Those Cute 'Animal Crossing' Voices Actually Make Sense When Slowed Down

In the world of video gaming, there are games for everyone. Whether trivia and puzzles are your thing or action-packed first-person shooters, there's bound to be a game that fits your needs.

There's also a glorious middle ground, full of ample games that play to the creativity and gentler side of gaming. Franchises like Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon allow gamers to slide into an alternate universe where your most pressing issues involve caring for plants and befriending animals.

And then there's the Animal Crossing franchise. With five games and a lot of heart and soul, Animal Crossing once swooped in and healed the hearts of a troubled world in a very dark time. But perhaps the most surprising thing about it is the fact that the animals in the game don't even speak English. They have their own speedy little speech.

Did you know that those animal voices actually make sense when they're slowed down? Here's the scoop, and why Animal Crossing was such an important game in 2020.

If you're sitting down to play the most recent game in the Animal Crossing franchise, whatever that might be, you'll notice that the animals don't exactly speak a common language.

The game, created by Japanese company Nintendo, has its own language.

The animals, residents of the island you inhabit, speak to you in what sounds like a sped-up version of normal speech. If you slow it down, it's not English, but what is it?

Well, it's kind of English, just not quite. Never fear, Nookipedia is here. Tom Nook is a resident of the island who helps you with all you need to know and do, so "Nookipedia" is a compendium of "his" knowledge.

According to Nookipedia, "Generally, each letter spoken is matched and synthesized with the basic sound of the letter in the language being played in, leading to mispronunciation of some words. (For instance, 'Animal Crossing' in English would be pronounced Ah-n-ih-m-ah-l c-r-o-s-s-ih-n-g'."

So if you slow down the speech, you'll hear something close to the language you're playing the game in, and with enough practice, you might be able to understand.

Animal Crossing seems like any other game, but there was a time when it was almost magic. During the 2020 COVID lockdowns, people were desperate for human connection and a distraction from the darkness of the world.

Luckily, Animal Crossing arrived just in time. On March 20, 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released, and gamers flocked to the idyllic little island with its peaceful residents and pastoral themes.

A Penn State University study found that people who played Animal Crossing: New Horizons during the COVID lockdowns had a positive interpretation of their social interactions, as opposed to those who felt isolated.

The game allows for online playing with friends, but it may be the way the game is played that allows for people to feel more socially satisfied and like part of an active community.

The study found that "an individual’s social interactions and level of playing Animal Crossing prior to the COVID-19 quarantine period led to a higher level of socialization and escapism gratifications playing the game during the first three months of the COVID-19 quarantine period."

So the game was more than just a game to people during COVID. While the animals in the game might not exactly speak your language, and you might be connecting to friends through a screen, something about Animal Crossing allowed people to come together and feel connected. And that's pretty darn "squeee-peci-al!"