animalcrossing
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A Tom Nook plush toy at a Tom Nook price
NCSX is selling more adorable Animal Crossing toys, including a lil' plush K.K. Slider and Blathers the owl-- you can pretend to be annoyed about how long it takes to get your dang fossils appraised! But the real star of this update is the freaking huge Tom Nook seen here, gettin' his Potion on. He comes in at 15.74 inches tall, with an 11-inch-wide head. That's big enough to intimidate us about our house payments!Unfortunately, to get an armful of Nook, you need an armful of cash-- $49, plus shipping. Better get started selling cherries you find on the ground!
Sims DS screens are dangerously close to Crossing
We just cannot look at MySims DS screens and see anything other than Animal Crossing. Everything we see of the game just further reinforces the similarity between the two games. These new screenshots are no different.It's just ... there's the wishing well! And the beach! And the shop! And the little houses, the interior and exterior of which look just like Animal Crossing houses! Maybe if the screens focused on the character editor and not on walkin' around town, we wouldn't get such a strong Crossing vibe. But looking at these ... who could be so shameless? Oh, right.%Gallery-3498%
More academic discussion of Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing is more interesting than we thought, it seems! Whereas we (read: I) found the improvements in Wild World a poor trade for NES games, and not enough to hold our interest after a year or so of Gamecube Crossing, academics are speaking out in appreciation of Nintendo's pointless-by-design communication game.The latest essay on Henry Jenkins' blog, is an excerpt from a thesis by Kristina Drzaic, about "secrets" in Animal Crossing. The idea is that other games feature glitches that allow the player to redesign the game in small ways and alter the basic experience, whereas Animal Crossing features such "glitch-like" abilities as part of the natural design of the game, and allows even more customization than the engine was designed for. One example showed a player creating a narrative conflict between herself and Tom Nook just by trying and failing to buy some candy. We were just wondering aloud why customizable content was so compelling! Good thing there are people smarter than us out there.[Via GameSetWatch]
Animal Crossing makes with the obscenities
We all know that you can teach phrases and words to those in your town in Animal Crossing: Wild World. So, this latest news of an 11-year-old girl named Khloe Leslie seeing the F bomb in her game is of no surprise to us. Of course, for her residents to learn such a word, they'd need to be taught it. The story never says whether this was a used copy of the game or not, so we're really forced to speculate on how the naughty word got into the game. Her mother, Leeanne, has since banned her from playing the game.What kind of phrases have you taught your residents in Animal Crossing: Wild World? And let's keep it clean, folks![Thanks, Gordon!]
Animal Crossing is 'Shenmue without the plot'
If you've been tethered to Nintendo consoles for the last eight years, then you might have missed Sega's epic Shenmue. Nominally, it was a game about taking revenge on the man who killed the protagonist's father. In play it was more about walking around town chatting with people.Sound like anything you know? It did to Eric-Jon Rössel Waugh, as well, and his feature on GameCareerGuide is an excellently in-depth discussion of the open-ended, generally optional gameplay found in both games. It'll make you appreciate Animal Crossing more than you already do. And since we're probably not going to get another chance to mention Shenmue on DS Fanboy, we'd like to suggest that anyone looking for a neat adventure game/RPG would do well to pick up a Dreamcast and a copy of the game. It's not everyone's favorite, but we couldn't have loved it more.[Via GameSetWatch]
Is Nintendogs the most 'important' DS game?
The folks at GamePro have put together a pretty interesting feature listing their picks for the top 52 most important games ever. These aren't necessarily the best games, or the best-selling games, but their choices for those titles that have been the most influential on gaming as a whole. And while we're sure many of their picks will be questioned and debated to the point of exhaustion, we're really only interested in one small part of the list -- that is, the only DS title to make the cut. Nintendogs weighs in at #44. Does this mean it's the most influential of all DS games? Since it's the only one on the list, it would seem so, and while we agree that Nintendogs certainly advanced gaming, we might argue that since the franchise draws heavily on both Animal Crossing and the digital pet phenomenon, it's hard to see Nintendogs as a "focusing lens" that forever changed gaming. Does that mean Nintendogs did nothing new? Of course it did. But the idea of a needy digipet existed long before Nintendo popularized the portable pooches with their array of titles. GamePro says "first" doesn't matter -- it's being the folks that do it right that matters -- Nintendogs certainly did a lot of things right, but is it the most important game on the DS? It's an interesting question.And we have a question of our own -- where's Brain Age? The game that started the training phenomenon is easily equally influential, or perhaps even more so. But we won't argue; rather, we admire the effort that goes into such a list, and after skimming the comments on the article, we don't envy the flood of angry e-mails that are surely flowing into the mailboxes of the writers.
Harvest Moon Crossing
Harvest Moon DS saw its US release over half a year ago, but the colorful farming sim didn't cross the Atlantic until earlier this month. A TV commercial advertising the game has been airing in the UK, and we were surprise to see how similar its presentation is to Nintendo's commercials for Animal Crossing: Wild World in Japan and Europe.AC:WW was an indisputable success sales-wise in every territory, so we can see why Nintendo would want to mimic its marketing push with Harvest Moon DS. Compare the video clips yourself after the post break to see what we mean.
More Animal Crossing stuff to fill your house with
With all the stuff coming out based on the Animal Crossing movie in Japan, you can play Animal Crossing for real-- by buying a whole bunch of adorable items and displaying them in your house! NCSX is selling new playsets, each featuring an animal, two matching pieces of furniture, and a house. There are also two special sets containing characters like Wendell and Tom Nook, and, of course, some more furniture.NCSX is also stocking some Animal Crossing plush toys and coffee mugs. We are aware that Animal Crossing strongly promotes the collector mentality in-game, so we hope we haven't just emptied any fans' wallets by pointing this stuff out.
K K Slider keeps you grooving, keeps you clean
Tired of spending every Saturday night at Animal Crossing: Wild World's museum cafe, abandoning any hope for a social life so you can catch K. K. Slider's weekly set? Ever found yourself shushing talkative friends or family members who think it's alright to chat during one of the soulful puppy's live performances? Has your girlfriend threatened to leave because of that time she looked in your wallet and saw that her picture was replaced with a photo of K. K.? With Banpresto's Totakeke bath towel, a commemorative item from the Animal Crossing movie, you don't have to devote your weekend schedule to hanging out at The Roost anymore. Now you can visit the guitar-playing dog whenever you take a shower! This out-of-game version of him won't play any music, but you could always just hum the tune to K. K. Condor while you dry yourself off. That wouldn't be weird at all! [Via DCEmu]
Incredible barrage of MySims screens
Is it just us, or does MySims look more and more like Animal Crossing with everything we see from it? That's tough, considering it looked like Animal Crossing when it was first announced. But we can't be mad. It's too adorable, and we cannot resist the power of MySims. After the jump, there are enough screenshots to convince even the hardest of hearts.We're really not sure if these are work (or other public place) safe. They are so freakin' cute that they may cause a complete emotional breakdown. You've been warned.
DS Daily: The daily requirement
It's becoming more and more common for games to require or expect you to play every day; quite a few of the big sellers on the DS encourage daily gameplay, in fact. Frankly, we're hesitant to say that we really like that. Expected every day is one thing, but Animal Crossing and Nintendogs seem to take it pretty far. In the former, you often find yourself gently scolded by the other inhabitants, and in the latter ... by not playing, you are starving puppies and are therefore a bad person. That's just harsh.But if you really enjoy a game, then perhaps the every day requirement isn't quite so onerous. We've seen a few towns in AC:WW that were lovingly crafted and maintained, day after day, for impressive lengths of time. And while we admire that sort of dedication, we just may not have it, and no one wants to be thought of as the person who starves puppies. So Nintendogs? Not for us, not in the long run. When it comes to these daily games, what's your take?
DS Daily: What's your favorite WiFi game?
According to our Game Night polls, Mario Kart DS is probably the most universally popular DS game -- or maybe it's just the one more people have. But what's your favorite? Which DS game really makes you want to get in there and fight it out online? Do you like fragging in Metroid Prime Hunters, or the versatility of Clubhouse Games? We'd love to hear about it.
Animal Crossing banned from Japanese school
Vinnk from 4 color rebellion, when not covering Nintendo, spends time in his other life as an English teacher in Japan. From that life comes this quirky anecdote of his school outlawing Animal Crossing (Doubutsu no Mori, locally).We understand outlawing gaming in school, but why specifically Animal Crossing? Turns out, some school officials have been checking the link history found in the computer lab and found that kids were spending a lot of time looking AC-related sites and not studying.With what else those children could be looking at -- porn, flash games and Joystiq come to mind -- is Animal Crossing the premiere threat? Sure it promotes mass violence and filthy lifestyles, but couldn't officials just set up a firewall or turn the internet off? Leave Tom Nook out of it.
Animal Crossing forbidden in Japanese school
Animal Crossing: Wild World seems to be quite the popular game in Japanese schools as recently, a writer for 4cr who is also a teacher in the country, heard an announcement over the loud speakers at the school he works in telling all teachers and students that the game had become forbidden within its walls. The cause of the blacklisting of the game? Well, turns out that the students who were going to the computer labs for math or what have you were using the internet-enabled computers to search for tips and tricks on the game, throwing up a red flag with the administration.What's interesting is that the announcement banned the game in school, not the use of the internet. Oh well, we're sure that won't last once the kids learn what the internet is really for ...
Fuzzy-wuzzy Animal Crossing toys
Last night, we were rambling around in one another's towns and now look -- Animal Crossing toys. There are a lot of jokes that could be made about the placement of one's hand with a Tom Nook puppet -- and after all, he is a bell-hungry monster -- but we're gonna just grit our teeth and let those slide. We're guessing these are tie-ins for the Animal Crossing movie recently released in Japan. There are also clocks, if that's more your style.[Via GoNintendo]
Details on Sim Crossing
Er, we mean Sims Wii. We can't help but compare it to Animal Crossing, though, both in look and gameplay, since there's a very definite fusion effect going on here. EA's taking a cue from a winner, though, and obviously looking to appeal to Japanese audiences.Many thought that Sims Wii might incorporate Miis, but that isn't the case. The character design is similarly simplified, with a focus on the facial features of the childlike characters. And rather than resorting to thought bubbles or the pee-pee dance, these new sims will use those detailed faces to demonstrate their changing moods. Animal Crossing's influence permeates the way this Sims is to be played, as well -- you'll build everything, from residences to business, and don't forget the landscaping. That's totally okay with us, as the building was always the best part of the Sims series.If you didn't catch the trailer awhile back, it's included after the jump. This ain't the Sims you've played before ....
Animal Crossing mafia makes an offer you can't refuse
While upon playing Animal Crossing: Wild World, one might feel indebted to a Mafioso in Tom Nook as you work off a debt, running errands for him and perhaps fearing the impending doom that awaits you at the bottom of a deep river should you neglect those duties, the reality is that Animal Crossing is very much without that 'old world mob' flavor. Leave it up to folks to try and reverse that, though. With a slogan like "you hit me, we hit you," one would feel that performing the general run-of-the-mill mob tasks demanded from such a criminal organization could very well be performed in the game, however due to the nature of the game, we feel that waking with a horse's decapitated head is far worse than the likely scenario of decimated trees and hole-filled lawns throughout the town that one would suffer should they cross this mafia. Still, it's an original idea and for a game like Animal Crossing: Wild World, we're glad for every, and any, excuse we get to play it on a regular basis.
Animal Crossing: The Movie
There are few things more uplifting in the world of online games than Nintendo's Animal Crossing. We can't help smiling whenever we hear that theme tune. In Japan, where the DS version of AC has patterned the floors of three million households, Tom Nook and pals are leaving town and are headed for the big screens of Japan's movie theaters. Doubutsu no Mori: The Movie will be showing in cinemas across the nation as of December 16th. Tickets are already on sale at our local convenience store. We should go to see the movie on Day One, really, but we have a fishing contest to attend. Shame. Seems the nation's future generations of forest-dwelling fishermen and fisherwomen are all mad for it, though: Doubutso no Mori: The Movie Japanese TV commercial 1 Doubutso no Mori: The Movie Japanese TV commercial 2Doubutso no Mori: The Movie Japanese TV commercial 3
Wii Sports gift available in Animal Crossing
And the Wii-related gifts in Animal Crossing: Wild World just keep rolling in! This time it's a set of bowling pins to commemorate Wii Sports. We're just glad it wasn't, say, a replica of Mitch, the Mii who keeps popping up in our one-player Wii Sports games, complete with stringy hair and creepy mustache. [Thanks, Roddie!]
Wii Zelda gift in Animal Crossing
Not too long ago we helped spread the word that Nintendo would be delivering a special gift to Animal Crossing: Wild World players in celebration of the launch of the Wii. If you are one of those lucky players able to log on, you would have found a letter similar to that pictured above. Plus, you already have your super sweet present sitting in a special place. For the rest of you, we won't ruin the surprise. If you are a Zelda fan, this gift will light up your day. [Thanks notawesome!]