Animal Crossing: A Guide to the Charming Life Simulation Game Series
If you are looking for a game that lets you escape to a peaceful and personalized paradise, you might want to check out Animal Crossing. Animal Crossing is a series of life simulation games developed by Nintendo, where you can create your own character, home, and island, and interact with cute animal villagers and other players. In this article, we will give you an overview of what Animal Crossing is, why it is so popular, how to play it, and some tips and tricks for beginners.
What is Animal Crossing?
Animal Crossing is a game series that falls under the genre of life simulation, which means that it simulates aspects of real life, such as time, seasons, weather, activities, relationships, etc. However, unlike some other life simulation games, Animal Crossing does not have a set goal or storyline. Instead, it gives you the freedom to play at your own pace and style, and explore various possibilities.
The basic premise and gameplay of Animal Crossing
The basic premise of Animal Crossing is that you are a human who moves to a new place inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. Depending on the game, this place can be a town, an island, or a campsite. You can customize your appearance, name, birthday, and gender. You can also customize your home by buying or crafting furniture, wallpaper, flooring, etc. You can even customize your island by terraforming the landscape, planting flowers and trees, placing decorations, etc.
The gameplay of Animal Crossing consists of various activities that you can do on your island or town. Some of these activities are:
- Fishing
- Bug catching
- Fossil hunting
- Gardening
- Shopping
- Crafting
- Decorating
- Cooking
- Dressing up
- Playing minigames
You can also interact with the animal villagers who live on your island or town. They have different personalities, hobbies, styles, and preferences. You can talk to them, give them gifts, invite them to your home, or even ask them to move in or out. You can also interact with special visitors who come to your island or town on certain days or occasions. They can offer you different services or items, such as selling clothes, buying bugs or fish, giving hairstyles, etc.
The history and evolution of Animal Crossing
The first Animal Crossing game was released in Japan in 2001 for the Nintendo 64 console. It was later ported to the GameCube console in 2002 for Japan and North America, and in 2004 for Europe and Australia. The game was titled Animal Forest in Japan, but was renamed Animal Crossing for the international release.
Since then, there have been four main series games and three spin-off games released for different Nintendo platforms. Here is a table that shows the titles and release dates of each game:
| Game | Platform | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Forest / Animal Crossing</td | Nintendo 64 / GameCube | 2001 / 2002-2004 |
| Animal Crossing: Wild World | Nintendo DS | 2005-2006 |
| Animal Crossing: City Folk / Let’s Go to the City | Wii | 2008-2009 |
| Animal Crossing: New Leaf | Nintendo 3DS | 2012-2013 |
| Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer | Nintendo 3DS | 2015 |
| Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival | Wii U | 2015 |
| Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp | Mobile | 2017 |
| Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Nintendo Switch | 2020 |
The latest and most successful game in the series is Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which was released in March 2020 for the Nintendo Switch console. It sold over 33 million copies worldwide as of June 2021, making it the second best-selling game on the Switch and the fourth best-selling game of all time. It also received critical acclaim and numerous awards, such as the Game of the Year award from multiple outlets. It introduced many new features and improvements to the series, such as crafting, terraforming, online multiplayer, seasonal events, etc.
Why is Animal Crossing so popular?
Animal Crossing is a game that has attracted millions of fans from different ages, backgrounds, and preferences. But what makes it so appealing and addictive? Here are some of the reasons why Animal Crossing is so popular:
The appeal of customization and creativity
One of the main attractions of Animal Crossing is that it allows you to customize almost everything in the game. You can design your character, home, island, clothes, furniture, etc. You can also use custom patterns and QR codes to import or create your own designs. You can express your personality, style, and creativity through your choices and creations. You can also share your creations with other players online or visit their islands to get inspired.
The relaxing and wholesome atmosphere
Another reason why Animal Crossing is so popular is that it provides a relaxing and wholesome atmosphere that contrasts with the stress and negativity of real life. The game has a soothing soundtrack, colorful graphics, cute characters, and simple gameplay. There is no violence, conflict, or pressure in the game. You can play at your own pace and enjoy the small pleasures of life. You can also experience the changes of seasons, weather, time, and holidays in the game. The game can help you unwind, calm down, and have fun.
The social and community aspects
A third reason why Animal Crossing is so popular is that it fosters social and community interactions among players. You can play with your friends or family online or locally, or make new friends from around the world. You can chat, exchange items, send letters, help each other, or just hang out together. You can also join online communities on social media platforms, such as Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, etc., where you can share your experiences, tips, screenshots, memes, fan art, etc. You can also participate in online events, contests, challenges, etc., hosted by other players or organizations.
How to play Animal Crossing?
If you are interested in playing Animal Crossing, you might wonder how to start and what to do. Here are some basic steps and tips on how to play Animal Crossing:
Choosing your platform and game
The first step is to choose which platform and game you want to play. As mentioned before, there are different Animal Crossing games available for different Nintendo platforms. The most recent and recommended one is Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch console. However, you can also play other games in the series if you have access to other platforms or prefer older versions.
Creating your character and island
The next step is to create your character and island. When you start a new game, you will be asked to choose your name, birthday, gender (optional), appearance (which can be changed later), hemisphere (northern or southern), and island layout (which cannot be changed later). You will also be given a tent as your initial home (which can be upgraded later) and a NookPhone as your device that has various apps and functions. You will also meet Tom Nook, the raccoon entrepreneur who runs the island development program, and his nephews Timmy and Tommy, who run the Nook’s Cranny shop. They will help you settle in and guide you through the basics of the game.
