All things Animal Crossing

[ratsoalbion]

All right, so we have a podcast on the series so far and looking forward to the summer UK release of New Leaf.

We'd love you forumites to share your memories of your times with the Gamecube, DS or Wii versions (I assume no-one here played the N64 DD original in Japanese).
Amusing anecdotes especially welcome but general critique/opinion also good.

[dezm0nd]

Japanese 3DS game selling extremely well, apparently. I wonder what new stuff it'll bring to the table.

[delb2k]

Now this is not a bashing post, and if it in not used in the podcast that is more than fair enough.

But i do not get this game. I have started it twice, both on the Gamecube, and both times the overriding feeling I have is one of aimless direction. I got my house, I had my mortgage and then that was it. I went and talked to people around town, explored the world and poked around but so little of it felt that compelling to me that after a few hours I simply stopped.

Partly I believe this is because it started to feel more like having a second job. What I was doing never felt that enjoyable and living a second life within the game world was simply taking too much time that I felt was being wasted. So for me it began to peter out quickly, which I always regretted but could never find a way to find my own personal hook into this world.

I know that this game is not as free form as Minecraft for example but it still incurred the same issues in my play style of not having a compulsive central conceit to keep me playing it. I know I am pretty much an outsider on this front but maybe it will spur some discussion.

[Alex79]

I heard about Animal Crossing a few months after it was released on the Gamecube. I don't remember the details regarding why, but I seem to remember it being ever so difficult to get hold of a copy, and I ended up importing an Australian one from eBay. Much like Del, the main memory I have of the game is one of complete aimlessness. I played it religiously every day for a couple of months after purchase. It must have been winter, and my land was always covered in snow. I don't think I played until Spring, that much I do remember! I remember Tom Nook's shop, and checking it every day for new items. I remember helping the villagers with their little tasks for rewards for my own home. I think the main reason I played the game was to try to unlock the NES games. I only ever got as far as Tennis and Balloon Fight. It's a shame that Nintendo didn't keep up this with later versions of the game, they were great unlockables. Eventually I just kind of gave up on the game. There seemed little reason to keep playing, and I guess I just got bored. I did later purchase the DS version, but only played that for a short time before selling it on. I don't think it's a series I'll ever return to as I just didn't get much enjoyment out of it, but I'll be listening with interest to see what other people got out of it. My one overriding memory? If I'm honest - boredom. I think it's one of the most pointless games I've ever played. It reminded me of Harvest Moon, but with even less to do.

EDIT : I've re-read that and realised how fantasically badly written it is! Sorry!

[Sly Reflex]

I played my NGC version religiously. I only played for about an hour a day maybe before or after other games, it was a really nice wind down game, although the worst thing about it was that often when I'd done playing there wasn't much to do because most of my town was asleep. I played it along side a few of my friends and we'd often visit each others villages. It was the little stuff I found impressive, such as the train actually running to a time table between me and my friends villages.

I was working in the USA when the DS version came out. Because it was in your pocket I felt that it suited the nature of the game a little better of putting 20 minutes into it while you were on a dinner break or something. In some ways I thought it was a step back, I hated how they made stuff like bug hunting almost impossible by removing the creeping. I was glad they ironed other problems I had with the original I had on the NGC. Over the course of a few years playing I managed to do all the hidden events within the game. I was missing a few things for my museum, but I'd already spent that much time looking for these things during the small windows they would appear in that I wasn't going to do it again.

When the Wii version came out I played it for about 2 months before calling it a day. It had some nice features but ultimately I hated having to play with the control system it forced upon you. I didn't have the same amount of people to visit either like I did with the DS version, so a lot of the game was lost to that.

I'm really looking forward to the series going back to handheld. Some games suit certain devices, and I think that Animal Crossing is really one of those games that comfortable in that situation.

[mikeleddy83]

Phew, totally forgot to post on this but I'm glad others did. I'm a fiend for Animal Crossing games, they're a secret glimpse into the innovation of Nintendo, a testbed of all kinds of ideas you'll see a few years down the line and an obsessive collectors dream or nightmare rolled into one. I've literally forced other people to at least make a savegame just to steal their apples.

This series initially demonstrated the sheer generosity of Nintendo, without every other company monetising any surplus content and forcing Nintendo's hand I'm adamant to insist this game would have been the ultimate retro arcade by now. As it stands I'm already anticipating the wealth of surprises in store for the 3DS version despite knowing they simply can't give what they could before.

So many questions: How many games reward you on your birthday? How many urge you to get up early on a Sunday to go fishing and net yourself an arwing model? Watch a rendition of a song whilst sipping a hot chocolate? Pester you for (in most cases) trying to cheat? ...and of course the obvious question, what the fuck happened to the nice friendly giraffe lady that used to make me neat hats - was she not happy here?

