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Animal Crossing (GameCube)

Reviewed by: nalod6 Has Written 13 Reviews
Reviewed on: 22-Jun-2005

Description

Animal Crossing is a life simulation game. Basically, you move to a town of animals and buy your house and ... well ... live!

It's hard to describe, but Animal Crossing can be amazingly addictive. Sure, the fishing and bug-catching and task-running sounds boring, but it is oddly fun as you run from animal neighbor to animal neighbor, each with its own personality, house decor and outfit, delivering goods and taking more on to the next neighbor.

You start by talking to a cat on a train and giving some information about yourself. You arrive in your town, and meet Tom Nook, the local storekeep, who also doubles as the real estate agent. After buying your house, you need to work off the payment (it seems you don't nearly have enough money!) by doing some chores for him or the neighbors, or maybe selling things people give you, or picking up seashells and selling them.

There are all sorts of activities to do, and at different times of the day and year. That's right, Animal Crossing is in REAL TIME, so when it is 7:45 pm in July for you, it is 7:45 pm in July in the game. Thanksgiving, 4th of July, New Years...it's all accounted for.

You can also decorate your own house to your own personal style with the various furniture, wallpaper, and carpet that you buy or receive from others. As you pay off your debt to Nook, you can upgrade to bigger houses and get more points from the Happy Room Academy for a nicer and well furnished house.

Maybe you want to talk to your animal friends long distance...you can write them! Or, you can invite a friend of your own to your town and have them interact with your animal pals.

Or perhaps you'd like to visit the Island via your Game Boy Advance and link cable. You can also check out the museum and donate and view art, fossils, fish, and bugs. Or you can even design your own outfits and wear and trade them. There are oodles and oodles of things to do, and it can all become strangely addictive.

Now for the bad stuff...not everybody will enjoy this game. For people who like action games and fast paced thrills, this is probably not the game for you. While a lot of people enjoy this game, just as many seem to think it is utterly boring.

The graphics are somewhat cartoonish and lacking in detail (not nearly as grand as, say, Metroid Prime), but also very fitting. The music in the game is interesting and varied, with lots of music for your home and for various times of day.

Overall, while I find this game to be among the best for the GameCube, and certainly one of the most innovative and unique, sadly, not everybody will enjoy this title. Perhaps the only way to find out is to try it. wink