The circuit breaker measures mean people cannot visit any places of interest. But in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH), they can now explore Sentosa - virtually.
The game now has a re-creation of Sentosa, dubbed Sentosa Crossing. It is the first ACNH island getaway by a Singapore brand, according to Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC).
Animal Crossing is a long- running, popular life-simulation video game series in which players plant trees, grow fruits, harvest flowers, catch butterflies and carry out other activities.
The latest iteration of the series, ACNH was released on March 20 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch gaming console.
With the Covid-19 pandemic forcing millions to stay home, sales of this game have soared, with more than 13 million copies sold worldwide at the end of April.
Hollywood star Elijah Wood reportedly even visited a fellow player in the game to sell his virtual turnips.
In Sentosa Crossing, ACNH players will get to visit the luxury hotel Capella Singapore, explore the nature trails, "do" yoga by the beach and swing by the Luge. The virtual island started receiving guests last Saturday.
Sentosa Crossing is an independent initiative by SDC, with help from its creative agency, BBH Singapore. It took SDC and BBH Singapore 12 days to build Sentosa Crossing. There was no input from Nintendo, the game publisher.
Sentosa Crossing is part of a series of free virtual leisure offerings from SDC that include Sunset Therapy, a daily dose of calming exercises hosted on Sentosa's Instagram page.
Ms Lynette Ang, SDC's chief marketing officer, said in a statement: "Through our virtual offerings, we would like to encourage everyone to make time for an 'island getaway' during these challenging times, as a break is important for one's mental well-being."
HOW TO VISIT SENTOSA CROSSING
First, you need to have the Nintendo Switch or Switch Lite gaming console, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game and a Nintendo Switch Online subscription (US$3.99 or S$5.70 a month).
Sentosa Crossing is open daily in three two-hour time slots - 10am to noon, 2 to 4pm and 6 to 8pm. Each slot comprises three 30-minute sessions, with each session limited to four visitors to prevent "overcrowding" and for the best experience.
Thus, there are 36 sessions available each day. You will have to register for a session here.
If you are successful, you will get an e-mail confirmation from Sentosa Development Corporation and another e-mail containing a code 15 minutes before your allocated time slot.
Go to the airport on your island in ACNH, key in the code and you will be "flown" to Sentosa Crossing.
There, you can explore the island's attractions and take plenty of photos. Just remember to be considerate - do not disturb fellow visitors and do not pluck the flowers.
