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Animal Crossing (どうぶつの森) is a social simulation video game developed and published by Nintendo for the GameCube console. It was originally released as Dōbutsu no Mori in Japan for the Nintendo 64 in early 2001, and was enhanced and rereleased in the country on the GameCube as Dōbutsu no Mori+ later that year. Animal Crossing was released in North America in late 2002 as a localisation of Dōbutsu no Mori+, including additional content more relatable to western audiences. It also released in Australia and Europe in 2003 and 2004 respectively. In mid-2003, Nintendo released a Japanese translation of the western localisation, Dōbutsu no Mori e+, for the GameCube.

Animal Crossing is an open-ended game, meaning there is no main objective to fulfill. It is also a social simulation game, in that it explores interactions and relationships with artificial life. The player can perform tasks, like fishing or catching bugs, and sell their gathered resources for in-game currency in order to purchase other items such as clothing, or furnishings for the player's home. In the game, the player moves into a town populated by anthropomorphic animal characters. The player can interact with these characters and perform tasks requested by them, over time developing a friendly relationship. The game also makes use of the GameCube's real-time clock which keeps track of current dates and times, allowing for in-game events to mirror real world events, such as Christmas, Halloween, and hanami.

[dev]

The game received generally favourable reception, and sold over two-and-a-half million copies across all releases—a large majority of which coming from GameCube sales, making it one of the best-selling titles on the platform. Critics praised its uniqueness of gameplay and use of the real-time clock, although reception on the game's graphics was mixed. Animal Crossing spawned an eponymous franchise that has been considered one of Nintendo's most recognisable.

Gameplay
https://dengekionline.com/soft/review/rev_doubutsuplus.html

Reception
https://web.archive.org/web/20200512215858/https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/animal_crossing_gc_review/

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Animal Crossing received "generally favourable" reception. Doubutsu no Mori on the Nintendo 64 sold 173,430 copies in its first year of release in Japan, reaching #62 in the 100 best-selling games of 2001. Its GameCube port, Doubutsu no Mori+, sold 200,867 by the end of its first year—placing it at #57 on the same list—and has sold around 641,300 total copies in the country. Animal Crossing has sold 1.68 million copies in the United States, and Doubutsu no Mori e+ sold 100,421 in its first year of release, bringing total GameCube sales to at least 2.32 million—one of the best-selling titles on the console. Counting sales for all releases of the game, the likely worldwide sales figure is at least 2.59 million. The game won awards for "Innovation in Console Gaming", "Outstanding Achievement in Game Design", and "Console Role-Playing Game of the Year" during the 2003 AIAS Interactive Achievement Awards (now known as D.I.C.E. Awards). It was nominated for an additional 5 other categories in the show, including "Game of the Year".

Critics lauded the game's use of multiplayer. IGN believed it created an "interesting dynamic", commenting that it made them feel like they were living in a village with real people, but also that their enjoyment of the game didn't last as long as they thought it should have when playing outside of multiplayer.

Journalists commented on the uniqueness of its gameplay. Game Informer went as far as to (perhaps hyperbolically) declare that Animal Crossing shouldn't even be described as a "game", instead opting to refer to it as software. Some reviewers, such as GameSpy and IGN, were fascinated by how the game makes typically routine, often tedious tasks (such as selling items, catching fish) seem entertaining. Eurogamer agreed, likening this to "gaming hypnotism". Many critics also noted that gameplay in Animal Crossing lacked in difficulty.

