Mowzle

@Philip_J_Reed: Our loss is your gain, and squeezed Hamsters might be painful (for the Hamsters)!

@MAB Now, Now!
@TwilightV BRILLIANT!
Thanks Lee for your thorough and competent review. I'm surprised Chicken Brutus wasn't asked to do this one, but you fill his shoes brilliantly.

Brilliant!

Well, I'm also annoyed about this ( could use a stronger word, but I won't).
I would have bought this on day one, it looks gorgeous.
How many more games are we NOT going to see released in Europe!
It's high time region locking was dropped.
I bet we'll never get Fantasy Life in Europe, either.

It's adorable. Almost makes me want to rush out and get me a 2DS.
It's those appealing eyes!

I would like to know why, when Isabel is SO specific about where one can site a new project, it is then considered perfectly acceptable in the game to site a new animal resident's home just TWO squares in FRONT of a fountain statue!!!! With acres of open woodland readily available!!
That is bad game design, and almost enough for me to give up playing an otherwise wonderful game. That animal will be on his way out of my town ASAP and a park bench built in that spot. I nearly cried - truly.
I know I'm not the only player to have this experience - is it possible to issue a patch for this sort of thing?

Love you Phil!
Thanks for the 10 minutes of light relief - great revue.
Gotta get back to the other sad realities of life now - like connecting my new printer.

@Squidzilla Thanks for that. Can't wait!
I do miss Letterbox/Swapnote still.
I seem to have missed a few good news items. Must try to make time to watch the EU Nintendo Direct.

Oooh! I missed Nintendo Direct!
I don't have a WiiU.
Does this come to the 3DS as well? Hopes.....

@Swiket:Nice one!

Thank you for the heads-up Thomas. I couldn't work out what the blue spot indicated, even thought it might be related to TIY which opened this morning. Didn't think of the HHA exhibition area.
I've been desperate for a Robo floor and wall as I want a space style kitchen - now I can start making one. And there's an Outdoor Bath, and..., and.., oooh I can't wait to get up there with some Bells in my pocket!
Passes out, breathless..

Absolutely hilarious trailer.
Not sure how I reached my age without learning how to play Solitaire,
but I think I'll have to learn!

@Samurai The purpose behind it all is just to enjoy the banter, the music, deciding what options you want to use in developing your town, and enjoying all the many activities on offer. You might not enjoy it, but so many diverse gamers just love playing it that I guess you can't really know until you try it yourself.

PS: We all know who the REAL Mayor of our town is - Isabelle!
(Up the Wimmin)

@Happy_Mask:
Here is a link to Nintendolife's very own guide to Redd's Fakes. You need never be fooled by that spiv Redd again
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/06/guide_how_to_spot_fake_paintings_and_statues_in_animal_crossing_new_leaf

@unrandomsam : Thanks, one can live in hope

I do wish this could come to the 3DS. I've never played on anything other than a handheld, so I'm absolutely no authority, but would it be that difficult to bring it to the eShop for the 3DS?

Classic!
I love my little serenades over to the island. Kapp'n is a real grass roots philosopher (maybe I should amend that to seaweed roots philosopher)

This looks a nice relaxing alternative to watering my flowers late at night in my New Leaf town

Thanks Katy (and thonky.com) for such a comprehensive guide. Redd arrived yesterday, the second day in my game. Have played Wild World, so I was pretty cautious, but I bought the ancient statue as I decided I might display it in my home later if it was fake (I'm not the proud sort), but he now sends them in the post so I'm still waiting. Probably posts items so you can't go back and attack him with a shovel when Blathers says "no".
Curiously, he had the Warm Painting which I did not purchase, but I was unable to manipulate the viewing angle sufficiently to get a good view of another which had its' back to the tent door. I think he's already wised up to that one!

There's no need to start your game several times just to get an avatar with eyes you like. Go here to see the answers to Rover's questions on the train and the corresponding face you will get:-
http://www.jvgs.net/new-leaf-face-guide.htm
Enjoy the game for the next week you lucky Americans, while we wait in Europe sitting on our hands.

@Superconsole:

Thanks, that's useful to know. I hadn't thought it would work that way.

@TeslaChippie:

Thanks for that, I suspected that would be the case. I like to run a couple of towns and have pre-ordered the cart which I will play on my handsome new pink 3DSXL. I'll download another copy onto my older 3DSXL which I'll be getting as part of the "So Many Games" promotion. It's a real bonus! Not planning a System Transfer at the moment.

@Superconsole:
Would you know whether the "save file" for this game is on the game cart itself, or is created on the SD card?
I ask this because I'm wondering if the cart version could be played in any 3DS console in the same way I could play Wild World in either my DS or my DSiXL.

Thanks Katy, didn't think you'd be one to do that, but I know it can happen.
Choose one's friends carefully is the rule of thumb I guess.
Cheating at fishing and bug catching is a different matter however......

Now had time to read the review through properly. Thank you Katy - enjoyable and informative. I assume you are joking, but I do have a bit of a problem with this:-
"there is no greater feeling of satisfaction than taking your town with you to your best friend’s house, linking up and then axing dozens of their trees, stealing their fruit, and sitting back to watch their helpless expressions".
Maybe it's my age, or maybe I have an abnormal attitude to gaming, but I always put a lot of heart into my little town and I would be devastated if someone did that to it during a play session. I do hope that isn't a general trend.

I'm desperate for this game, and now I find I'll probably be too busy with visitors from the Friday onwards over the weekend to get to Game to pick up my pre-ordered copy until the Monday or Tuesday.

I really like the sound of this game. It really should come to USA, the EU and the rest. Want AXNL first, though.

