Animal Crossing

Voices of: N/A
Developer: Nintendo
Directed by: Katsuya Eguchi, Hisashi Nogami
Rating: E
Genre: Life Simulation
System: Nintendo Gamecube
2001

Times Completed:
Tim: 1

Summary: A social simulation in which the player controls a character who moves into a village populated by anthropomorphic animals.

Review:
Tim: Way back in the early 2000s, I was far less versed in video games than I am today. It's funny, I distinctly remember my discovering of this game. I was in college and wandering around Walmart by myself late at night. I was moving through the electronics section and they had one of those bargain bins. I was flipping through movies and games when I saw Animal Crossing deeply discounted. I'm not sure what it was about it- the whimsical cover, the name, but something caught my eye. For that price, I though, why not? I drove back to the dorm, popped the game into my gamecube, and became transfixed.

It's amazing how Nintendo continues to make these unique, beautifully crafted games. Animal Crossing is so different than most games. It's never stressful (except maybe while fishing, occasionally). It's peaceful, calming, while also providing the gamer a steady stream of achievements to give them a sense of forward progress and momentum. There's always something to work towards and you have visible proof of your accomplishments as you play. Whether that's seeing the evolution of your house, or filling up the museum, you get to see what you've done at any point. It's addicting and it's fun. I remember getting lost in the world over the next month. I played far too many hours, but I have no regrets. It was a nice break from the stresses of everyday life. You get to know your village and its inhabitants. The game infuses them with enough emotion and unique dialogue so that their personalities begin to stick with you. You start to develop relationships with these characters- you have favorites and you have people you can't wait to leave your village. As the game progresses, you get to experience the changing of the seasons. It feels like something different is always right around the bend, which keeps you interested. I moved forward steadily, building up and experiencing many different aspects of the game. I'm not sure when I finally stopped playing, it was a slow petering out over a prolonged period of time. I've played other games in the series and have always loved those times, but this first game felt so special to me because it was all brand new, I was experiencing it all for the first time. That discovery was so fun- to spend 9 dollars or whatever it was on a game and finding myself shocked at the world it opened up for me. It's a reminder of why the medium of video games is so powerful.

Knowing where the series would eventually go, I'm sure this first game feels quaint by comparison. It was limited, but in the early 2000s, it never felt like that. It felt massive- there were always more fish and bugs to catch, there were fossils to uncover, floors to build. I loved the freedom the game provided- it's nonlinear, so you can choose how to play, what to do or not do.

Nintendo has so many incredible game series and Animal Crossing ushered in one of the best and brightest. It's unique spin on life simulation games is memorable and absorbing. I absolutely loved playing this game and even a few decades later, I have vivid, fond memories of exploring this world and the simulated life it offered. This is a fantastic game.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Game, We Recommend: Animal Crossing: City Folk, Billionaire, Wii Sports