time and date use, multiplayer

Reception towards the game's graphics and art style was mixed. Some reviewers believed that the game's graphics were subpar, or not noteworthy—particularly for a GameCube game. Nintendo Life described the graphics as initially seeming "more functional than beautiful", but that after playing for an extended period of time, the smaller details became more important. GameSpy expressed that there was nothing impressive about the game visually, and that it looked and sounded more like a game from Nintendo's older systems, the Nintendo 64 and Super Nintendo Entertainment System respectively. The graphics are "less than mind-blowing", wrote Game Informer, but commented that it fit the game's style and intent. In contrast, other reviewers felt more esteem towards the graphical style. Reviewing Dobutsu no Mori, IGN thought the style was simple and effective, and reminiscent of a picture book, however, when reviewing Animal Crossing, thought the style was outdated compared to other games on the GameCube such as Metroid Prime and Star Fox Adventures. GameSpot found that textures on faces of the game's characters are low quality, and the in-game camera is placed in such a way where this is always noticeable, but otherwise thought that the Nintendo 64 graphics weren't a problem on GameCube.

However, when reviewing Animal Crossing on GameCube

IGN n64 (over all rating: "great", Peer Schneider) https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/02/26/animal-forest-import-review IGN animal crossing (peer schneider, reviewed "amazing") https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/09/05/animal-crossing-review gamespot (Matthew Gallant, reviewed "great") https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/animal-crossing-review/1900-2880379/ nintendolife (Stuart Reddick, reviewed "good") http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2006/01/animal_crossing_retro game informer (Lisa Mason) http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200210/R03.0731.1637.58105.htm?CS_pid=220129 eurogamer (Kristan Reed) https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_animalcrossing_gc gamespy (Matthew Gallant, reviewed "very good") http://gamespy.com/reviews/september02/animalcrossinggcn/index.shtml gamesradar https://web.archive.org/web/20151019040628/https://www.gamesradar.com/animal-crossing-review/ cons: What about your life?, Clunky, tedious menus, If you don't have friends, it gets boring planet gamecube/nintendo world report https://web.archive.org/web/20030218125812/http://www.planetgamecube.com/reviews.cfm?action=profile&id=202 https://web.archive.org/web/20200513121350/https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/animal_crossing_gc_review/
 * open-endedness - "As a matter of fact, some of the things you can do in Animal Forest wouldn't be considered fun at all were they to take place in real life. But that's the beauty of the game. You don't have to do them. Don't want to be nice to the talking duck and help him find his lost glasses? Fine, don't do it. Not interested in catching fish? Sell your fishing rod and never use it again. Or better yet, sell it to your little brother."
 * communication / multiplayer - "... creates an interesting dynamic that makes it feel like you're living in a village with real people", "Bring back a pear from your friend's village and plant it to grow pear trees (and pears) in your own town. Any fruit not indigenous to your village will fetch a higher market value when sold. Sounds a little bit like the old "gotta catch'em all" idea behind Pokemon, doesn't it?" "unless you're playing with four players and you've got some friends who own the game as well, the fun doesn't last as long as it should" "It's really a perfect game for families" "even though you can enjoy the game by yourself, Animal Crossing really comes into its own when you're sharing the game with a few friends or siblings"
 * gameplay - "... Animal Forest is a mixture of many gameplay styles that we've seen in other games before, but combined they really come together to create a very unique and original game." "Hardcore gamers who are used to playing videogames for hours on end alone every day will quickly find that Animal Forest isn't that kind of game" " addictive charm that will make you want to play the game every day just to see what's changed" "different in that it's relaxing rather than exciting -- and it of course lasts longer, but it's enjoyable only in small doses"
 * big complaint - "Animal Forest didn't have to feel as confined as it does." "how cool would it have been if Nintendo had implemented small sidequests like the designers behind Harvest Moon 64? On some days, when absolutely nothing was happening in my village, I was hoping that perhaps the train could take me to a place that I had never been to. But there is no hidden cave, no secret island, no overworld, if you will, other than your own village." what i think he's getting at is that the game gets boring after a while, there's not much to do, praises Crossing+ for adding museums and the GBA island feature
