this is my shrine dedicated to animal crossing, a game designed for several nintendo gaming systems!
what is animal crossing?
animal crossing is a social simulation game developed and published by nintendo. the first version release (dobutsu no mori, literally "animal forest") debuted in japan in 2001. one version of the game has been released for each nintendo gaming system for a total of five games, the latest being animal crossing: new horizons for the nintendo switch (2020). three spin-off games have also been released: happy home designer (2015), amiibo festival (2015), and pocket camp (2017).
in animal crossing, the player plays as a human character in a village filled with anthropomorphic animals. the gameplay has open-ended; the player can choose which activities they will or will not engage in. additionally, the player's choices do not affect the progression of the game as the progression of the game happens in real time determined by the device's clock. some common activites animal crossing is known for include fossil hunting, bug collecting, and fishing.
what games did i play?
i have played two animal crossing games and one spin-off game: wild world (2006), new horizons (2020), and pocket camp (2017). my favorite is the original, but all of the games have their unique strengths and charm!
my first game was wild world for the nintendo ds. in this game, the player character is moving from their hometown to a new town. once they arrive, they are given a home and must work for tom nook for a brief period. once that period is over, the player can engage in whatever they wish. they can fish, hunt for fossils, write messages in bottles, design clothes, go shopping, and much more.
one of the most prominent memories of wild world i have is the character lines. they are much more sassy than the later games. gameplay, in my opinion, is also more difficult. for example, in pocket camp, you are almost guaranteed a fish ever time you fish. in wild world, fish are much harder to come by.
wip
more sections coming soon! —☆
my favorite villagers
i have three prominent favorite villagers in animal crossing! let me ramble about them here <3lily
lily is a normal frog villager. my love for her came from both acww and pocket camp! she's such a sweet, down-to-earth little frog. i always remember her giving great advice. i loved talking for her and doing tasks for her.
according to her wiki page, her career goal is to become a professor. i love that; i totally can see it and feel it fits her so well! her trademark catchphrase, zzrrbbitt is adorable and she shares my love of mocha coffee! she's just adorable and i love her <3
filbert
i'm normally not too fond of lazy villagers, but filbert takes the cake for me. filbert is a lazy squirrel villager. he is blunt and straightforward in the best way! he'll tell you like it is, but make it both funny and caring. he grew on me during my play of pocket camp. i haven't encountered him in new horizons, and i don't *believe* he's ever been in my town in wild world, but i can't be sure. i want him so bad on my new horizons island!!
i admire filbert's blunt nature and in a way, part of him is part of my ideal masculinity. he's a lazy foodie, but has a good heart. no toxic masculinity there! yes, his laziness can get a bit annoying, but i know deep down that he is a good squirrel, and i **LIVED** for those special moments when i leveled up my friendship with him and he said something super sweet and sentimental. i'm getting emotional just thinking about it!!
filbert might be my favorite villager of all time. he also takes his coffee like i do: lots of milk and sugar! he is me and i might be him. i don't know, i just love him so so much <3
maple
maple, maple, maple. like her name, this normal bear villager is as sweet as maple syrup. she is the *epitome* of cottagecore in my opinion, my favorite aesthetic. she has such simple taste (normal, natural items, no fluff) in new horizons and i love that about her. in a way, that's how a part of me would like to live.
i would describe maple as very calm, warm, genuine, and self-disciplined. she is always honest even if it means being blunt, and i never get the sense that she is lying or beating around the bush. that's very admirable in my opinion! i say she is self-disciplined because in our conversations, she is always concerned about her own and the player's health. this concern is also reflected in her actions; i always see her around my island always doing something grounding, whether it be sitting under a tree, reading, gardening, observing bugs, and having picnics. she's such a good soul <3
maple is just a genuine soft girl and i adore it. part of me wants to be her. she takes such good care of herself and others. she truly deserves to be called her own catchphrase, honey, instead of her calling others that!
honorable mentions
goldie is the classic sweetheart. she is always a favorite because she is not only the player's first villager in acww and pocket camp (i may be wrong, but i think so!) but she's all around a good character. she is loyal, kind, and honest just like the golden retriever she is. she used to be in my top three but was pushed out by maple. don't get me wrong, though; i still love her! i do see the argument some players make that she is a bit plain, but she is supposed to be! if she's the first impression of animal characters the player has, you want her to be a good person (or animal, i guess xD).
i think my love for pekoe comes from my admiration for cultures that value tradition. she is very traditional (harmonious type in pocket camp, where i discovered her) and i believe that reflects in her style and speech. i think traditions, as long as they are not harmful or outdated, are important to be withheld! another true sweet, calm, and soft girl. i haven't encountered her in wild world or new horizons, but i hope i get her on my island in the latter! honestly, i didn't even know she existed before pocket camp! i like her a lot. or maybe it's because i sensed another taurus (pekoe's birthday is may 18th)!