It’s still hard to comprehend a series as obscure yet mundane as Animal Crossing has had so much success since its inception. Apart from minor similarities to The Sims and Harvest Moon, the concept of the original game wasn’t really akin to any other title available on the market at the time of its release. Unlike the conventional type of video game western audiences had grown accustomed to, Animal Crossing’s arrival seemed almost accidental when it was eventually localised. How could living in a village filled with talking animals while at the same time paying off a home loan and harvesting fruit possibly be fun? It probably shouldn’t have been as likable as it was, but the level of escapism the game provided from the real world was hard to resist.
The series’ steady rise to fame over the years has been a blessing in disguise for Nintendo. Calculated or not, Animal Crossing is arguably the most successful new IP the company has created in the past two decades and the one with the brightest future. The key to its success has been its broad appeal and approachable style. Over time, Nintendo has built upon the initial concept. Recently the company has even begun to experiment with the series, proving there isn’t necessarily a definitive template for every release.
With Nintendo’s mobile game development well underway, bringing an Animal Crossing title (of any kind) to this untapped mass market appears to be a match made in heaven. While purists may not be in favour of the transition to this platform, the latest free-to-play incarnation of Animal Crossing is a way for Nintendo to grow the brand and heighten its appeal in hope the charming series can one day become as recognisable as the likes of Mario or Link.
This latest entry for Google Play and iOS acts as another important step in the series’ evolution. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp takes inspiration from Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer and even the Welcome amiibo update that added the RV campground and other new content to Animal Crossing: New Leaf. It’s a demonstration of the series’ adaptability; similar to how the Mario games are able to seamlessly swap between 2D and 3D design while maintaining the same core values and level of familiarity.
Having been a town mayor in New Leaf and an employee of Nook’s Homes in Happy Home Designer, in this new Animal Crossing entry Isabelle assigns you with the role of campsite manager. Here your responsibilities include attracting animals to the site by crafting furniture and amenities with the help of Cyrus the alpaca. The core focus is on building social relations with the animals you know and love from past releases in order to improve the quality of life at your campsite.
When you’re not busy being a social butterfly, you can spend your time decorating or rearranging your campsite and the furniture inside your camper van. Trademark aspects the series has become known for over the years – such as the upkeep of the natural environment – is no longer relevant to how your character’s experience plays out. You can still fish and catch multiple varieties of bugs at any hour of the day, but these once leisurely pastimes are now simply a means to an end.
Generally there is less emphasis placed on the simulation aspects that were pivotal to the past entries. Personalisation is still somewhat intact – with the ability to customise your character including their look and what they wear. The first time you play, Isabelle will also ask you to describe your campsite to add a further sense of personal identity. The more you play of Pocket Camp, the more you realise how streamlined the game is compared to previous releases. Don’t expect extensive features such as being able to customise the names of locations or the dialogue of animals – or even being able to post letters on a regular basis. Pocket Camp, while more linear in its design, provides players with a sense of direction most of the past releases in the series have not. Despite the clearer goal from the outset, the smart phone version manages to maintain the free spirit of Animal Crossing – allowing players to approach day-to-day life however they choose, even if there is a suggested routine.
Levelling is what drives progression in camp. In order to attract animals to your site you must gather crafting materials such as wood and cotton, and earn Bells to pay for crafting and construction costs. This then allows Cyrus the alpaca to craft fancy new items, furniture and amenities as requested by the animals. In order to obtain the crafting materials, your character must fulfil animal requests, which require you to provide them with particular fruits, fish or bugs from a certain location. You can also earn rewards such as crafting materials by conversing with the animals on a daily basis. Regular social interaction and completion of requests levels animals, and every time they level your own character will get closer to the next stage of their progression. Each time you improve your character or an animal in this way you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.
The rewards you earn can be used to craft furniture and amenities to attract specific animals to your campsite. At certain levels your character will also receive different types of rewards, such as additional inventory and market box space to make the micro-management aspects of the game easier; you’ll also unlock new items to craft. Before a new animal is able to enter your campsite, you must place down the specific furniture they have requested at the site – it’s like operating one big supply chain. It should also be noted there is a limit on the number of animals you can have at your campsite at once, meaning you'll have to decide which ones become regulars.
