A must for crossing fans and a great look at gaming that has been redefined...
It's important to note this because it has a real impact on the gameplay and was Nintendo's first great leap into a wider universe. When you first boot up Animal Crossing for the Gamecube it's clear that this was a N64 that just got a port. This is because most of the in-game interactions are clunky, sticky and time consuming. The best thing about the game though was that none of that mattered. Interestingly the game did not port to Europe until 2004, by then games were looking a lot better, playing better and were just generally better. But like I said when you play Animal Crossing none of that matters.
For those who don't know the concept to the game it goes a little something like this. You (As a human being) move into a town located in some kind of forest town. The residents of this town are funnily enough all animals including the mayor Tortimer (Tortoise) . The objective of the game? That's the best part, there is no clear cut objectives. No rules, restrictions (If you remove Tom Nook from that equation) and no time limits. The game just gives you the foundations and you make up the rest and that is simply fantastic.
In terms of gamplay, yes the controls are clunky and N64ish and there's no denying that it's a big flaw but everything else makes up for that. There are vast amounts of activities to do such as fishing, digging for fossils and bug catching just to name a few. Even better is the fact that everything you collect has either value or can be used for collections in the museum or even as furniture. Not only that but often if you ask an animal if they have a task for you they will reward you on completion of that task, often giving you rare items some even making Nintendo references (Such as the Pokemon gameboy things) which is really cool.
It's a rewarding experience to play as much as possible too as the animals will form relationships with you and reward you with letters of appreciation sometimes containing items. Playing on holidays or special events also helps you obtain some nifty items that are exclusive to that holiday or just worth a lot of bells. There is of course one major aspect of the game that takes a lot of hard work and that is paying off your mortgage to simple shop owner Tom Nook. the amounts may seem crazy at first but there is plenty to sell and trade including your town fruit which can be picked and sold for a small profit.
Overall the game features some truly fantastic characters that have real personalities and this reflects the series as a whole. Whilst the side panelling may seem very dated it does create a nostalgic experience and ultimately that's what this game is.
My final thought is that this game is a must for fans of the series and although this game may not appeal to gamers today I think it has a lot to give, really turning a leaf and opening up a great series from Nintendo.