E3: Animal Crossing DS Hands-On Impressions

I am getting Animal Crossing DS the day it comes out.

That might not seem like much to you. I mean, of course I’m going to get a big game immediately upon release—I work at a video game website! However, it also just so happens that I very rarely buy a game on release day. That space has been limited to a select few games in which I had the utmost faith: Zelda titles, for example. I am an editorialist, after all—not a fanboy. I have dignity.

…Okay, so I am a fanboy. But bear with me here. I’m trying to make a point. And that point is that Animal Crossing DS is incredible.

For those of you who don’t know (though that’s probably not many of you), Animal Crossing was first released in 2002 on the GameCube to mixed reactions. Some saw the game as nothing more than a proliferation of Nintendo’s already-prominent (and, in some respects, economically detrimental) “kiddy” image. However, those that bothered to explore the game, to try it out and examine its intricacies for what they were rather than their outward appearance found a rock-solid, enthralling, addictive, and fun game. (See also: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.)

If there is one thing devoted Nintendo fans have learned in recent years, it’s that you cannot judge a book by its cover. But I digress.

Obviously, if you are reading this article right now, chances are you are part of the latter group—and perhaps you even consider yourself a devoted fan of the game, and soon enough, the series. You will all be pleased with the results.

Animal Crossing DS is one of the most beautiful games I have seen in a long time. The graphics are certainly on par with the GameCube edition of the game, especially after taking into consideration the fact that the DS is a handheld device rather than a home console. While walking, a simulation of the curvature of the world is created, so it looks like the entire gaming world is turning when your character moves anywhere. The animations are smooth, and the landscapes are consistently beautiful. The DS’s upper screen shows weather conditions via a view of the sky, and, while the game is paused, shows the action on the ground (so you don’t miss anything). I released a butterfly just before going to the menu and was pleased to see that, in true real-time fashion, the butterfly did not stop moving when I paused the game. It’s the little things, eh? Just look at some screenshots: the game is undeniably Animal Crossing, and it is amazing to look at.

Controls in the game are simple as well: the DS’s stylus can be used for nearly everything, right down to the movement of your character. You drag the stylus along the screen, and your character follows. (Ever seen those annoying cat program things that run around your desktop following your cursor? Yeah, it’s kind of like that.) Combined with the almost-hypnotic animation of the overworld as you walk around it, I’d guess you could entertain yourself for hours and hours just running around and not doing a thing otherwise. Aside from that, a simple tap of the stylus on the touch screen acts as a replacement for hitting the A-button (for those of us who are just a little bit lazier).

If you feel compelled to forsake the stylus, fear not: you can get by just fine using the D-pad and the other buttons. A is your action button, Y brings up your menu screens (which are also very similar to the GameCube version), and the D-pad moves you around. It’s all very straight-forward.

Gameplay is nothing new for Animal Crossing DS either—but that is not a bad thing. Other than very minor, technical aesthetic changes (the world-scrolling thing, for example) the game is very much the same Animal Crossing we all know and love. You still buy stuff from Nook’s Cranny, you still fish and catch bugs and collect seashells, and you still talk to quirky-funny characters who have a single word they repeat ad infinitum. It all feels familiar and comfortable, even for its differences.

However, there is one (awesome) key difference between DS and its predecessor: multiplayer capabilities. Formerly, you could live in the same town and interact via the posting board with the three other people sharing the memory card with you, and if you had two memory cards you could create two towns and interact the same way with friends who lived there. That is not quite so in DS. (And this might be what ultimately and definitely sold the game for me.) Traveling to another town involves going through customs (“filling out paperwork”—just an excuse to allow for load time without saying the words “load time”) rather than riding a train, but other towns are found through wireless wi-fi connections rather than memory cards. That means if anyone is within range with a DS and a copy of Animal Crossing, you can visit his town—and even visit him! The two of you can roam around and cause all sorts of mayhem in complete real-time, as opposed to leaving messages and gifts for each other. Despite limited interaction between characters (you don’t talk to each other, for example—but really, what would you say?) this turns out to be incredibly fun.

When all is said and done, this is still Animal Crossing. It still looks like a game geared (haha, no pun intended) towards a younger generation, but after playing for just a little while I am convinced that, whether they admit it or not, people of any age will enjoy this game. It gets my strongest recommendation so far, and it could only get better by its November 21 release date. I Love playing Thomas and friends games