A Retrospective Look at Animal Crossing

By Eric Ashley (@flapjackashley)
 
When people find out that I love video games and ask me what my favorite one is, the response I get when I say “Animal Crossing” is usually one of bemusement and/or bewilderment. People who are unfamiliar with the franchise often inquire about what the series is actually about, and that is one question that is pretty tough to answer. Why do I love Animal Crossing so much? Why has it grown into one of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises? Get your bells ready and let’s take a closer look…

POPULATION: GROWING

I first became aware of Animal Crossing back in 2002 when it made its debut on the Nintendo GameCube console. I distinctly remember being in Electronics Boutique (R.I.P.), seeing it on the shelf and asking the cashier what it was.
 

“It’s hard to describe. I’d say it’s like a Sims game but with animals.”

 
Well, that was enough to sell me. It came bundled with a memory card that promised a “Special Present”. The box art and description just sounded almost too cute, even for me. I approached the game with my arms folded, daring it to entertain me. And at first, it didn’t.
 
The first major character you run into when starting the game and getting the setup screens out of the way was a raccoon named Tom Nook. He would eventually – up until 2013’s New Leaf – become the face of the franchise, and I never quite understood why. He came off as a demanding, unfriendly jerk and didn’t even really do a good job of explaining the game to players which was his entire function. I did a lot of burying fruit, planting flowers and other mundane tasks, and about fifteen minutes into the game, I was wondering where the fun was hiding.
 
But once you are freed from Tom Nook’s “tutorial”, the world of Animal Crossing begins to open up. The comparisons to the Sims became more evident as you are encouraged to expand and decorate your own house, meet neighbors and become social with them… your interactions with them will have a definite outcome on their lives, too.
 
It may be taken for granted now, but there were also several aspects of Animal Crossing that were simply groundbreaking at the time. Utilizing the GameCube’s internal clock, your environment such as lighting, weather, seasons and more would change based on the time and date of playing. One of the taglines boasted that this was a real-life game that plays “even when you’re there or not”, and it did because – based on the clock – the game and your fellow animal citizens would reference how long you had been away and if they missed you. Very sweet. And it also gave way to the game holding unique holiday-themed and (other special) events throughout the year, and your animal friends will remember your birthday as well. All nice touches that took the game to a whole different level and have remained with the series to this day.
 

A LINK TO THE PAST

Every budding franchise debut needs a hook, and having a game that takes more than a couple minutes to explain to people wouldn’t be enough. The initial hook that garnered attention was the ability to find and play original NES games within your house in Animal Crossing – games like Pinball, Donkey Kong, Excitebike, and hidden gems The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros (both of which were never officially made available and need a cheat device to unlock). Predating the Virtual Console on the Wii and Wii U, this was the first time in a major mainstream fashion that old classic games could be played, full-screen, on a then-current console was mind-blowing while collecting the games became a game within the game. NES games would not turn up in subsequent entries in the series, however.
 

COMING INTO ITS OWN

Animal Crossing’s first and second sequels, Wild World on the Nintendo DS and City Folk on the Wii, were both successful and just cemented the charm of the original. With both systems being internet ready, visiting other peoples’ towns and seeing their houses and meeting their residents became a draw and added a layer of fun and intrigue. Sadly, the two games were overly similar to each other but it also proved to many people that Animal Crossing works almost better on a handheld console than a home one… playing it on the go at any given downtime became an addiction for many – myself included.
 

TOWN TUNES

One of the best aspects of the franchise is its use of original music. Each hour has a different theme, as do many holidays and special events. The music ranges from hip to trendy to folksy to chill, but is always memorable. I have an entire playlist of nothing but Animal Crossing music from the various games and it always brings a smile to my face. Of course, I can’t talk about music without mentioning AC’s resident musician, K.K. Slider. He appears every Saturday night in various places depending on the game, and he always delivers music for the people…or the animals.
 

A NEW LEAF AND A NEW LIFE

Arguably, Animal Crossing: New Leaf on the 3DS ushered in when it truly became a big time franchise for Nintendo. It is proven to have boosted sales of the handheld and has went on to sell over 9 million copies worldwide, and counting – which is not too shabby for a game that still confuses a lot of outsiders. New Leaf introduced a few new wrinkles that many fans have embraced: the ability to be Mayor and construct unique designs and extras in your town, thus taking overall customization to a whole new level… and the introduction of Isabelle – your trusty and loyal secretary who is your town’s biggest cheerleader. As much as I love the other games, I would have to pick New Leaf as being the best Animal Crossing to date.
 
Nintendo seems to realize the popularity of the series as well. 2015 brought an immense amount of marketing to the franchise, from Amiibo cards (used with the 3DS spinoff Happy Home Designer) that invoke memories of Game Boy Advance eReader cards that were incorporated with Wild World, to its own Amiibo figure line (used with the less-than-well-received amiibo Festival game on the Wii U) – to even an appearance in Mario Kart 8. And even with all of that, I’m still anxiously anticipating the next full entry on the Nintendo Switch with baited breath.
 
Animal Crossing (along with Pikmin) was, up until Splatoon in 2015, the last big original Nintendo IP that took off and was a huge success. I think it is more than worthy to sit alongside Mario, Zelda and Pokemon. Its fan base continues to grow with each new game, and it’s often one of the most requested titles for any new Nintendo console launch. I have spent more time than I care to admit playing the series and I still can’t fully explain what it is to friends when they ask. But I am okay with that… it’s part of what makes Animal Crossing so warmly unique.

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via The Nerd Machine

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