Tom Nook WILL force you to take on another loan to upgrade your mansion when you have paid off your present mortgage. However, if you prefer to live in a smaller mortgage free home, you can do that by not completely paying off that loan. He'll never hound you to complete.
I have a friend who likes to live in her first tiny starter home in Wild World - goodness knows where she puts all her stuff

I take people as they come, and Tom Nook has been kind and helpful to me, apart from being a bit snippy about my time keeping on my first day in Wild World. You could even commend him for offering a temporary job to a clueless greenhorn, as it allowed me to earn enough Bells to buy a fishing rod and shovel.
He has his demons, after all. His broken love affair with Sable (which he messed up) must affect his outlook on life.
Perhaps we should try and get them back together in New Leaf

Jon, maybe your citizens would contribute more readily to public works projects if their mayor stopped annoying them and trapping them behind a row of holes?

Don't enjoy swimming? Found Wild World boring? Frankly, I think you're all just a bit overstimulated by games like Mario Kart (which makes me dizzy ).
That's the whole point of Animal Crossing, you just potter about gently, chuckle at the puns and peculiarities of your fellow inmates, and chill out. I will concede it is a bit like living in an open prison with all the rules and regulations, but you won't have a coronary, though your blood pressure may drop so much your veins clog up. I can't wait for mid June.

I've attempted a couple of Harvest Moon games, but just don't seem to be able to get into them. There's some interesting reviews for this around, however, so I think I might try it - if I get time free with Animal Crossing coming up soon, which should keep me busy for a year at least.

Love them - they don't improve, do they?
@LuigiMan200: Very appropriate!

I played Animal Crossing Wild World for 18 months solid. Having no ability to connect with others on WiFi, I bought a second DS and game card so I could "visit" between my two towns and advance the gameplay that way - its a teeny bit difficult controlling two separate cards at the same time on one's own, but it did the trick. This time linking with "friends" on the 3DS will be a piece of cake.
I don't think there was any hour out of the 24 that I didn't play, just to listen to the music. I loved wandering around my town in the wee small hours fishing and spacing out on the tunes that play then. I recently revived my towns briefly to get back in the swing of things. Pure escapist bliss!
I can't wait for New Leaf and all the new experiences mixed with the old familiar ones. Only problem is it won't be easy just advancing the time on the 3DS to play the 3am shift at 11pm in real time - or maybe Jon will be able to answer that one.

I just can't decide whether I should add to the retail or digital sales numbers, but whenever I see a picture of that adorable little Shizue, the Mayor's Secretary in AC:NL, my heart just melts. I can't wait to meet her.

The waiting is KILLING me!
I count over 60 sleeps before release day - that's too many sleeps to count down with

They better not do that to Animal Crossing New Leaf.
There will be a VERY noisy riot of at least one person if they do!
(Though I'm not expecting it)

How nice. Will watch.
Nuts to comments #8 and #9

Yaaay!
Oh goody.
The one consolation over waiting is Animal Crossing New Leaf.

I'm hoping the coloured inks change includes the ability to use colours for my replies. Surely they've included that along with the ability to add photos and sounds in replies.

Happy Birthday to You - well, it is a birthday as well, isn't it?
Exactly what RudyBelmont said at Comment #113
I usually lurk around a couple of times a day, in case I miss something. Had more laughs here than a great many other places I know of.
Thank you Guys n Gals.

I did get this game and have just started to play it. I was pleasantly surprised, and agree with the review. Match three games aren't everyone's taste, but this one is pleasant on the eye and functions well.
The welcome option of adding extra time in Adventure mode which appears between levels after several have been played is useful, and allows for some adjustments to suit individual players. This seems to be on top of "buying" extra time using bonus points during a level that is proving difficult.
However, I play this sort of game for relaxation and do like an option to consider my strategy at leisure, so I was a little annoyed that even the levels which open up for replay in Relax mode are timed. It's useful to know what my times are, but I hate being rushed to complete a level I've chosen to replay.
This game is priced at about one third of a retail cerasus.media match three game in the UK, so if it has an equivalent number of levels it is good value.
Many thanks for the comprehensive review, Martin.

It's second on my list after Animal Crossing New Leaf

I'd love to see the Pikmin short on my 3DS.
I'd love it even more if there were a 3DS version of the game. I don't own a Wii and I've never played with them, but they were sooo cute moving my games around when I transferred from 3DS to 3DSXL. Please, Nintendo, can we have the proper game on 3DS!

I was going to comment that I enjoyed the caption that goes with the first picture.
However, having scrolled down this far, I may refrain...... but then, maybe not.

Ooooh! Goody, goody, goody, goody!
At last a proper release date for AX New Leaf.
Nintendo - you better not renege on that OR there'll be BIG trouble.

Animal Crossing..Animal Crossing..Animal Crossing..Animal Crossing...........
I promise to buy me several copies if that gets it here in the 1st Quarter, rather than the 1st Half of this year. Sigh!
They keep promising, and then moving the goalposts.
Still...I suppose I wouldn't want a less than perfect game.
On your shoulders Nintendo.

I live in a comparatively rural part of the UK Midlands.
To my surprise I saw it in the window of Waterstones bookshop in Burton-on-Trent. Didn't have time to stop and investigate, but it is out there for the high street shoppers.

No one has mentioned the proposed update for New Style Boutique.
There's a "Download" option in the main menu which leads to an online dead end, but with a message saying it's the place to go for new fashion. I'm hoping it's that.
I've "purchased" several offered outfits from within my game's Mobile Phone which have not so far materialized, and I'm speculating they will be supplied via that page when it is activated.
Fingers crossed