Adding an extra layer of depth to the levelling aspects of Pocket Camp are amenities. These are comparable to the public works projects featured in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Amenities in Pocket Camp are tied to specific types of themes including natural, cute, cool and sporty. At the start of the game you select a particular theme, and from here specific characters, furniture and amenities are all categorised under a key theme. After you’ve upgraded from the starter tent you’ll also move onto a themed tent which allows you to take your friendship with animals to a higher level. Essentially, amenities extend the level cap placed on animals. Certain themed amenities extend the friendship cap on all animals that fall under the specific theme. By developing amenities and levelling existing ones at your campsite, you can raise the friendship cap of animals of all themes to even higher levels. The depth of the levelling system, combined with the sizable cast of animals, adds to the prolonged life of this game.
Once you’ve grasped the basics, life in Pocket Camp revolves around the whereabouts of the animals in the world. The central location of the game is the campsite, and surrounding this are seven different areas. Four are recreational areas where you meet new animals and go to catch bugs, fish and pick fruit. The remaining three locations are OK Motors, Shovelstrike Quarry – where you dig for rare minerals – and the marketplace, featuring a rotating selection of shops. Here you’ll find recognisable vendors featured in existing games like the Able Sisters (selling different clothing on a daily basis) and Timmy and Tommy – offering a select range of furniture you can buy to decorate the interior of your van or place around your campsite. The new birds on the block at OK Motors offer services that allow you to upgrade the size of your camper van or customise the exterior with a new paint job, pattern or look. Similar to the RV featured in the New Leaf: Welcome amiibo update, the van has the same traits as a house in the respect that you can furnish it and visit other players’ campers; the loan system lives on as you're required to pay for these upgrades over time. On the whole, each location in Pocket Camp serves a purpose. Much like past Animal Crossing releases, visiting locations to fulfil requests, gather supplies or buy new items simply becomes part of everyday life.
Although there seems to be a common misconception that all smartphone adaptations based on popular game franchises are demonic, the influence of the mobile platform isn’t overbearing in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Notable features in the series such as the day and night and the seasonal cycles and events are still present – however, random ones appear to have been cut, lessening the simulation aspects. None of the features mentioned that are still present have quite the same level of importance as existing releases.
The fruit trees in this title act as a reminder you’re in familiar but uncharted territory. Seeing a tree with a timer above it for the first time can be a tad startling, but once you realise it regenerates every three hours – compared to taking days in past titles – it’s not all that bad. The waiting game – much like existing Animal Crossing titles – is more evident than ever, only because you are now informed exactly how long furniture and amenities take to be constructed. Crafting can take a minute to an hour, or even a number of days. The mobile identity of this entry doesn’t really detract from the fun factor, either. You’re now just more aware of how long you’ll have to wait. Depending on what you expect from an Animal Crossing game, this design choice may be seen in a positive or negative light. There’s also more common mobile game features included like daily login bonuses – providing the player with regular rewards such as special camper van patterns – for showing their loyalty.
While on the subject of the game’s adaptation to smartphones, it’s important to discuss the monetary transactions built into Pocket Camp. This is where Leaf Tickets come into play. Leaf Tickets can be freely obtained via daily login bonuses, by completing the timed and stretch goals (that in effect act as achievements) or reaching certain milestones via levelling. Of course, you can also acquire these tickets with real money. The microtransactions contained within Pocket Camp are mostly non-intrusive.
If you play the game enough there’s no need to be concerned about these tickets, as you should earn a satisfactory amount for free – just don’t go in with high expectations of being able to obtain every item of furniture or befriend every animal if you don’t plan on playing regularly enough or even occasionally dropping some real coin on the game. The tickets are mostly there to make life easier for players. You can speed up the crafting times of items, buy more crafting space for Cyrus, and purchase additional inventory and market place slots to sell items. Tickets also enable you to regularly use sea nets, river nets and honey jars to catch multiple fish and bugs of particular varieties at the same time. You’ll occasionally obtain these items for free, but after that you’ll need to spend your precious Leaf Tickets if you want take advantage of them again.
