Animal Crossing fans call out LEGO sets as ‘underwhelming’ and ‘incredibly simple’

The newly-revealed LEGO Animal Crossing sets are not proving an instant hit with the game’s community, which has branded the builds as ‘underwhelming’ and ‘simple’.

Unveiled earlier this week by the LEGO Group and Nintendo, the five new Animal Crossing sets – due to launch in March 2024 – represent the second new theme to come out of the partnership between the two companies, following in the trail blazed by LEGO Super Mario. But where that line is hooked to a digital play gimmick, the LEGO Animal Crossing sets are more traditionally anchored around minifigures.

That’s one positive the Animal Crossing community has picked up on so far, but reactions to the sets themselves are not quite as favourable. Over on the r/AnimalCrossing subreddit, the general consensus is that the builds are ‘underwhelming’ and ‘lacking detail’, and that the models generally don’t deliver on their price tags. For instance, one of the most upvoted comments on the reveal thread calls out 77050 Nook’s Cranny & Rosie’s House – the biggest set of the wave – as ‘incredibly simple’.

“I get that they’re aimed at kids, but the Mario sets are at least interesting,” redditor skyline7284 wrote. “I love LEGO and I love Animal Crossing! These just aren’t doing it.” Another user added: “I adore LEGO but these sets are just not aesthetic in any way, shape or form. I would assume Animal Crossing is more popular with 16+ and so I’m confused as to why these sets look like children’s toys.”

That assertion isn’t without merit: in September 2020, six months after Animal Crossing: New Horizons had soared to success with gamers trapped at home by the coronavirus pandemic, the title’s director Aya Kyogoku revealed that the majority of players were in their 20s and 30s. The five LEGO Animal Crossing sets, however, are all marked 6+ (with the exception of 77050 Nook’s Cranny & Rosie’s House, which is labelled 7+).

Some have pointed out that the LEGO Super Mario theme has received 18+ sets alongside its kid-friendly models, and a larger Animal Crossing build could be in the pipeline. But this first wave of sets is seemingly just not clicking with the majority of Animal Crossing fans, even outside of reddit: comments on news stories at sites like Game Informer and Eurogamer are not especially enthusiastic either.

Still, there are pockets of positivity to be found. “I love these sets!” one redditor wrote. “They're clearly designed for children, so you're not going to get wildly detailed renditions of in-game buildings or locations. That's just not happening. I think the playfulness and the toy-like simplicity of these sets really does the overall sentiment of Animal Crossing justice.”

Another commenter on Eurogamer has also defended the decision to target these sets towards kids first and foremost: “What were you expecting, a life-sized Tom Nook buildable statue? This is exactly what I expected from a licence like Animal Crossing – not mega expensive, not difficult to build, lots of playability and leaving things up to a kid's imagination, just like LEGO toys should be.”

But even while the minifigures are generally proving to be a high point for Animal Crossing fans, the small number of them scattered across the five sets – presumably a consequence of each one requiring a new head element – has drawn criticism. “No one comes to Julian's birthday party unless you own other sets in this wave, and Timmy and Tommy aren't there to run their own store,” redditor Und1es points out.

So the internet is (predictably) as divided as ever, but the LEGO Group may be paying close attention: after all, the goal of any new licensed theme is to open the brand up to a fresh audience. If Animal Crossing’s majority demographic is unimpressed with this first batch of sets, the LEGO Group and Nintendo are going to want to know.

The proof will of course be in how these sets actually perform when they launch next year, and whether they manage to find an audience within their primary target market (kids). You’ll be able to get your hands on the entire LEGO Animal Crossing range – for yourself or, perhaps, a younger gamer in your life – from March 1, 2024.

Every LEGO Animal Crossing set confirmed for 2024

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