I'm sad I didn't get posting early on this one but if I had it'd be a big box of well treasured memories, looking forward to this episode for sure!

[ratsoalbion]

Goddam I wish you'd got this post in five hours ago!

[mikeleddy83]

Goddam I wish you'd got this post in five hours ago!

So do I, still I'm hoping not to be alone as a fan of the series.

[ratsoalbion]

All of Mr Resetti's rants:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/gamecube/516502 ... faqs/22146

[Sinclair Gregstrum]

Really enjoyed the Animal Crossing podcast guys - I've never played any of the series but it's really got me enthused to try the new 3DS version when it comes out.

I have an hour commute each way from Sheffield to Manchester every day and it sounds the perfect way to relax in preparation for / after a hard day at the grindstone!

You can pre-order the game from ShopTo.net for the bargain price of £26.86 at the moment!

[dezm0nd]

Glad you enjoyed it, man. Thanks for the kind words!

That is indeed a bargain!

[Suits]

So, I've been playing...... Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival.

I picked this up as it was on offer at Game with both Annabelle & Digby amiibo's for £14.99 earlier in the year.

I like the amiibo’s, so for me it was great value and I got another game and bundle box for my collection.

Me and the wife were having a Sunday evening Mario kart 8 session after a walk and as such I upped the 'CC to 150 as I think she's ready for it. After 2 frustrating GP's for her she suggested that we play something more chill, so I thought we'd try a game that I got free with some amiibo's.

Going into this after seeing the reviews titles I had a really low exception of it. I soon remembered that it was a virtual board game and was slightly more open minded to it.

Having spent some time with Animal Crossing: New Leaf, the characters, font, menu’s, artwork and world are immediately familiar - which is welcoming to be honest.

There is amiibo functionality, which is nice, you simply use the amiibo (each person has their own assigned to them at the start of the game, from what I could gather you could use any amiibo but we both went for the titles characters that came in the pack – Annabelle & Digby) to roll the dice and to save personal progress from game to game. Be it slight functionality its more than I think I've experienced in any other Wii U title.

At the end of a game your character levels up depending on how well you’ve done, Bells earned and happiness gained. Going up levels unlocks, clothes and other in game, character specific items. All this is then saved to the NFC chip in the amiibo.

The Gamepad is passed around and used for micro management of your character, inventory and other game mechanic adjustments.

Ultimately you have a month, in Animal Crossing time, to get around a board (town) and earn happiness points and bells. The month is broken down into weeks and the weeks, into days. Days have specific events that can either earn you happiness, Bells, sadness or cost you Bells. For those that don't play Animal Crossing games, Bells are currency.

There are themes that change the effect of all, or certain, tiles on the board that are dictated by travelling tourists or guests to the town that you are currently playing in. This gives a random, unaccountable twist to what could just perhaps be a straight forward board game otherwise.

Then you have the best bit of the game for me - Turnips.

So there's an overarching tactic to the whole experience, trading. Buying and selling goods, when stocks and shares are at their highest, or, when you're going to take the lowest hit, financially.

Once a week you're given the opportunity to buy Turnips from a traveling merchant - Joan (again Animal Crossing players will know all about Joan). If you have the bells to afford them that is.

Then, for 6 days (turns), you’re given the opportunity to sell what Turnips you have. All dictated by a daily Turnip value that fluctuates depending on the game and the tile you land on.

If, after 6 days you still have some Turnips left, then naturally, they go bad and are worthless. Basically you lose your investment. It’s all about knowing when to cash out your stocks.

The board game mechanics are then deepened further via the use of and acquiring of, ‘Cards’. These cards can alter the dice rolls, tiles you land on, Turnip value. Play or use these cards right and you could win big on your Turnips.

We both found it very interesting and pretty much good entertainment overall, we’ll certainly be going back to it.

I was honestly surprised by the tactics and skulduggery that was in this game, that for all intensive purposes looks like a childish waste of time. If it was wrapped in a Lord Of The Ring’s skin and theme I think perhaps it may have been given more time by people.

I do agree though, that it’s hardly much of a game, it’s a virtual board game, that relies on luck and judgement rather than twitch movement and experience. Thus, making it great to play with my wife or other people that aren’t into game but you want to get around the TV and do something. Single players will be bored off very quickly as you play BOTS from what I could gather and is hardly something I’d be interested in getting involved with.

I enjoyed it that much, that I thought I’d write a little bit about it here and see if anyone else has given it a go.

[Suits]

Worth noting, in case anyone wondered - I discovered that other amiibo won't work with Animal Crossing amiibo Festival, for some mental reason.

We went to play it the other night with some friends and we could only register my 2 Animal Crossing amiibo, others wouldn't work or even register with the game.

So it's rubbish, you can only play with Animal Crossing amiibo which I think is ridiculous.