Shovelstrike Quarry is about the only section of the game with more extreme entry requirements. Here you can mine rare minerals and also find an array of crafting materials and Bells. In order to gain access you’ll need to pay upfront with Leaf Tickets or find five friends to help you gain entry. This is very much an optional area, and not required to progress in the game – it’s more of a way to accelerate your progress. Arguably the most absurd Leaf Ticket pricing so far is tied to the limited-time special promotion. At the time of writing, Cyrus can craft you K.K.Slider’s chair or Tom Nook’s chair for the insanely large sum of 250 Leaf Tickets if you would like to see them show up at your campsite and hang out. As already mentioned, you can acquire a fair amount of Leaf Tickets for free, provided you’re committed to the cause. So it’ll just take a bit of hard work and saving to unlock these special characters for your campsite.
If you are eager to spend some real coin, the pricing is no different to other Nintendo apps such as Miitomo. Leaf Tickets start out at AU$1.49 for a pile of 20 and go right up to 800 (plus a 400 ticket bonus) for AU$62.99. Just like other Nintendo smart device games, the higher the amount spent the more bonus tickets included in the transaction. It should be noted Bells still fuel the in-game economy, with crafting materials also being of great importance.
The social aspects of Pocket Camp allow you to visit other player's campsites to view their own setup and also go inside their camper van – as previously mentioned – to gain interior design inspiration. You can also give kudos to other players to meet timed goals, and sell or buy to and from others using the market box. With the market box you can list any fish, fruit or bugs you may not necessarily have any need for, and other players will then be able to buy these items for whatever amount you set. Unfortunately the social interaction in Pocket Camp isn’t quite as advanced as what we’ve seen in past iterations of Animal Crossing, but the ability to see players in every part of the world and visit their campsites and camper vans still provides a sense of connection to the game’s community. Making friends is as easy as making a request during a conversation. You can also link your game with your Nintendo Network ID, Twitter and Facebook accounts to add friends and gain bonuses via the My Nintendo website – much like in Miitomo.
This leads to the technical side of Pocket Camp. You can play the game using your own mobile data or on a wireless connection. The presentation of the title doesn’t cut any corners. It looks as impressive, if not better, than the recent releases on 3DS. The surprising part is just how smoothly this game runs on an array of mobile devices and platforms. Of all Nintendo games released on mobile so far, you would think a 3D Animal Crossing game might have been too intense for certain devices. Fortunately, the game appears to be well optimised; it’s also rather forgiving because of the slower tempo of the title.
The fastest interactions required are when you’re tapping the screen to reel in a fish, or swinging your net about to catch a bug. The touch controls are second nature; the user interface makes searching through your crafting collection and the inventory effortless, while movement of your character is just as easy. You can either drag your finger or touch a location on the screen you want your character to move to. Rearranging furniture is also a breeze, as the game utilises the same grid mechanics featured in Happy Home Designer. Talking is the same setup as past versions, with the player simply tapping their finger instead of pressing a button to select dialogue options. These technical feats are supported by trademark Animal Crossing sound effects and theme songs. Every animal speaks the local language – Animalese – and music changes throughout the day. Well known tunes for popular characters like the Able Sisters are present. These sound effects and songs make the game feel like a truly premium Animal Crossing experience.
Conclusion
Nintendo has once again worked its magic to release a smartphone title that is vastly superior to the average game release on Google Play and iOS platforms. Even as a free-to-play title, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp goes above and beyond expectations; it’s certainly a great introduction for first-time players thanks to the charming and accessible design.
As explained, the monetary transactions in the title are not intrusive, nor are they essential to progress. They simply offer the player a way of accelerating their progress in the game. The purchasable Leaf Tickets can still be obtained for free, provided you are willing to visit your campsite on a regular basis – the commitment required is rather fitting given the history of the series.
