shut the fuck up about it, more power to you. But if you skip ahead and wind up posting the results all over Twitter? No. That is not allowed. I will not sanction that buffoonery.
“I’m out here hustling”
Mack Ashworth, lead editor: I have cheated in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I won’t go into specifics, but I’ve become the master of time and space. What’s more, I’m pooping gold. I’ve cowardly removed most obstacles from my path, allowing me to glide between days and make as much money as I want.
While my cheating has been useful for guide coverage, it’s unfortunately made me miss the little things. While my peers tweet cute photos of themselves selling cherries for a small profit, I’m out here hustling *REDACTED* and feeling dirtier by the day.
Perhaps one day I’ll reset my progress, starting fresh and clean. I look forward to a more stable timeline when days last 24 hours and follow one another in a predictable pattern. For now, though, the darkness holds me… and I embrace it.
“My villagers are just going to have to deal”
Jason Faulkner, senior editor: I’m a dirty cheater. I spend a lot of time working, reviewing games, working on guides etc., so I can only ever really play Animal Crossing at night. By the time I hop on, all my villagers have gone to bed, and it’s dreary playing in the dark all the time. I don’t cheat for Bells or Nook Miles, but I will advance the time now and then to keep things rolling when I feel like playing extended periods of time.
I don’t particularly like playing in real-time, and I wish there was an option for Animal Crossing to have a day/night cycle that stretches over an hour or two. I know that would kind of break some of the fundamentals of the game, but I just can’t make the time to play every day. Without cheating I’d forever be stuck in a tent, with the same two initial villagers, that is, if they didn’t just move out and leave me alone with the Nook clan.
In the end, Animal Crossing isn’t the kind of game where cheating diminishes the “challenge,” so I don’t really feel bad about it. I am the master of time, and my island obeys my law. If we have 2 hours or normal time followed by the giant 18-hour skip, my villagers are just going to have to deal.
“I wouldn’t want Mr. Resetti coming down on my ass”
Michael Leri, features editor: I have not cheated in Animal Crossing because, well, I haven’t played it yet nor have I ever touched any entry. But I can’t imagine I would because I’d rather experience it naturally and not try to work it like I’m trying to maximize profits at a dirty corporation.
If you cheat, you cheated not only the game, but yourself. You didn’t grow. You didn’t improve. You took a shortcut and gained nothing. You experienced a hollow victory. Nothing was risked and nothing was gained. It’s sad that you don’t know the difference.
But Mr. Resetti knows the difference and, if I played it, I wouldn’t want him coming down on my ass.
