Game · Low risk
Is Animal Crossing: New Horizons safe for your child?
Age guide
4+
We advise Animal Crossing: New Horizons from age 4 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk).
- 5-8
- Younger children will enjoy the gentle pace of island life, focusing on collecting fruit, fishing, and customizing their home.
- 9-12
- Children in this age group often engage more deeply with the game's economy, trading turnips on the 'stalk market' and designing complex island layouts.
- 13-15
- Teenagers might use the online features more frequently to visit friends' islands, exchange custom designs, and participate in online events.
- 16+
- Older players may appreciate the creative freedom for intricate island design, terraforming, and engaging with the game's community for inspiration and trading rare items.
Players move to a deserted island and develop it into a community, interacting with anthropomorphic animal villagers. The game emphasizes creativity, customization, and social interaction in a peaceful, open-ended environment.
- Age guide
- 4+
- Overall risk
- 3/10
- Violence
- 1/10
- Toxic behaviour
- 1/10
- Stranger contact
- 2/10
- Addiction risk
- 7/10
- Language
- 1/10
- Influence
- 3/10
What parents should know
Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers a creative, social simulation experience with minimal inherent risks. The game's online features, like visiting other islands and using the in-game chat, require parental oversight. Utilizing the Nintendo Switch's parental controls and the game's 'Best Friends' system helps manage who your child interacts with online.
What to do about Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Free with a Parentwise account. The age-by-age verdict needs your child's age, which is why it lives behind the account.
- The age-by-age verdict
What we advise for under 8, 8-12 and 13+ - our age guide for Animal Crossing: New Horizons is 4+, and the answer changes with your child's age. - The one setting to change tonight
The exact Animal Crossing: New Horizons setting that cuts the most risk, with the steps to find it. - What to say
Word-for-word openers for talking about Animal Crossing: New Horizons without a row. - Red flags to watch for
The signals in Animal Crossing: New Horizons that mean it is time to step in.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons age rating and parents guide: common questions
What age rating is Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Parentwise puts Animal Crossing: New Horizons at 4+. We advise Animal Crossing: New Horizons from age 4 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). Violence scores 1/10, language 1/10, stranger contact 2/10 and addiction risk 7/10.
Can a 10 year old play Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Yes, 10 is at or above the age we advise for Animal Crossing: New Horizons (4+). Children in this age group often engage more deeply with the game's economy, trading turnips on the 'stalk market' and designing complex island layouts.
Can a 12 year old play Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Yes, 12 is at or above the age we advise for Animal Crossing: New Horizons (4+). Children in this age group often engage more deeply with the game's economy, trading turnips on the 'stalk market' and designing complex island layouts.
Can a 13 year old play Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
Yes, 13 is at or above the age we advise for Animal Crossing: New Horizons (4+). Teenagers might use the online features more frequently to visit friends' islands, exchange custom designs, and participate in online events.
Is Animal Crossing: New Horizons appropriate for kids?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers a creative, social simulation experience with minimal inherent risks. Parentwise rates Animal Crossing: New Horizons overall as low risk (3/10), with stranger contact at 2/10 and addiction risk at 7/10.
Is Animal Crossing: New Horizons family friendly?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the lower-risk titles we rate. The game's online features, like visiting other islands and using the in-game chat, require parental oversight.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons parents guide: what should a parent know first?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers a creative, social simulation experience with minimal inherent risks. The parts that most often catch parents out are stranger contact (2/10) and how hard it pulls for more time (7/10).
Is Animal Crossing: New Horizons safe for kids?
We advise Animal Crossing: New Horizons from age 4 and up. Overall risk 3/10 (low risk). The game's online features, like visiting other islands and using the in-game chat, require parental oversight.
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Release and popularity data comes in part from RAWG, TVMaze (CC BY-SA) and Wikidata (CC0). Safety guidance is written by Parentwise.