It’s almost startling just how easily this IP has been adapted to the mobile platform. While it does experiment with the classic formula to go where no existing releases have gone before, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp still manages to provide the same level of escapism that has been fundamental to the series over the years. For this reason alone, it’s worth checking out.
Comments 69
I’m torn. I adore the world of Animal Crossing and I want to play this, but i loathe gaming on a smartphone with every fiber of my being. Here’s hoping a more comprehensive Switch iteration isn’t far behind.
Man did this game get old fast. I hope Nintendo has been hard at work on that Switch title.
@thesilverbrick With both 3DS and Switch, it's difficult to feel excited about portable gaming.
I guess we're not the target.
Watched my friend play this for a little bit and it looked horrible compared to your typical main series Animal Crossing game. Surely Nintendo have one in the works for the Switch so I'm happy to patiently wait for that.
Happy Home Designer: Hobo Edition
That's what this game is. I'll explain it in more detail.
The game is based around a few core components.
1. Timers. There's a timer for almost everything. Shake a tree for fruit and get a timer. Craft an item or something else and get a timer. etc etc (it might only be camp upgrades. You can bypass the timer with specific items. This is the free to play nature at work. Even AI resident requests (after you've given them a few things) are on a timer which can be bypassed with leaf tickets.
2. Paid Currency - Bells are the free, easy to access currency. Leaf Tickets are the harder to get (without paying money) or easier to get (with paying money) currency. So far the game seems to be stingy on handing out the leaf tickets (for free players) but in time we shall see if this still holds true.
3. Larger catch items - You can make and use certain items to get more items. For example you can use huney to catch more bugs or fishing nets to catch more fish and crustaceans. These items like the honey and fishing nets are all one use. More ways the free to play model is expressed here.
Based on what I have read things like honey, fishing nets and similar are all bought with leaf tickets. Well apart from the few you get from achievement awards.
4. Inviting AI residents to your campsite - Doing this levels them up, along with doing minor quests for them. This game is more about getting the other residents to like your camp site than it is beautifying your camp site just because you can. Each AI resident has criteria you need to do before they will visit your campsite.
5. Levels - You can level yourself up as well as levelling up the other residents by doing quests for them and having them like your camp site when they visit. levelling up the residents is basically getting them to like you more.
Also you can build/create more things when you level up more.
5. Daily quests and daily log in bonuses - To get you to play every day.
Technical opinions
The looks, sounds and plays just fine. It's nice for what it is on the mobile phone. All of the basic tasks like fishing, bug collecting, placing items in your camp site and other places is easy and just works.
Other minor things.
1. There is a couple of items you can only get with in 45 days from the time you start playing the game. They cost quite a lot of leaf tickets to get. I am unsure if you can get enough for both items without paying real money. If you don't get them within the first 45 days you miss out. They say they might be back later but I think that'a a maybe and not a certainty.
2. You can visit your friends camp sites. So we can show off our camp site to each other.
3. You can friend other players (not AI residents) easily in game. As well as there is a way to friend people you know (same way as in the other Nintendo mobile games)
4. Expanding your personal inventory space costs leaf tickets. ame deal with being able to have more than one item crafted at once. Costs leaf tickets.
5. It's RNG which shops are in the market place. They rotate over time.
6. Loans exist just like other Animal Crossing games.
7. One region of the map is locked unless you get 5 other players to help you or you pay some leaf tickets to enter.
8. There is no Mayor or Museum.
9. I think there is no calendar events. I don't see a calendar in game.
10. Crafting come items requires bells plus materials.
My overall feelings.
This game feels like Animal Crossing lite. It's nice to have but fans of the series will be left wanting. At best this is a stop gap measure till we get a decent new Animal Crossing game. This is nice for mobile but we shall see how much long term interest this has. It'll certainly need some content updates to still be used alot after 6 months or a year.
My overall score - 4/10
@thesilverbrick There's no real reason to hate mobile gaming so much. There are some good stuff on there among the piles of crap. This game seems to be one of the diamonds though, especially if you like Animal Crossing.
@TheLZdragon i agree their are good smartphone games, hell, the final fantasy series is a testament to that, but this game really isnt a diamond in the rough. Its just a mediorce adaptation of an animal crossing game with a few new things added in.
@TheLZdragon
NF6429 is correct. This game is an average pay to win game at best. it's not a diamond in the rough at all. I explained in detail why this is the case above. Great smart phone games exist. This however is not one of them.
@the8thark Pay to win what exactly? It's an AC game, for god's sake. Also, it's a series that always revolved around real time timers anyways. I'm eager to try it.
No, thank you. I'll wait for the Nintendo Switch version. The only mobile game that I like any these days is Super Mario Run because it's a one-time payment and isn't an absolute chore to play. Too bad the vast majority of the mobile game players don't agree with me, so Nintendo will keep making these stupid microtransaction games. Ugh.
Thanks for the in-depth review, guys. It answered pretty much any question I had about this game. What to expect, what has changed to streamline the experience to mobile, how prevalent and necessary the micro-transactions are, how it controls, and so on. Really looking forward to giving this game a go. I'm hoping it will tide me over until a proper Switch entry is released.
@V0LuG Pay to win nothing really, apart from levelling up your character faster. The real life timers exist in AC games sure but being able to pay microtransaction $$ to pass these timers in an instant is not in the usual Nintendo AC games. It's on this mobile game though.
Want to re-loot that tree for fruit? You can't till 4 hours later (for example). The game literally has a timer on the tree (and everything else) to say how long you need to wait to loot it again. Which you can pay $$ for to by pass and loot it again instantly
@thesilverbrick I feel the same. I’d add that I’m glad new people will be brought into the series. Perhaps the Nintendo audience will grow and bring more people into the “full fat” Nintendo Gaming world .
@Yamyum
The game in my opinion is a 4/10 only. Read my above long post to see why I believe that. The NL review does not get into the reasons why this mobile game has no lasting appeal as compared to the Nintendo games that have lots of lasting appeal.
@KIRO
We all need to tell everyone that the Switch full experience will be much better than this very average mobile game. We don't want anyone thinking the Switch game will be anything like the mobile game. If they think like that it'll turn people off AC all together.
I'll give it a try once it releases, but I'll treat it cautiously. It's a free to play smartphone game with microtransactions, so I'm concerned that there might be too much grinding or waiting.
Animal Crossing Switch needs these ideas to make it better :
1. Open World style with Full Dynamic Camera Angle like Xenoblade 2 / Portal Knights. Player can running around, rolling, jumping, many more like Mario Odyssey.
2. Terraforming. Combination of Portal Knights Terraforming + Happy Home Designer + Dragon Quest Builder + The Sims 4 Home Design, it will create an Ultimate Custom World that feel like a Dream Comes True.
3. Animal Villagers can be chosen or kicked out as we want, just like My Sims Wii.
4. More Mini games. So daily chores in Animal Crossing games are not just only Fishing, Mining, Planting, Catching bugs, etc.
5. More specific and detail Town Tune with wider tune range and Flat & Sharp Key.
6. All Animal villagers can be unlocked Without any Amiibos.
7. Farming, Making Recipes, Crafting, Open Business (Bakery Shop / Restaurant / Cafe / Theatre / Hotel / Boutique / Supermarket / etc)
8. Another Human as Villagers or NPCs.
9. More New Tunes by K.K Slider , including their Cover Albums.
10. Multiple Save Data, Not be punished to play the game forever or villagers will Move Out without notifications, Less chatty, New U/I design.
I've never played a AC game before,so I'm looking forward to this.
I’m not a big Animal Crossing fan, so I’m interested to see if I’ll like this spin-off more than New Leaf (which just wasn’t my thing).
@Anti-Matter the open world would be cool as hell, imagine being able to go to multiple areas like a woods area, a sunken ship, airplane crash, it could be based on different locations in the world for different activities for more proficiency Edit: but the likelihood of Nintendo doing this is nigh impossible, however much i want them to do so.
Err, is there a release date for this yet?
@the8thark well they didn't get turned off the fall fat Pokémon or Mario games.
These mobile lite games are good for Nintendo
Very fun game. I mean 10-15 min/day fun. If U play longer, it will be boring.
