How Animal Crossing: New Horizons made me feel a little extra special.
I've played Animal Crossing: New Horizons for about a month now. Each day I devoted an hour or 2 to digitally enjoy the simple island life. I established a daily routine that relaxes me while I play. On my birthday, however, my routine changed, and I've never had a game make me so happy.
Spoiler Alert! Continue reading to see what took place in-game on my birthday. If you play the game and want to be genuinely surprised on your birthday, you may want to skip this blog post.
I Don't Like Celebrating My Birthday
I'm grateful for the many blessings in my life and appreciate having another year of awesome things to look forward to. I do feel great when my family and friends wish me a happy birthday. Otherwise, it's just another day on the calendar to me.
It makes me feel uncomfortable when someone tries to make the day all about me, because I don't feel like any day should be about me. Perhaps it's the introvert in me that doesn't like the attention, or memories of my childhood birthdays that were celebrations of everyone else in my life.
My Mom always threw a birthday party when I was a child. She'd invite all my classmates, family close and distant, and all her friends. It was mostly her friends who'd be present at the parties. As a shy introvert with no friends, my birthdays always seemed like it focused on my Mom and what she thought I wanted, never what I wanted. All I ever wanted was too simplistic in her eyes.
Even in my teenage and younger adult years, my Mom would plan how I should celebrate my birthdays. I was a "yes" person and never disagreed, even though her plans always made me feel uncomfortable. There were years I'd suggest doing something else to celebrate, but it'd never be elaborate enough to her. It wouldn't be how she'd want to celebrate her daughter's very special day. I always said "yes" because Mom's heart was in the right place and I never wanted to disappoint her. After all, my birthday meant so much more to her than it did to me.
I'm happy just gaming or doing some arts and crafts if I had the free time to do so. I'd also be happy to hang out at Walt Disney World, which is where I was supposed to be this week if it weren't for current events making me reschedule my trip.
Surprise parties were the worst for me. As an introvert, I mentally prepare myself to deal with social situations. I've always felt socially awkward. Doesn't matter if it's with family, friends, colleagues, customers, or strangers. It was the only way to keep myself from feeling uncomfortable, stressed, and depressed. Surprise parties, while great for most people celebrating a special event, always caught me off-guard and left me feeling overwhelmed. Yet, there were 2 surprise parties that I surprisingly enjoyed.
On my last day with my previous job, my department threw me a surprise disco and ice cream party. It was a disco party because I'd joke with the Director about throwing a disco party in his absence and get him to sign fake purchase invoices for a variety of items including a disco ball. I think the party was fun because it was a workday, a day I was already prepared for being socially active with colleague and customers.
The second surprise party I enjoyed was the one that took place in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. I've read posts about how the game recognized players' birthdays, but I didn't know what happened in-game for those players. So, I was pleasantly surprised on my special day.
The Surprise
I opened the game with the intent to go through my daily routine. As always, the game starts with Isabelle's daily announcement. It wasn't a surprise when she wished me a Happy Birthday. I've read online that Isabelle (or Tom Nook, depending on when you started the game) would do so.
After Isabelle finished her announcements, which included the grand reopening of Nook's Cranny, I planned to go through with my daily routine. I'd hit rocks, dig up fossils, water flowers, craft stuff, spend bells, and make bells. I'd also chat with each islander as I went about my day.
My fellow islander, Phoebe, had other plans.
The animation showed us entering her house, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there's a party setup for me. Phoebe, Kevin, and Cookie were there to wish me a Happy Birthday. Phoebe instructs me to blow out the candles on the cake.
Another Surprise
Again, I haven't seen videos or photos of players' birthday's celebrated in-game, but I did already visit 2 islanders on their birthdays. This was a familiar scene. Just like those other birthdays, this day presented a nice change from my daily routine in-game. After I blew out my candles, I was ready to move on to the familiar gameplay.
Except Phoebe had another surprise for me.
Phoebe told me they made a pinata, then proceeded to instruct me on how to bust it open. I didn't expect this extra bonus as I considered it. It was fun hitting the digital pinata while my fellow islanders and party guests rooted me on. It also took more than a few seconds to bust open the pinata, probably because I was replying to text messages with family and friends.
Six birthday cupcakes fell out of the pinata. Phoebe suggested I share the cupcakes with others. Then my party guests danced and sang to the K.K. Slider song playing on the radio. Unlike real-life parties, I wasn't anxious to leave this one. It was a party with guests I was familiar with, unlike most birthday parties planned for me in my youth.
When I left Phoebe's house, I was very happy. What a great change of pace in-game. What a fun in-game surprise! I thought that was the last of the surprises, but then I saw a character I thought only visited on Saturdays.
K.K. Slider Came to Visit Me
K.K. Slider was on my island? On a weekday? I was curious to see what this surprise was about. K.K. Slider asked me if I was ready for a song, asked me to take a seat, and then stated he was going to perform "K.K. Birthday."
ROLL CREDITS!!! Or so I thought.
Unlike his other performances where credits scrolled onscreen, messages from islanders displayed onscreen. There were birthday wishes from Phoebe, Kevin, Mabel (who just started talking to me in-game), and Timmy. Below is one of the messages I received:
"To rock star backbeat, OK, this is kinda embarrassin' to say, but every day I get even more stoked to be on this island with you. So happy birthday, and thanks for being you. Awesome wouldn't be the same without you. Your best bandmate, Phoebe"
K.K. Slider wished me a happy candle day. He slipped a boot of the song in my inventory. Again, I was taken aback by this additional surprise. I was having fun.
Conversations and Gifts
I headed to my house to register my new song on a radio and check mail. I received a gift from my in-game Mom. The attached letter made me laugh because it seems like something my parents would tell me in real-life. It read: "My dear Jelly, Do you remember when we first met? Of course not, silly. But it was on this very day. If that's not cause to celebrate, I don't know what is. Happy birthday! -Mom"
I figured the surprises were finished and went about my daily routine as usual. I hit rocks, dug up fossils, watered flowers, crafted stuff, spent bells, and made bells. I also chatted with each islander as I went about my day. Except this day's conversation with everyone was a little different.
Everyone wished me a happy birthday. Most islanders gave me a gift as well. My favorite interaction was with Hopper in his house. He started the interaction by wishing me a happy birthday, like everyone else. Then he said, "But listen, the truth is... I ain't got nothin' for ya." Hopper laughed and said, "Gahaha! So, did I getcha?" He gave me a gift, but I was more grateful for the fun dialog written into the game.
Before I Closed the Game for the Day
I completed my daily routines and collected my Nook Miles+. The island celebrated the grand reopening Nook Cranny's. I popped a few balloons and received some additional bells. Instead of paying off my home expansion, I bought a 70,000 bell laptop from Timmy and Tommy and a new outfit from the Able Sisters' tailor shop. Tom Nook will understand.
My Final Thoughts
This game surprised me so much, I scrapped my original post for today to blog about this. It's a simple in-game event that made me feel a little extra special, just like the phone calls and messages I receive from family and friends. It's not elaborate by any means, but just enough to make me feel better considering all the awful things going on in the world.
I didn't play the game long, but it was long enough to start my day off right.
What's Next?
The things that took place in-game encourages me to keep playing to see what surprises may arise in the future. This is my first time playing an Animal Crossing game, so upcoming updates will be a pleasant surprise. I'm ready to see what's next.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam