Animal Crossing: New Leaf Review

Earning money isn't the only reason to trek across the ocean. A variety of minigames set you loose in undeveloped enclosures in search of precious goods. You may have to unearth specific fossils or reel in exotic fish, all while a clock ticks down to the end of this excursion. Your reward? Medals. This is the only currency accepted on the island. New items are on sale every day in the store, and you can nab yourself nautical shirts and flip-flops, a shiny silver axe, or even a wetsuit. Scuba gear lets you explore the shallow waters near shore. Diving for sea anemone is a neat idea, but you move so sluggishly underwater that there's not much fun in the hunt. Plus, reselling most of these creatures nets only a small profit, so there's little reason to voyage back to the sea once your museum is stocked.

You wouldn't want to ruin your style by taking off your glasses before diving.

Sadly, many of the activities lose their appeal before long. New Leaf's date and time is tied to your system's clock, and the available fish and insects change with the seasons. Catching a surgeonfish or red snapper the first dozen times may be exciting, but after you drag hundreds of these things from the briny depths, it grows tiresome. The thrill of the catch is replaced by the drudgery of a job; you cast your line only to pay for the costs of town improvement. Because of this, New Leaf is best in short bursts. You can visit all the stores and dig up all the fossils in less than 20 minutes, so you have to wait until another day rolls around before anything new happens. Fiddling with the clock on your 3DS is one way to ensure new things happen, or just create your own entertainment.

Thankfully, for those with a creative mindset, there are ways to have a good time while waiting for the months to go by. Write letters peppered with threats or vulgarity if you choose, or maybe filled with pangs of unrequited love if you're in that kind of mood. Dress in the most outrageous fashion you can find. Moldy dress, balloon hat, and cyborg goggles? Why not? You're the mayor, after all. Complain daily that Peaches speaks rudely, or encircle Groucho's home with fire hydrants. See how many different kinds of toilets you can fit into your attic, or turn your basement into a torture chamber and see how your neighbors react. New Leaf lets you go crazy if you so desire, so there is plenty of fun on offer if you're the type who likes messing with virtual animals.

Now you can modify the exterior of your home!

Still, no matter how clever you are, there are small annoyances you have to endure. The animals in New Leaf like to talk a lot, and have no problem repeating themselves. So be prepared to listen to the same spiel about insects from Blathers whenever you go to the museum, or to hear Isabella joke about washing Peaches' mouth out with soap when you issue a complaint. It's tiresome cycling through the same lines over and over again, which makes communicating with others less appealing. Eventually, you may become a recluse because of the repetitive dialogue, fishing by the light of the moon without ever so much as acknowledging others. It's a dark prospect, but one that seems ideal after listening to Lloyd's pointless instructions for borrowing tools for the umpteenth time.

The user interface is still incredibly clunky, something that has been true in every version of Animal Crossing. New Leaf is a game about collecting, and yet you have room in your pockets for only 16 items at a time. Considering that tools take up spots and you should carry a net, slingshot, fishing rod, and shovel with you lest a rare creature or event surfaces, you're down to just 12 spots. This ridiculous restriction means you have to frequently return to your home and to stores, limiting how much time you can spend exploring your city. Furthermore, transferring items is a pain. You can't just select all of the items in your inventory at once. Instead, you must tap (or drag) each item individually, which is a silly requirement that makes trips to the boutiques or lockers more tedious than they need to be.

Despite these issues, New Leaf is still an enjoyable diversion, and one that packs enough new content to entice experienced Animal Crossing players. Assuming the role of mayor adds lots of possibilities, and there are buildings to fund and new proprietors to meet as well. Kicks runs, well, Kicks, a shoe store that offers even more flexibility in how you dress. Leif is in charge of the garden shop, and even plucks weeds if you're lax in your gardening duties. Talk to Cyrus if you want to modify your furniture, or visit Club LOL if you want some laughs. Stop by on Saturday night to be serenaded by the famous K.K. Slider. None of these elements are outstanding on their own, but there are enough additions and surprises in New Leaf to keep even Animal Crossing veterans hooked.

Oh, nothing much. Just holding a butterfly net while an anthropomorphic duck looks on.

And if you're ever lonely, New Leaf can be played with real-life friends along with your virtual companions. Invite a few buddies into your town and watch in horror while they buy all the furniture the Nook brothers are selling, or write notes trying to convince your animals to move to their town. They'll shake your trees to bring different kinds of fruit abroad, and possibly chip in a bell or two to the gyroid to help build another lamppost. Multiplayer adds to the charming nature of New Leaf. Part of the fun of building your humble town into a tourist destination is showing off your hard work. And you don't even have to interact directly with another person to reap benefits. By StreetPassing with anyone, you can see how they've decorated their abode. Plus, if any piece of furniture catches your fancy, you can purchase it for an inflated price.

New Leaf is a very strange game with an appeal that seems nonexistent to outsiders. The moment-to-moment activities are so banal that it's not readily apparent just how engrossing the small-town life can be. However, the more you play, the more invested you become in the well-being of your city, and the more exciting each small success becomes. When you receive perfect town status, it's hard to contain your joy, because you've had to work long and hard to earn that recognition. Animal Crossing: New Leaf is an expected sequel that doesn't stray far from its predecessors. Still, the happiness of your citizens is so intoxicating that it's easy to be sucked into this portable adventure as you live out your dreams as an all-powerful mayor.