One of the best (and sometimes worst) parts of gaming are all the cool and interesting worlds we get to visit on our adventures. Be it roaming the treacherous Lands Between in Elden Ring or checking out all the painting worlds in Super Mario 64, the places we get to go are usually a pleasure to look at. Some of these looks nice that I’m sure that I’m not the only one who cannot help but wish, in some corner of my mind, that I could go there for real somehow. As for where exactly I’d like to go, here are a few ideas.

Treasure Trove Cove – Banjo- Kazooie

You know, if Gruntilda the Witch was a little smarter and a little less obsessed with stealing the beauty (beauty? Huh??) of young bears, she could really make a killing by turning her lair into a vacation destination. With the sheer variety of worlds and opportunities to craft attractions, it really wouldn’t be hard to attract visitors (well. So long as she behaves herself).

I think the most popular spot in the lair would almost certainly be Treasure Trove Cove. See, it’s not just a beach, but rather it’s the quintessential beach; it’s the kind of beach every kid dreams of exploring, you know, if such a beach ever existed. It’s got surf; it’s got sand; it’s got an actual sandcastle you can actually go in. There’s even the remnants of a cool fortress and a sunken pirate ship to check out! Get rid of the enemies, put in a few lounge chairs and food stands, and run a railcar up to the lighthouse and you’ve got one of the best seaside hangouts that there ever was.

Isle Delfino – Super Mario Sunshine

Unlike Treasure Trove Cove, Isle Delfino doesn’t need any modifications. In fact, it seems to already be a popular vacation spot in-universe. Getting around to each of it’s main locations might be a pain without paint-warping, but otherwise you’ve got everything you could want in this tropical paradise.

Aside from the warm sun, nice tunes, the cool look of the place and plentiful fruits, I think that Isle Delfino’s crystal clear water is the real draw. No matter where one is on the island, that water is absolutely beautiful! So much so that if I was actually there, I don’t think I’d be able to stay out of it. Sure, there are plenty of places in the world with beautiful water, but not like this! Seriously, every time I play Super Mario Sunshine I inevitably find myself staring at it and wishing it was real!

My Island – Animal Crossing: New Horizons

When you spend hours and even days building, tweaking and developing your own island getaway until it’s juusst right, you can’t help but wish you could hang out there in-person somehow. Animal Crossing has always given its players some ability to customize their towns to some degree, making small tweaks in order to better suit it to their liking. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons though, we finally have full control over just about everything.

We can make our perfect house and place it anywhere we want in our perfect island. I honestly wasn’t sure how the whole “make your own island” idea would play out, but Nintendo really did do an excellent job with it. The island I crafted is a spot that’s just as good for lounging on the beach as it is for taking quiet strolls and taking in some cool sights in the shopping district. It’s a place to relax and enjoy the island life. I kind of made the area around my house a little goofy, but I think that makes it all the better. My particular island might not be for everyone, but it’s the perfect kind of spot for my own private vacation (hehe).

I feel like I’m forgetting other, better places that would make for great dream vacation spots, but these are what first comes to mind all the same. If I had to pick only one, I think Animal Crossing would be it since the entire point of the game is basically to just chill out and pass your days doing basically nothing that could be considered stressful. I wouldn’t necessarily want to live the villager’s life, but a short vacation in that role would certainly be nice.

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What gaming locations do you wish you could hang out in for a little while? Are there any that you’d like to move to permanently? Let us know below and make sure to hang around for our final week of Listmas 2022!

Image captured by Hatmonster