Things were not normal in March 2020, to say the least. As the world started to spin apart due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other terrible things happening simultaneously in the U.S., solace took an unexpected form for many gamers: Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which was released five years ago Thursday.

Nintendo’s cutesy life simulator carried significantly more weight on its shoulders than ever before. People have always used games — particularly cozy games, like Stardew Valley — as an escape from the stressors of life, but the thirst for relaxation in 2020 was dire, and the masses converged on New Horizons, a veritable geyser of joy. And with a robust multiplayer system, the game proved........

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