Mobile = quick
@Anti-Matter
Remember, this game is for MOBILE AND TABLETS, not consoles !!!!!
Everything is obscure at its inception ...
I'm ready. I just hope I can get Vesta relatively quick, she's my favourite villager ever
@premko1
Read my post.
I said Animal Crossing SWITCH, Not Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
I mean..... people already bypass the wait systems in AC by changing the date on the console..... and you cant do much with smartphones, so i see where paying for it can be placed.... and ive played the game for a while, i was never blasted with "buy these tickets at 20% off!" Every second. Theyre there but I had to go to the menu to even their prices.... so yea. Tickets are only geared toward the people who arent patient.
It is a very good, quiet game to pass the time. You can play it without paying anything and youll be fine. It has all the animal crossing elements, so it is fun.
Im wondering what Nintendo will do with the new AC game on the switch, because i can bet that it wont be like the mobile games, which are inspired from the 3ds version.
@TheLZdragon It’s not the quality of the games that bothers me. It’s the input options. I hate the idea of moving my character with a touchscreen instead of tactile buttons. Smartphone gaming is awful that way.
@thesilverbrick
Ugh..... i really don't like to play Cooking Mama on Mobile version. Touch Screen with finger all the time = Worst idea.
I love me some Animal Crossing, so I'll check this out once it releases. It seems to be a good Nintendo smartphone game on its own and doesn't seemingly stray from the mainstream formula too much from the looks of it (thanks a lot, Fire Emblem Heroes, Pokémon Go, and Super Mario Run -_-).
I have to side with @thesilverbrick, though. Smartphone games aren't my jam when I want to play a video game as using the touch screen to move the character is rather uncomfy (which is also why I can't get into the DS Zelda titles Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks). Though there are gems on the platform (Punch Quest, anybody?), not many of them made me jump for joy.
Hopefully, Nintendo has the series planned for the Switch as well (and hopefully, mainstream).
Y’all are crazy LOL Trying to compare a game like this to a full animal crossing game... shame on you lol. For a mobile title it looks amazing, and that’s all it is. Just enjoy it and hush.
You people comparing Pocket Camp to a mainline AC game are hysterical. Would you break out a Switch or 3ds while waiting in line to buy groceries or fast food? Or any line in public because you hate small talk? Or perhaps when you have to do a number 2 at work? No?
Well, that is what this game was made for, and in that regard, this is a perfect AC experience FOR those moments.
📱 + 🎮 = 💩
Seems to me not everyone is clued up about android mobile gaming,. If you use playstore then you deserve to pay, just download modded version of game you want from your browser, all loot boxes are unlocked free of charge or get games for free instead of paying for them on playstore. Also there are devices with integrated buttons, with a mapping button, no need to use the touchscreen for gaming
I don’t know why people are so sure we’re getting a Switch entry. The series hasn’t had a new mainline title in 5 years and still hasn’t even announced one. They teased one at Wii U’s announcement videos, having AC icons on the menu or something, but never got one for that system. Instead of a sequel after like 4 years, New Leaf got a random amiibo update. And the last two AC titles were Crappy Home Designer and a Mario Party rip-off without the party. Heck, as long as 3DS is still being promoted I feel like they won’t even announce a new one as they still want to promote a 5 year old game.
Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s possible they’re working on one and I’d love it if they are but a lot of people seem so sure there’s a Switch one coming soon and I don’t think there’s any good reason to see that, it’s like Nintendo turned the series into an experiment.
I've been playing this throughout the weekend and I think it is a decent mobile game. It will NOT compare favorably to a full console game, and I don't know why some people are doing as such. As a mobile game, it is meant to be taken in smaller, daily doses so long play sessons will get boring and repetitive quickly.
But as a mobile game, this feels like more of an animal crossing game with elements of Happy Home Designer mixed in. It certainly is more than I thought an Animal Crossing mobile game would be. There is plenty of room for expansions and updates in the future. The microtransactions are present but not overbearing, and you can play and earn things as normal without them.
