Sony and Microsoft recently revealed the impressive, high-performance specs inside the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. The PS5 and the Xbox Series X are both the latest in a long line of new and upcoming consoles. But that's not what gamers are talking about right now.

Instead, they are busy posting pictures of their gardens, houses, and meme-able custom art for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a new hit game for the NintendoSwitch. While "Animal Crossing" is a unique phenomenon in its own right, this trend indicates that the three-year-old Nintendo Switch may be the console that dominates the conversation in 2020.

To be sure, the Switch can't deliver immersive ray tracing, load games in an instant, or run AAA titles at 60 frames per second in 4K. But by offering the right games at the right price in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, the Nintendo Switch could be the console people need in 2020.

Animal Crossing: Given the popularity of the Animal Crossing series, the latest must-have game for Nintendo Switch was sure to be a huge hit no matter what. But the game, which was released on March 20, has also freed players around the world from the stress and loneliness of being cooped up in their homes. Nintendo's new game created a remote island of dreams for people and provided a space where they could interact with friends, virtual and real, through online play.

"New Horizons" is just the latest example of the accessible gameplay and fun aesthetic that makes Nintendo's games so beloved. Given the state of the world, we don't blame anyone for not wanting to survive a viral pandemic in "Resident Evil 3" or fight through literal hell in "Doom Eternal. But when you play games like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" or "Pokémon: Sword and Shield," you are escaping to a world much more colorful and hopeful than the one you are in now.

And if recent rumors are to be believed, Nintendo may soon offer even more fun escapes. To celebrate the series' 35th anniversary, a massive Super Mario collection could be released later this year. You could get lost in the tropical world of "Super Mario Sunshine" or the iconic 3D Mushroom Kingdom of "Super Mario 64". And while the post-apocalyptic survival action of "The Last of Us Part II" and the sci-fi space shooter of "Halo Infinite" will be big hits, there are just as many who would rather immerse themselves in the pure nostalgia of Nintendo and free their minds from the chaos of everyday life I'm sure they would.

The Coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economy, making the idea of spending big bucks on a new console much less appealing than it was a few months ago. Rumors and analyst estimates suggest that the PS5 and Xbox Series X could be priced around $400 to $500, which is the standard price for new game consoles. Given the current situation, that may be a tough sell.

The Nintendo Switch lineup, on the other hand, is quite reasonable, with the handheld-only Nintendo Switch Lite starting at $199. The regular Nintendo Switch costs $299 and requires an option to play on a TV as well. These consoles are not cheap, but the PS5 and Xbox Series X will be more expensive.

Just as the iPhone 9 could be the most important phone this year based on its rumored price of $400, the Nintendo Switch could be the best gaming console that price-conscious gamers should buy in 2020. Perhaps that's why Nintendo's game systems have been flying off the shelves lately.

That's not to say that the PS5 and Xbox Series X won't be successful; just looking at Tom's Guide traffic numbers alone, fan enthusiasm for the PlayStation 5 in particular has never been stronger. And as the global economic situation improves, purchasing a high-end gaming console before the holiday season may seem much more frivolous than it does now.

But it's hard not to feel that the Nintendo Switch, and by extension, Nintendo's games, are exactly what we need at this very moment. Immersive 4K game worlds and lightning-fast loading speeds would certainly be exciting, but maybe what matters now is curling up on the couch catching fish, planting trees, and making friends on your own virtual vacation.