 * graphics - "Animal Forest uses a very simple, yet effective graphical style. Even though it may not be as impressive as Nintendo's 3D adventures like Ocarina of Time or Super Mario 64, the top down view of Animal Forest is reminiscent of classic SNES games, like A Link To The Past", "akin to a picture book", "pleasant game to look at", "characters feel alive", but says the main character is very plain and forgettable compared to nintendo's typical memorable designs, wishes there was an option to customise face.
 * sound (group with graphics) - "composers must have worked overtime to come up with the many different melodies you will hear", "background music you hear while playing most of the game is low key and doesn't get old quickly", "it's hard not to laugh at Totakeke wailing "do-reeeeeeeeeee-miiiiiiiiiii doooo!" before howling like the dog that he is. The voice samples are incredibly cheesy, but it's deliberately funny and unforgettable", " the sound effects are good all around", voices sound good
 * "Best described as a mixture between Harvest Moon, The Sims, and a classic game compilation", "an online game without actually being online. a communication game both inside and outside the actual gameplay experience", "with all the trimmings that usually make games flop: an unknown license, so-so graphics, mediocre sound, and game mechanics that sound more like chores than fun. And yet, this game will certainly not be a flop"
 * on the big complaint, " should have been at least a hint of life outside the village" for people who can't play multiplayer all the time.
 * has complaint with interface, donating items "force you to wade through tons and tons of text you've seen a million times before, as will buying stuff",
 * improvements over n64 - some interface stuff, us version "shows Nintendo's desire to constantly improve its games as there's tons of stuff here that didn't make it into the Japanese version", english translation is smart and witty, does a good job localising japanese stuff, e-cards "may sound gimmicky, but it all adds even more enjoyment to an already great game."
 * graphics (comp. to n64) - outdated compared to Star Fox Adventures and Metroid, pleasant to look at despite low res textures
 * sound (again, group) - "sounds exactly like the N64 game it was based on -- which in turn sounded a bit like a SNES game. The instrument samples are just so outdated", compositions in stark contrast, says the same thing again
 * gameplay - "not a challenging game by any means, nor one with any sort of plot or tension to draw the player, Animal Crossing more than makes up for that with its sheer number of activities and a good sense of humor". on delivering an item from one villager to another: "Picking up an item can get very tedious", likened the easiness of tasks in the game to school-yard games, but admits that challenge isn't meant to be its appeal, the "core of the game" is. Says the game tries to make up for lack of difficulty by artificially pacing the game's progress. "The store stocks a very small number of items at first, and once you buy something, its slot is empty for the rest of the day. The first day, you won't be able to get the shovel for finding fossils, nor will the insect net and fishing pole be available. You will be able to get another tool every day you play until you have them all. But if you're playing with others, you will have to lend the tool to them so they can go to the store and order another one through the mail, because it's not certain that the same tool will be in stock the next day--it might just be a tool you both have already", "... you will get to the point where you don't have much to do besides chat with your neighbors or rearrange your furniture. And since the town starts out with just a few residents (a new one moves in every day until the town is full), and you start out with no furniture, the first few days you might find yourself with not much to do after an hour[.]" " Animal Crossing is very much a game for a family or someone looking for a change of pace, and for that audience it provides an enjoyable, relaxing experience with a long life span."
 * ecards "makes good use of the GBA as a peripheral"
 * graphics on it looking like an n64 game: "This turns out to not be a problem, for the most part." "The one area that suffers and should have gotten more attention is the characters' faces. The textures on the faces are low resolution, and what's worse, the camera is fixed in such a way that you are never far enough away where you can't notice at least some blurring due to texture filtering"
