The way Animal Crossing was meant to be played
So that's where the DS version comes in. The portable experience is ultimately quite valuable. Being able to take Animal Crossing WITH you, really makes this version of the game shine. Out of town, at your family's place for the holidays, but you want to see what your town is up to on December 24th? No prob, just open up the DS and turn it on, wherever you are.
Not to mention the wireless multiplayer aspect is incredible. A little kid got lost in my town, who claimed she was from none other than my cousin's town! So I hopped online, he opened his gate, and I escorted the poor kid home. This makes me wonder what other surprisese Animal Crossing has in store.
Improvements over Animal Crossing for the GameCube (and forgive me here, as I have limited experience with the GameCube version):
- portable
- multiplayer
- immediate fossil identification at the museum (no more waiting for mail)
- constellation design & sharing
- Nook's store has way better hours (they realize gamers stay up past 8pm)
Animal Crossing Wild World has its downfalls too:
- can't drop stuff in your house while a wi-fi player is in there with you (what the?)
- can't send letters to your friends in other towns unless you actually mail it while visiting their town (bummer)
- multiplayer chat is cumbersome
All in all, though, a very impressive and fun game. I highly recommend it if you like open-ended games that give you nice little surprises when you least expect it.