What type of game is Animal Crossing?
Popular among women with a growing male player base, Animal Crossing is a game designed to warm your soul as you spend countless hours talking to neighbors, shopping, writing letters, and tending the needs of your virtual village.
The game doesn't present a "final boss" for you to defeat or any specific end goal that you have to chase after. Instead, the game focuses on your relationship with your village and with time.
In Animal Crossing, time exists just like it does in the real world.
Time will pass from the morning, noon and evening, changing with it the appearance trees and scenery according to whatever season you find yourself in.
Even when the game is "off", characters living in your village will still be writing letters and moving from place to place while you're not looking. This movement of time really helps the game to feel more alive every time you turn on to play.
How To Have Fun In Animal Crossing?
With the Animal Crossing series, there is plenty of ways to enjoy the games once you have learned the same basic system that runs throughout all of the Animal Crossing games.
The games allow you to take part in so many different activities such as bug-hunting, fishing, excavating fossils, designing your home, creating elaborate gardens and so much more - all with friends!
It's incredibly satisfying to watch and slowly build your own village.
Animal Crossing Concept
In Animal Crossing games, Players start the new life by becoming a resident of a village filled with a collection of colorful animal characters.
There are no goals set like in regular games, and you can act and live as you like!
What Can You Do In Animal Crossing?
As a new resident of the Animal Village, you can take your character and take part in activities such as fruit picking, fishing, bug hunting, shopping, fossil excavation, fashion design, shell picking, and much more.
All of these activities allow you to earn in-game currency and develop the relationship between yourself and the other members of your village.
The Animal Crossing Series
There are 8 main Animal Crossing games in the series so far. Take a nostalgic look back at what came before.
How many of these games have you played?
Nintendo64 "Animal Crossing"
2001/04/14 - "Animal Crossing"
The first game in the Animal Crossing series. [Available To Buy Here]
Originally, the game was designed around the idea that your character would explore dungeons with the help of your animal friends, but the content of the game changed focus in later versions of the game.
Nintendo GameCube "Animal Crossing Plus"
2001/12/14 - "Animal Crossing Plus" [Available To Buy Here]
Released at an unusually fast pace of just eight months from the original game, Animal Crossing Plus made its way over onto the Nintendo GameCube and made its debut to the rest of the world as "Animal Crossing"
The game added additional connectivity by allowing players to use their GameBoy Advance to leave their villages and travel to islands.
Nintendo GameCube "Animal Crossing e+"
2003/06/27 - "Animal Crossing e+" [Available To Buy Here]
Based on the same elements of the games that came before it, but with the new addition of allowing players to call new residents and various additional extras using the GameCube's card e-reader attachment.
Nintendo DS "Animal Crossing: Wild World"
2005/11/23 - "Animal Crossing: Wild World" [Available To Buy Here]
The first Animal Crossing title for portable game consoles which introduced the ability for players to play with their friends in the same village over an internet connection.
The game received a makeover with renewed aesthetics and the addition of new building types such as government offices being added to the series for the first time.
Nintendo Wii "Animal Crossing: City Folk"
2008/11/20 - "Animal Crossing: City Folk" [Available To Buy Here]
As the name implies, in this installment the game adds the ability for players to take a bus to the city. In the city, you can enjoy all-new facilities such as luxury boutiques, hair salons, and even fortune-teller booths.
Nintendo 3DS "Animal Crossing: New Leaf"
2012/11/08 - "Animal Crossing: New Leaf" [Available To Buy Here]
"New Leaf" was the first Animal Crossing that introduced the "Town Mayor" role for players and the ability for players to create their own villages instead of joining a preestablished village.
The game gave more freedom to players, allowing them to freely set up bridges and benches in the village in exchange for carrying out village tasks.
Nintendo 3DS "Animal Crossing: New Leaf Amiibo+"
2016/11/23 - "Animal Crossing: New Leaf Amiibo+" [Available To Buy Here]
"Amiibo+" inherits all of the elements from the previous game before it and adds to the game with the introduction of new characters, open campgrounds, time-sensitive characters, and new furniture that was previously unavailable.
iOS/Android "Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp"
2017/11/21 - "Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp"
A simple mobile Animal Crossing game that was introduced as a way for you to receive bells by completing challenges that are updated daily. It's completely free to play!
Nintendo Switch "Animal Crossing: New Horizons"
2020/03/20 - "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" [Available To Buy Here]
Throughout the Animal Crossing series up until this point, the main setting for the games has been focused around villages, however this time, the game has players living on a desert island for the first time.
The name also introduces the ability for players to play together on the same island simultaneously.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
This is the latest game in the Animal Crossing series which was released March 20th, 2020. Players will be able to build new lives for themselves on an uninhabited island alongside two animal neighbors, starting all from scratch.
This version of Animal Crossing pays closer attention to the details of the world you inhabit such as the movement of plants swaying in the wind and player's features such as hair. This attention to detail adds a slightly more realistic tone to the game and allows for greater levels of customization.
If you look up at the game's night sky, you can observe shooting stars and see cherry blossoms blooming in spring, which adds to the heartwarming nature of the game.
There are plenty of new elements added to this version of the game! The degree of freedom has evolved dramatically by expanding the range of actions you are able to take, while still maintaining the majority of things you will able to do in the previous games.
Here are just some of the new additions to pay attention to!
Smartphones
When you arrive on your uninhabited island, you will receive a dedicated smartphone. You can take in-game pictures, check DIY recipes, see a list of caught fish and insects, and much, much more!
DIY Furniture and Tools
You can rent a workbench and make furniture and tools by hand!
You are able to collect materials by cutting wood or breaking stones, and so you will find yourself getting lost in the fun of searching the island for materials.
You can even customize the color of the items you make and arrange things to your personal taste.
Interior Design
With more wall-mounted furniture than ever before and new options for arranging furniture in your rooms, it's easy to create a room that's perfect for you!
There is a wide range of furniture styles, so there is plenty for you to enjoy choosing from.
Customizable Fashion
Experience changing hairstyles and hair colors without the need to go to the hair salon! You can now easily change your style at home by using mirror furniture.
In addition, the number of bags and accessories has increased, so enjoy putting on your own fashion show.
New Animal Characters
You will find eight new characters appearing in this game that can become your neighbors!
In addition to the resident characters, there are special hidden characters that make their first appearance in this game - So keep your eyes out for them!
Animal Crossing: Products
A lot of new related products have appeared along with the release of the newest Animal Crossing! Many of these items are designed to pull on the heartstrings of new and old players alike - And we love them for it.
My Nintendo
Exclusive goods can be obtained as rewards directly from Nintendo by registering for a Nintendo account and collecting points. Rewards include Eco-bags that have unique Animal Crossing logos such has "Dodo Airlines" - a fictional airline that appears in the game.
Chocolate Eggs
The Animal Crossing series introduces its own line of collectible toys found within chocolate eggs. The cute mini-sized figures are perfect for anyone looking to decorate their desk!
Conclusion
Animal Crossing is without a doubt a series loved by many and across generations. The latest game in the series, New Horizons, has a high degree of freedom and depending on the amount of time you want to invest, a huge level of customization to make your island feel truly unique.
With so much to do in the game, you find countless hours of entertainment waiting for you to be had!
So what are you waiting for?
Start building your very own Animal Crossing paradise today.
If you are interested in Animal Crossing Products from Japan, then click the image below to see all of the exclusive items that are available on ZenMarket!
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