Exploring, collecting, and crafting
The next step is to explore your island and collect various items and resources. You can use tools such as a fishing rod, a net, a shovel, an axe, etc., to catch fish, bugs, fossils, wood, stone, etc. You can also find items such as fruit, flowers, shells, weeds, etc., around the island. You can sell these items for bells (the currency of the game) or use them for crafting. Crafting is a feature that allows you to create furniture, clothing, tools, etc., using DIY recipes that you can find or buy in the game. You can also customize your crafted items with different colors or patterns.
Interacting with villagers and visitors
The next step is to interact with the villagers and visitors who come to your island. Villagers are the animal residents who live on your island or can move in later. You can have up to 10 villagers on your island at a time. You can talk to them, give them gifts, invite them to your home, or even ask them to move in or out. You can also become friends with them and unlock more dialogue options and reactions. Visitors are the special characters who come to your island on certain days or occasions. They can offer you different services or items, such as selling clothes, buying bugs or fish, giving hairstyles, etc.
Expanding your horizons with DLC and updates
The final step is to expand your horizons with DLC and updates that add more content and features to the game. DLC stands for downloadable content, which is additional content that you can purchase or download for free in the game. For example, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has two DLCs: the Happy Home Paradise DLC, which allows you to design vacation homes for clients on a resort island; and the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack DLC, which gives you access to 64 classic Nintendo games on your NookPhone. Updates are patches that fix bugs or add new content and features to the game for free. For example, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has regular updates that add seasonal events, items, characters, etc., to the game.
Tips and tricks for Animal Crossing beginners
If you are new to Animal Crossing, you might need some tips and tricks to make the most of your experience. Here are some of them:
Use the NookPhone and Nook Miles
The NookPhone is your device that has various apps and functions that can help you in the game. For example, you can use the Camera app to take screenshots or videos; the Map app to see the layout of your island; the Custom Designs app to create or import designs; the Nook Miles app to earn Nook Miles; etc. Nook Miles are a reward system that gives you points for completing various tasks or achievements in the game. You can use Nook Miles to redeem various items or services at the Nook Stop terminal in the Resident Services building.
Shake trees and hit rocks
Shaking trees and hitting rocks are two ways to get items or resources in the game. You can shake trees by pressing A while standing next to them. You can get items such as fruit, bells, furniture, wasps (be careful!), etc., by shaking trees. You can hit rocks by using a shovel or an axe while standing next to them. You can get items such as stone, clay, iron nuggets, gold nuggets (rare), bells (rare), etc., by hitting rocks. However, you can only hit each rock up to eight times per day, so make sure to dig holes behind you to prevent yourself from bouncing back.
Donate to the museum
Donating to the museum is a way to collect and display various specimens in the game. The museum is a building that houses four exhibits: fish, bugs, fossils, and art. You can donate these specimens to the museum by talking to Blathers, the owl curator who runs the museum. He will also give you some information and facts about each specimen you donate. Donating to the museum is a good way to fill up your Critterpedia app, which records all the fish and bugs you catch in the game. It is also a good way to learn more about the natural and cultural history of the game world.
Check the bulletin board and mail
Checking the bulletin board and mail is a way to get updates and messages in the game. The bulletin board is a board that is located near the Resident Services building. You can check it by pressing A while standing next to it. You can get updates and messages from Tom Nook, Isabelle, villagers, visitors, etc., by checking the bulletin board. You can also post your own messages or drawings on the bulletin board for other players to see. The mail is a feature that allows you to send and receive letters and gifts in the game. You can check your mail by pressing A while standing next to your mailbox outside your home. You can get letters and gifts from villagers, visitors, friends, family, etc., by checking your mail. You can also send letters and gifts to them by using the Postcard app on your NookPhone or the airport.
Visit other islands and players
Visiting other islands and players is a way to explore and socialize in the game. You can visit other islands by using the airport, which is a building that is located near the bottom of your island. You can talk to Orville, the dodo bird who runs the airport, and choose whether you want to fly online or locally. Online means that you can visit other players who are connected to the internet, either by using a Dodo Code or by adding them as friends on your Nintendo Switch. Locally means that you can visit other players who are nearby and have their wireless communication turned on. You can also use Nook Miles Tickets, which are items that you can buy with Nook Miles at the Nook Stop terminal, to visit randomly generated islands that have different resources, items, villagers, etc.
Conclusion
Animal Crossing is a game series that offers a charming and relaxing experience for players who want to escape from real life and create their own paradise. It has various features and aspects that appeal to different types of players, such as customization, creativity, socialization, exploration, etc. It is also a game that is constantly updated and improved with new content and features that keep it fresh and exciting. If you are interested in playing Animal Crossing, we hope that this article has given you some useful information and tips on how to start and enjoy this wonderful game.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Animal Crossing:
- Q: How many Animal Crossing games are there?
- A: There are seven main series games and three spin-off games in the Animal Crossing series as of 2021.
- Q: Which Animal Crossing game should I play first?
- A: The most recommended game to play first is Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch console, as it is the latest and most advanced game in the series.
- Q: How do I get more villagers on my island?
- A: You can get more villagers on your island by inviting them from other islands, using amiibo cards or figures, or waiting for them to show up at your campsite.
- Q: How do I get more bells in Animal Crossing?
- A: You can get more bells in Animal Crossing by selling items or resources, completing tasks or achievements, finding money trees or rocks, etc.
- Q: How do I get more DIY recipes in Animal Crossing?
- A: You can get more DIY recipes in Animal Crossing by talking to villagers or visitors, popping balloons, finding bottles on the beach, buying them at shops, etc.
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