Anime Life Sim: A Striking Resemblance to Animal Crossing: New Horizons

A recently unveiled PlayStation game, Anime Life Sim, has sparked considerable debate due to its uncanny similarity to Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). The game appears to be a near-identical clone, mirroring not only the visual style but also the core gameplay loop.

While Animal Crossing has inspired numerous games, Anime Life Sim stands out for its direct emulation of ACNH's mechanics. Developed and published by IndieGames3000, the game's PlayStation Store listing explicitly highlights features strikingly similar to ACNH, including home building and decoration, befriending animal villagers, and engaging in activities like fishing, bug catching, gardening, crafting, and fossil hunting. These mechanics form the very foundation of ACNH's gameplay.

Legal Considerations: Gameplay vs. Visuals

According to patent analyst Florian Mueller, game rules themselves are generally not patentable. This means that replicating the core gameplay mechanics of ACNH is not inherently illegal. However, the legal landscape shifts when considering visual elements. Copyright law in many regions protects aspects such as art style, character design, and specific graphical elements. Therefore, any potential legal action by Nintendo against Anime Life Sim would likely center on the visual similarities between the two games.

Nintendo's reputation for aggressive legal action is well-established. Whether or not they will pursue action against Anime Life Sim remains uncertain, especially given the game's planned February 2026 release date. The PS Store listing currently doesn't specify compatibility with PS4. The striking resemblance, however, continues to generate discussion within the gaming community.