Pros: Cute, unique game. Can even play old NES games.
Cons: Addictive!
The Bottom Line: A unique and entertaining game with many elements that’ll appeal to a wide range of audiences. I think that many will find it to be quite addicting as I have!
Furbster's Full Review: Animal Crossing for GameCube
Introduction:
My boyfriend bought the GameCube *just* for this game. I didn't have a lot of interest until I watched him play it and suddenly I was hooked!
Overall cool things about this game:
* It's real time, so people move in and out of your town. Holidays are observed. Even your birthday is observed. Unique events happen. It has a feel of real life simulation. This game is not predictable.
* Up to 4 people can play the same game. When one person does effects the other people’s games. Additional towns can be visited if your friends have their own memory cards with their own town information.
* If you have them, you can use your game boy advance with this system for even more play.
* There are lots of things to do, this is similar to a virtual pet world then it is to a "game".
* Characters know what time of day it is, if unique things are happening in town and each have their own personalities.
* You can send mail to real friends who play the game with you, or the friends you make in your town. You can attach gifts and will likely receive gifts if you make friends of the other people in town. You will also get mail from your family back home.
* You may get some old NES game systems to play some of the original NES games! This is very cool. Nintendo has a great idea going here.
My experience:
When I started up the game for the first time I played for more then 3 hours straight. This is extremely addictive. Since I've been playing it I've turned it on at least once a day and played for at least an hour a day.
You start off on a train going into town. If there hasn't been any previous players, you are the first and you make up the town name.
When you get to town you need a home, so the shopkeeper at Cranny's Nook will give you a place in exchange for you working for him. While you won't pay off your whole debt to him while working for him (he simply runs out of work for you) you can keep selling items to him and eventually you will work up the amount of money you need to pay off your debt. At that time you can expand your living area.
You eventually get many items such as a shovel, fishing pole, a net and an ax. These are useful for planting trees, cutting down trees, catching bugs and fish. You can also dig up fossils and donate them to the museum to give your town culture. On the items screen, you are able to see a history of all the bugs and fish you've ever caught.
You can also get furniture for your house, carpet, wallpaper, tables, plants and other items. A house association will rate your living area every once in a while, if you want them to.
You can, of course, sell most everything so you can make money to pay off your debts and afford to "make a living" in your town.
Towns folk can be your friends and will give you things occasionally or will let you do jobs for them to get things. You can have conversations with them about various town events or just simply what the latest fashions are (as you do have clothes and are encouraged to change outfits to appear to be 'fashionable').
Game Music:
The music changes by the hour, swapping out about 4 or 5 different tunes on each change. Though the music is kind of cheesy, but its not disturbing and stays where it should be - in the background not distracting from the game itself.
Game Sound:
The sound effects of the game are so-so, average. The voice the animals talk in, 'Animalese', might be cute to some and annoying to others. You can change this on the settings, if it does bother you.
Game Graphics:
I find the graphics of this game to be adorable. The characters are cute and the whole scene is very cartoony. Visually this game is very appealing and has excellent graphics. It's not meant to be 'real' looking, like many games go for. It's definitely trying to be a cute cartoon and it succeeds.
My Overall Thoughts:
While I've spent many hours playing this game, I find that I am not tiring or boring of it. I am currently paying off the debt of the upgrade of my house right now. I expect to have it paid off within next week. I am unsure of what happens next; perhaps I'll have the choice of another upgrade? I'm sure there are cheat guides out there, but I prefer to just play the game and see what happens. I feel this type of game is best played that way.
This sort of game isn't for everyone, however if you ever enjoyed Pokemon, virtual pets, Sims, or any type of simulated environment type of game, then you very likely will enjoy this game. Even if that's not your "thing" - you should give it a try; you may find yourself up at 3am still playing tonight!
I predict that this will become a big seller. It has the look and feel of a success to be. It has many elements to appeal to many audiences: it's cute, its challenging (to capture all 40 bugs and 40 fish), its entertaining, its real time play, it's plain addictive.
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