Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, amiibo 3DS Portal and New Nintendo 3DS Hardware Dated for Japan

I'm going to get Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer plus amiibo cards if I have some spare money laying around.

I just get the vibe this game would get boring fast as its only designing houses right? So where is the depth.

I've got a smaller new 3ds so I'll be sure to get those cover plates! I've been waiting for a new 3ds xl design I want and I love the white colour and the animal crossing series so that's perfect if it come out in the uk!

$30 for what looks like a repetetive mini game? I figured this would be a download-only eshop game worth about $10. I wasn't gonna buy it for that. Definitely not for $30.

I figured Happy Home was going to be a free to play digital title. I can't believe Nintendo plans to sell the game in addition to the extraordinarily overpriced, blind-pack cards. I love Animal Crossing, but I'm going to pass on this whole thing.

Gee, with you already having to buy the cards, I thought this game would be free! Oh well, at least that (theoretically) means that the game will have enough content to justify it.

Really Nintendo, you do this? All together if you buy them all is going to be at least $241 then to top everything off you make a mini game that going to cost $30. That is pathetic. You guys should of done it different where it's an add-on to Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Shame on Nintendo.

What mostly confuses me is that Nintendo is charging $30 for a game made almost entirely out of recycled assets from a best-selling game from three years ago. And they can already expect to make revenue from all the physical add-ons to the game.

@kereke12 No one has to buy the special 3DS XL, or the portal, or the game, or the cards.

Did they not announce the very important detail of how many cards are in the packs? I know Yu-Gi-Oh cards are $5 for a pack of 5, but might these be cheaper? $2.50 for 5 would be a great deal.

@ryanator008 $2.40 for 5 would definitely be a great deal. I could never keep up with Yu-Gi-Oh or Pokemon cards due to the price.

Why are all the money amounts compared to US $ on a UK site?

For all the people wondering about the price - US got Splatoon for $60, rest of the world got it for $40, I think Nitneod has decided it's time to make some money, as well as free-to-start games and DeNA apps.

On a related note: "adopting one small part of AC charm into one package."
I kind of feel that way about Mario Maker. They are probably going to charge $40 or $60 for a level editor that should have just been part of a full game like NSMBU. I know so many of you, and my kids, are so excited about this "game" you don't care abut the price, but it's how I view MM, it's a level creator in search of a game.

I'm still expecting a "game" tacked on at E3,which would make me happy. All 3 LBP games (4 counting Vita) were really about level creation but they all had a storyline. I'm hoping there are at least 4 levels made in each design you play thru, unlocking each "look" after you complete those levels. Not a great story, just the usual Bowser kidnaps Peach and you have to play them linearly thru time. I think that would be fun to see the evolution - and play - the evolution of Mario 2D sidescrollers.

I want to be the first one to see them all!

Eh.. The cards are blind packs ? That kills it for me. I'm a tabletop gamer as well, so I spend enough of my money on card games..

We don't know enough about this game to be freaking out over the price. I am waiting until E3 to make my decision. I hope that we will get the Animal Crossing New XL. I definitely want it. I just hope it comes with the game in the West.

People complaining about a price about a game they dont care about? I got over 500 hours in New Leaf and i have not interest in this Home Designer but i know many would! My sister loves and goes crazy over the Theme Challenges in NL and many other do as well. Designing your home takes alot of time and a lot of work look at NL and Digby and the Happyhome showcase....home design is taken very serious by some people which explains why this game was probably created. This game is not for me and Im ok with that and the prices are not officially announced for the West and nobody has had there hands on the game to know how much content there is...and like those Splatoon commercials THEY ARE NOT MEANT FOR YOU (gamers in the know ya know)

@rjejr Im also a bit skeptical about Mario Maker a part of me agrees with you 100% but another part of me wants to believe there's a secret Ninty is keeping before the games reveal...maybe E3? and it has so much potential like honestly Pushmo has an incredible community of creators and have downloaded many and have cursed out almost all of them😓

I'm so done with Nintendo right now. I understand they are a company trying to make money, but that is ALL they focus on. It's like they have no respect for fans whatsoever. They just need our money.