I've really enjoyed it, but then again, I didn't go into it expecting the world like some people seem to have done with it.
It's a total shame the Switch doesn't have a touch screen so you can turn the Switch sideways and play mobile games on it.
I played New Leaf on my 3DS and wanted to like it so much but couldn't understand what the hype was all about. Maybe this one will make me like the franchise more.
Animal Crossing for the switch get on it Nintendo!
@thesilverbrick
Compare to the other crap in mobile gaming this is a jewel
What more do you need?
It's free anf i am sure you have a smartphone.
@arpaktiko I already explained myself. I hate using a touchscreen alone for input while gaming. I prefer tactile buttons, and a smartphone can’t provide that.
@kobashi100
The Pokemon and Mario mobile games at least tried to offer something slightly different to the console games. THis AC game does not.
@Tsurii
I've been playing AC games since the GC original. So I know what an AC game should be like. I really like the GC game and played so much of it.
@arpaktiko
Compared to something like the 4 Quell games, Infinity Blade Trilogy, Hearthstone, and so many other games, this mobile AC game just falls flat. It's not even close to the best games on the iOS app store. If you think this mobile AC game is a jewel, then you have very low standards in mobile gaming.
@NTELLIGENTMAN
The Swtch's portable screen is a capacative touch screen. The downside is you can't use the touch capabilities in docked mode.
@premko1
Correct it is a smartphone game. A very average one. There's many many better games on the iOS app store.
@cfgk24
No idea for the rest of the world but I am Australian and have played it quite a bit as it has released here already.
My 4/10 for this stands. it's not reactionary. It's based on what this game is. A free to download and pay to avoid massive wait timers game. A very average game with nothing to keep long term interest. Mario Run and FE Heroes are much much better games than this.
@onex
Why wouldn't one break out a 3ds in the scenarios you mention?
@the8thark
N64 original, that is.
@PigmaskFan
N64 in Japan, GC in the west.
I never played the Japan version of this, only yhr Western GC remake of it.
Wow I think this seems like "real" AC game as opposed to a dumbed down version or spinoff. Sounds great I look forward to the download and playing the game.
Still going to get this game because I want to try it out and form my own opinion. I can’t wait to play it
It is a dumbed down version of the game for mobile devices. I will give it a chance but expect little. Mobile games might be a major potential profit center, but I consider them a cancer on the gaming industry. I HATE the free-to-play microtransaction system and I hate that aspects of mobile gaming are leeching into what I consider real games. Thankfully less so with mainstream Nintendo games, but noticeably with loot boxes and microtransactions in big name 3rd party companies.
I really REALLY hope that this game existing doesn't mean we don't get an Animal Crossing on the Switch. Even at best, it seems like this game releasing will delay any Switch title.
can Nintendo just hurry up and release a version of animal crossing for the Nintendo switch
I don't think the idea of mobile gaming is bad. Therefore, I don't understand why some dismiss it entirely. Are their aspects of it that are terrible? Of course. But it like console gaming, finding the top class experiences in the midst of the muck.
As for Animal Crossing, I will try this out for myself just to see if it provides a fix until we get a new console game. And I can't believe Nintendo would miss the chance of bringing a version of the game to the Switch. After the success of New Leaf, there is no question that there's a huge audience for a full fledged AC game.
@k8sMum Because 3ds games have more depth, thus require more time to play. It's not worthwhile to break out a 3ds for just a minute as one would with their smartphone. At least for me, when I'm playing my 3ds, to make any sort of progress takes more than a minute. Maybe 5. And they require more brain activity, so it just wouldn't make sense, especially in a grocery line.
No thanks. But hopefully other folks enjoy it.
Timers that make you wait to get free stuff in games, do not bother me. I'll just do something else while I wait. I will never pay a penny for a game like this. And I know a lot of people feel the same way. So why would they potentially take such a loss on this game when people are so hungry for a new Animal Crossing game on the Switch? Even if it had been a full game, sold for $60 on the switch, I'm sure it would have sold like crazy. Oh well. I think Nintendo is losing their touch. Or their sense of logic, even.