 * sound "Music pieces are catchy but short" "music matches the lighthearted feel of the game well, and transitions fit together nicely, but you might find it gets a little repetitive after a while, not only because of the shortness of the songs, but also because the game never makes any sort of radical style switch like the switch between the aboveground and underground themes in a Mario game" " easy enough to ignore thanks to the great use of sound effects"
 * "One of the strongest features of Animal Crossing is the way it uses the time and date." "It is a shame that the best thing about AC is also one of its worst features: the real-time aspect. If you play in the evening there is less to do than in the daytime, with the shops shut and some neighbours asleep."
 * graphics "Animal Crossing initially looks more functional than beautiful but after you play for a while you realise that the small details matter." " unfortunately you have no control over the camera and the view can be obstructed every now and then"
 * sound "The sound is ok - nothing special again."
 * "Animal Crossing doesn’t sound like it should be any fun. At E3, I grilled the poor Nintendo lackey, “So you live? You work? Just wander around and go to fishing tournaments?” “Yes,” he said. I clearly had not played the game…and he clearly had." "Sadly, this game will suffer for two reasons: The graphics are less than mind-blowing (but fit the style, feel, and intent of the game), and most will see it as a niche title. It’s like a simple Sims…but it’s a lot of fun, I swear."
 * second opinion "Animal Crossing is an amazing piece of software. I’d call it a great game, but I’m not sure it is a “game.”" " An easy comparison would be the Sims, or perhaps Harvest Moon without the drudgery of farm work, but somehow this title transcends its influences and achieves a feel all its own." " I can’t quite describe why you’re going to be captivated by doing the menial tasks of your character’s daily life, but you will be. Put it this way: At one point, I had to choose between going to Home Depot to buy paint (in my real life), and making an aerobics class (in Animal Crossing). The fact that I actually experienced a moment of indecision is a testament to this title’s uniquely addictive charms."
 * gameplay "On a basic level it's an unbelievably simple game, with some astoundingly simple goals." "Boiled down to its constituent parts, Animal Crossing sounds utterly pointless and repetitive." "If this was a Teletubbies-branded educational adventure designed for children as a means of instilling the benefits of positive social interaction we'd believe it, and probably wouldn't go within 40 miles of it. So why does its Nintendo badge seem to make it so appealing to hardcore gamers hung up on Japanese cartoon charm?" "For one thing, it's undoubtedly the charm and humour that weaves its spell around you that makes it so infectious." "Yes, most of what you do in Animal Crossing is pointless and repetitive, and you will spend hours meandering for little more reward than a few thousand bells, but somehow you don't mind. It's like gaming hypnotism." "it appears up to a point that this most definitely is not a game that can be 'reviewed' in the traditional sense, thanks to its ingenious real time clock and calendar" "but where Animal Crossing keeps players coming back is the desire to 'tune in' and see if anyone new has moved in, whether certain 'visitors' have arrived, not to mention the special events triggered during the holidays relevant to whatever country you happen to live in" nes "the novelty of playing old 8-bit games within a modern game wears off pretty quickly (Shenmue, anyone?), but as an example of the attention to detail within the package, it's easy to see why so many devotees have had their lives taken over by what is a relatively simple concept" "For those who've invested the time and effort, it's spoken of with the kind of affection reserved for very few games." " while the game world freezes over in virtually every other game out there, there's always the incentive to come back and check out how your town is doing, see who's moved in, and to make sure you're up to date on your re-payments - it's the kind of game where playing for only a few minutes here and there can make all the difference. In that sense it's a truly unique and brilliantly pointless experience" "a totally out of time game that stands out among the herd of samey done-to-death titles" "Playing Animal Crossing feels like the gaming equivalent of watching 70s/early 80s children's TV." ", and try not to smile while you're playing." " It's charming and childish, yet has that layer of humour sophistication that rescues it from being labelled as a mere curiosity cult. Like we said earlier, you can't really review Animal Crossing, you can merely report back your experiences. It's evidently greater than the sum of its parts, it definitely won't appeal to everyone, but to those that seek a different flavour of gaming the choice is yours. We just wish Ninty had given us that choice a couple of years back, because you can't help but feel its impact has been lessened as a result..." "In the same way that the kind of repetition and customisation within The Sims isn't everyone's idea of a fun way to kill a few hours"
