Animal Crossing X Sea Life Experience | A New Horizon For The Whole Family
It has been a few years since I’ve been to Melbourne’s aquarium, Sea Life, in fact, my last memory would have been in 2022, taking my 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter for a visit, but I’ve not ventured back since then. Due to COVID, at a similar point in my daughter’s life, and various other visits that my kids have been on with either my wife or grandparents, during my working hours, I’ve missed the fun for far too long, but with thanks to Nintendo, a family trip to the Aquarium was on the cards. Why Nintendo, you might ask? Well, Nintendo has collaborated with Sea Life on a most endearing Animal Crossing: New Horizons collaboration that is a must-see for fans of Animal Crossing, and a fun, engaging exercise for parents and their kids.
From the moment you step into the foyer of Sea Life Melbourne, the main theme from New Horizons is echoing across the room, and the influence of the beloved Nintendo franchise is immediately apparent. The walls and ceiling are adorned with decorations, and the front desk has kid-friendly stamp collecting sheets to pick up and take on your adventure. The influence of Animal Crossing isn’t too overwhelming, so for those who aren’t lovers of the IP or video games, you won’t feel like the aquarium has lost its own sense of identity. No, the two work together harmoniously to create an even more engaging experience.
As you move from room to room, from one corridor to another, attendees will see a range of boards pinned to the walls featuring the beloved Blathers, as he explains the interesting facets of Clown Fish, Moon Jellyfish, among many others, and each of these boards contains a letter, one that spells out a mystery word upon finishing the tour. You will also spot a range of characters, from Tom Nook to Blathers, the beloved Isabelle, and more, all situated around the aquarium to greet you with their friendly faces. There are also several stations situated around the museum where those with stamp sheets can collect a stamp for each of Rosie, Octavian, Aurora, Bunnie, Fauna, Alfonso, Lily, Molly, Rod, and Peanut. It was great to watch my kids, who have as of yet had no experience with Animal Crossing, light up at the stamp station, running over to collect the next two faces for their stamp sheet. Already, the questions have been asked about trying an Animal Crossing game before the school holidays are out – and of course, I said yes! They even got to meet Isabelle herself, sealing the deal!
If there’s one critique I’d long held of Sea Life, it was that outside walking through the exhibits, and in some cases watching the creatures swim over me, there wasn’t a huge amount to do. Nintendo sprinkled some extra Animal Crossing goodness in here too, with attendees (specifically the kids, this isn’t particularly adult-friendly) partaking in some fishing and fossil excavation. This went a long way towards giving the visit some extra value. Attendees are paying a small fortune to attend the aquarium in 2025, so it was great to have some harmless extra activities to partake in, even if they were about as deep as the 3-4cm of sand that the fossils were buried in. Sea Life, I hope you’re paying attention.
Of course, like any zoo, museum or aquarium, you’re exit and the final exhibit is separated by the shop, and boy has the Animal Crossing influence taken over the retail experience there. Once again, the main theme is lightening the retail air, while half a wall has been taken over by a range of Animal Crossing products that can be purchased, from plushies to puzzles, activity books, and more. From my anecdotal experience on the day, it seems that many members of the public, gamers or not, were quite taken by the adorable faces of the Animal Crossing crew, and were buying merchandise en masse.
While Sydney-siders have already seen this exhibit come and go, and Melbourne is now almost halfway through its run, currently slated to conclude on August 17th, Animal Crossing fans in Queensland still have the chance themselves to see the sights with the experience coming to the Sunshine Coast later in the year. For everyone else, consider hopping on a plane and coming to check it out. It’s well worth the experience, especially if you’ve got some young kids to come along for the ride!
Tickets to attend Sea Life Melbourne were kindly provided by Nintendo Australia