Super excited, already got it pre-ordered but too bad Play Asia doesn't have the Amiibo cards up for pre-order yet :/

@Zerodactyl @ryanator008 The cards are packs of 3.

I'm not too interested in this, and I really loved Animal Crossing New Leaf (it's my most played 3DS game). Maybe a new feature or something will convince me. I think the price will play an important role in my decision on whether to buy it or not.

Will get the retailversion for my collection.

Seems like we're paying a premium for all games now - there's dlc, then there are amiibo, micro/macrotransctions, toys to life for Skylanders and Lego Dimensions and Infinity, ar cards and now amiibo cards. What happened to just having a game you could play through from start to finish without the massive extra costs that are forced upon us if we want the whole game experience? I can understand (just) where something adds value to an already great game, like the dlc for Fantasy Life, but all this shameless revenue hiking is getting a bit much.

EU term and price

To all people complaining :
Those are the price for the Japanese market not the US, not the UK.
Different markets get different things at different prices depending on what's okay and what isn't in that market.

Who knows ? Might be cheaper in the US or the game might be "free" to play.
I'm not interested either way, unless the cards work on AC Wii U

I didn't think I would, but I REALLY got into New Leaf... it's still somehow my most played game on 3DS (even after sinking hundreds of hours into Monster Hunter) - but I think I'm a bit burned out on it. I highly doubt it'll be as good as New Leaf anyway. I will wait for the next generation before considering another AC game I think - or at least wait for reviews & pricing.

@emiingham Is Play-Asia a good website to import from? Been thinking about importing amiibos from there...

@WaddleDeeWeegee Shipping speed is fantastic, but I've had a lot of customs fees on consoles and games.

I still don't believe Nintendo will create a whole collection of cards only for an interior design game that you can already have for 50% more than Happy Home Designer will cost.
This is more likely to be only the start of a massive Animal Crossing lineup, possibly even a new full title that involves the amiibo cards in some sort of fashion (maybe send letters to the character on the card to try and get him/her into your town). As it stands, this game isn't nearly substantial enough to justify the planned price.

@Kaze_Memaryu Well think about the animal crossing suit in mario kart.

it doesn't say "Villager" now does it? it says "Animal Crossing" maybe these cards can work for that suit as well ??? Not really a good second use if you already have a Villager Amiibo, but w/e.

Maybe animal crossing for the U can have unlockable animal statues or it gives you the ability to have a better chance at getting x villager. Like if I had the "lolly" card, I'd scan it and have a better chance at getting the character "lolly" to move in, or have her visit my town. I really want a Tom nook Amiibo though. D:

waiting see how much it cost in NA before doing my final thoughts of getting this, although i might have to before they get sold out,

I WANT IT NOW

I want that Amiibo NFC Adapter.

Not too interested in a spin off title. Just give me Animal Crossing on Wii U!

@bizcuthammer $20 of it seems to be for the portal hardware and cards though?

@emiingham Oh, well that's a bummer. I still might buy it, though...if I can!

Maybe if you buy Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, you will get a discount on a new Animal Crossing game releasing soon?

Amiibo Portal!!

Oh damn that faceplate! Gorgeous!

AC:NL is a huge hit in Japan and to create a "collect-a-thon" spin-off coupled with collectable cards is a pretty savvy marketing move. Minimal outlay, maximal profit.

Blind card packs kind of leave a weird taste in my mouth. The game sounds like something I'd be into though. I just don't know what to think at this point, so I guess I'll wait until E3. :-/

@Jazzer94 Animal crossing games suck games havent been good since the Snes Genesis days wake up this is the age of the casual gamer the Rise of the Antichrist the good ol gameing day are gone

@Qtwentyseven The game is trash some rich guy in 20 years will buy it off Amazon in the package brand new for 1000 bucks The game is trash games havent been good since Snes Sega genesis this is the age of the casual 3d gamer the rise of the Antichrist....u know what I mean son?