All this means is a real Animal Crossing is on the way. I'm not a fan, so I don't care, it's not wishful thinking on my part. Nintendo are using their mobile games to push awareness of their Console titles. I'd put money on a new AC in 2018
@WhistleFish
So, pirate them?
Perhaps one day, but I’ve still got to get back to Stardew Valley
But when is it out?
Game is exciting as watching paint dry. Basically it's just fetch quest after fetch quest.
Those of you who already loaded the APK from Australia, if you switch the region of your Nintendo account to Australia, and then link it will save your progress to the cloud.
If you uninstall the game, change your Nintendo account back to the UK (or wherever) and then reinstall the game with region UK (WHICH IT NOW LETS YOU DO) and then log back in with your Nintendo account you will carry over your progress.
The amount of ironic negativity surrounding this game is quite amusing. If you're commenting on a Nintendo blog chances are you already own an animal Crossing title on one of your consoles.
Why would you even be bothering with this one? It's not meant for the core Nintendo fan and never will be. It's a mass market game to a mass market audience. These are not the Wii years; Nintendo is not foregoing its core fanbase in search of ¥¥¥¥¥. 2017 may well be the best year for Nintendo fans since 2003 or 2008.
Just like any other smart phone game, this will likely not keep my attention for more than a month. It happened with Pokemon Go and Fire Emblem, and I expect the same thing here too.
@electrolite77
Yep, shiver me timbers. To be fair some games you still have to buy the game on playstore, then you download a patch for infinite money to spend on loot boxes. That's not piracy because you bought the game but not sure where the patch stands. Many other games are free with unlocked loot boxes or infinite health or ammo etc. I recently downloaded Batman the dark knight rises with infinite money to buy all upgrades for gadgets and combat, this game isn't even available anymore on playstore
Maybe this is Nintendo's way of hooking in a whole extra new demographic to play Animal Crossing (and incidentally make sure they get a Switch) if they are actually planning a new game for the Switch. I sort of assume they are, but as we had to wait a couple of years from it's announcement after New Leaf was first mentioned I think it'll be some time coming.
Different strokes, i guess.
I've played every incarnation of AC since the original (every family member had their own game card so we could visit each other) and um, I don't see what all of the pissing and moaning is about from so-called "fans"
it is exactly as one would expect an Animal Crossing Game for Mobile to be...as opposed to an attempt to port AC to a smartphone.
It's light. It's very much recognizable, but simplified. If you are the kind of person that has more money than patience, you can bypass the timers...but you do not have to ever, at all.
I suppose eventually waiting forever for new things gets old, but it isn't like we don't have other games to play, websites to surf, people to meet, etc while fruit grows, fish and bugs respawn, animals move around and what have you.
It's free, it's AC in hear, soul and spirit, and it was adapted to both the mobile form and the mobile economy without making it essentially something else with an AC skin.
It's a fine effort and a nice diversion with quick smiles...if it is judged on the merits of what it actually is, as opposed to some fantasy "my perfect and wholly unrealistic version" sort of thing.
@Galenmereth I couldn't agree more. Past AC games had a hidden gem - teaching kids (and not only:) that patience is virtue. Now, what do current "micro transaction/in-app purchase" games convey? I'm not talking solely of AC, but of all similar game types. "You need to have your crop grow faster? It's only $1,49 and you save $0,50!". "You need a more powerful engine for your car, but don't want to go through the hassle of tournaments? Just 2,99 today only!!". Money rules, self-perfection is for aliens!
Should Nintendo release a classic AC game for Switch, no one's gonna be interested. No one will wait for 3 days to get apples from the trees or pay thousands of bells for weeks on end to get a second floor of their house.
Please keep in mind these are 40-year old person's ramblings 😄
I have played the first Animal Crossing on Game Cube for several years. Still do from time to time. and has been playing Animal Crossing Pocket Camp until this last update. I've been trying to continue playing but for some reason the game app will not allow me. I have an Android AO1 so I dont understand as why I can't continue to play my Pocket Camp.
Now that this game doesn't have micro transactions anymore, would you say it's worth the buy?
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