 * difficulty "it's still easy to acknowledge that this isn't a game for everyone." "the sort of game that could have been made 15 years ago or more such is its simplicity"
 * graphics "Sure, the cutesy, basic, brightly coloured graphical styling aren't exactly stretching the Cube, but it's hard not to love them all the same"
 * gameplay " it's a brilliant experience…for a certain type of gamer." "industry pundits have pegged Animal Crossing -- the American name for Animal Forest + -- as a mix between The Sims and Pokémon." ", it's really so much more." "Nintendo has combined numerous mini-games that come together to truly form a living, breathing world." "On a surface level, the game seems incredibly banal." ", these tasks are tedious, but combined they magically create a setting you care about" "This is one of those rare games that genuinely makes you care about its world and its inhabitants." "Animal Crossing utilizes real time very well." "the game does such a good job at connecting with the player, you'll find yourself thinking things like, "It's the 17th, I better get ready for Wendell the Wanderer to visit,"" "The game is also extremely versatile. There are so many ways to earn money[.]" "Up to four players can live in a town. This is where the game gets potentially more interesting." "Working with or against real players is much more gratifying and more fun than doing so with NPCs. It's fun comparing each others experiences while playing the game, or giving each other tips " "a great way for an entire family to get into a game, but works equally well with a couple of buddies." "The best things about Animal Crossing are a bit abstract and nebulous: its open-ended gameplay, unlimited replay value, real-world feel, and connection made with and between players." "However, its flaws are much more tangible: pedestrian graphics and sound, long attention span required, and costly accessories." "This type of game isn't for everyone. It's best played in short bursts over a long period of time." "you need to play a bit every day for weeks on end to really enjoy it" "If you're the type of gamer that wants a few hours of mindless violence (i.e. fans of Devil May Cry) then you probably won't enjoy this" " it's much more fun playing with friends and with the full assortment of Nintendo accessories. The latter is an issue that I'm a bit torn about." "These devices certainly extend the game's versatility, but the costs add up. To get all you can out of Animal Crossing you'll need the game, a GameCube, a Game Boy Advance, a GameCube - GBA Link Cable, an e-Reader, and e-Reader cards." "I'm really curious as to how well Animal Crossing will do in the U.S. It's definitely fun, addictive, distinct, and entertaining, but it's also possibly too strange for American tastes. Still, it's these kinds of games that push the envelope and exhibit true creativity." "I can say that although the game is technically lacking and isn't for everyone, it's one of the most original and engaging titles on the market."
 * graphics and sound "Visually and aurally, there's nothing impressive about Animal Crossing. The style of the graphics and music are subjective; if you're into cute stuff, you'll enjoy this game. Technically, it looks like a decent N64 game and sounds like an average SNES title. I fully realize that this game is about its concept and experience, but the graphics and sound, while not exactly disappointing, are hardly noteworthy."
 * " In other words, a bunch of stuff you'd never do for fun. But here it's sickeningly addicting because it's completely yours,"
 * "at a glance" AT A GLANCE pros: A conceivably endless game, Rewards you for playing with friends, Free memory card and NES games
 * graphix "Animal Crossing isn’t going to win anyone over with its graphics or sound. This is obvious from the moment the first pixel-faced friend greets you"

Legacy
Multiple critics have listed Animal Crossing among the top of rankings of their favourite GameCube games. GamesRadar ranked it 8th on its list of top GameCube games, labeling it "endlessly charming" and a break from the "stresses" of daily life. In 2020, IGN ranked it at 6th on their list, and praised it for beginning what they considered to be one of the most recognisable franchises in video games. Nintendo Life, ranking their favourite Animal Crossing series titles, placed Animal Crossing at 4th, stating that it set up the concept for the series so well that it was still enjoyable two decades later.

Animal Crossing was the first in the Animal Crossing series of video games. Eight more games have been released in the series, including 3 spin-off titles. Multiple instalments have sold several millions of copies worldwide, with Animal Crossing: Wild World, New Leaf, and New Horizons each selling over 10 million copies worldwide.