@Sakura Games used to be bigger than life something to dream about back in the Nes Snes And Sega Genesis Days when everything went 3d it rurnt gameing this isnt just my opinion,but many,others as well .....It Seems they are triying to ripp you off son...This is the rise of the casual gamer the rise of the fake Transformer the Fake Ninja Turtle .HolloyWood and The Video game Industry both aint what the used to be....Dont be scared son The Antichrist is comeing this is just the begening the rise of the fake 3d casual gamer...

@Lugia The New 3DS Xl is just to make money also there wont,be many games ever released for it.......The wii had a. good VC eshop the Wii u has a sucky VC eshop. Nintendo should have ported all the Wii VC titles to The Wii U Eshop Day 1 There is no excuse ...The Wi U,is a Dead console and the New 3Ds is a gimmick with only a few games will only ever be released...

@Zerodactyl Dont get the game its a waste if money buy a retro console like a Snes and some good rpgs like Breath of Fire with yo money

Hopefully they'll give more details about this game at E3 because this game seems pretty short on content from what I've seen. I'll definitely be getting the amiibo portal, they better ship more than the Gamecube adapter since that was ridiculous.

Are the "amiiboo cards" cards of all the current amiibos that I can use with Smash Bros or are they just special cards that can be used with nimal Crossing: Happy Home Designer?

Getting it anyway

Must ... buy ... all ...
I just can't resist the cuteness... I think I'll actually gift that New 3DS limited edition or cover plates to a friend of mine. I've been wanting to gift him a New 3DS so this will be sweet as he loves Animal Crossing.
Collecting all these cards will be expensive as something though...

When does this release in Japan? You didn't put the release date in the article.

Nintendo just warming their fans up for piecemeal gaming. Everyone seems into it so far.....as for me....get that crap away from me!
Get used to it guys, its just happening more and more.....

$30 for Animal Crossing Lite? AND they're making a huge deal out of it?
Well this IS Iwata's Nintendo, so eh...

@AVahne This. I can't believe people are supporting this. First it was the Splatoon amiibos and now this?

When they announced this, I figured it would be a free to play game and only the amiibo cards would cost something. Apparently not, lol.

@Chaoz What's wrong with the Splatoon amiibo?

@Iggly I hope they do, too! I ordered my GameCube Adapter around Christmas time and it still hasn't come, yet!

If those cards are anything like the Kid Icarus ones I'll probably won't be able to get them all xD

I hope Nintendo give us the option to buy all of the cards in a single box. I'm not in the least bit interested in supporting the "trading card" business model. Collecting amiibo is hard enough as it is.

@mantez 30th July, it's in the article

@scamander They're literally Day 1 DLC. They're 3 mini-games and 3 costumes that you can only get with the Splatoon amiibos. Not only that but you can't play Single Player with different weapons without the Splatoon amiibos. That's literally just cutting content and making people pay half the game price for stuff that should have already been in the game. And I'm not buying the amiibos and advise people not to buy them so Nintendo won't continue to do physical Day 1 DLC because of it.

@Chaoz Well, I get your point. I'm collecting amiibos because of the figurines and don't care too much about their content in games. But Nintendo has to lock small tidbits behind amiibos to make it worthwhile for others. And I don't think these would have been within the games, if not for amiibo. The extra challenges are annoying by the way. You basically have to play almost each level four times to unlock everything, which is a chore. They would have been criticized for stretching the single-player mode artificially, if it had been in the regular game. It's good to learn using the rollers and chargers as weapons, but it's pretty obvious those missions have been designed with the Splattershot in mind. Also, the best mini-game is clearly the one with the jumping squid, which is there for everyone and with all the gear that is already in the game (and that will be available in the future because of free DLC), does it really matter that three costumes are amiibo exclusive?

I'll admit, that it's nice you can use the one rhythm mini-game to play every song of the game, though.

@Jazzer94 There may be no more depth than that but I can tell you I'd waste endless hours doing just that. I still have so many projects and milestones in New Leaf left undone precisely because I fiddle around with things like this in the game.

Has footage of this game been shown yet? I liked New Leaf but am unsure of this game.