What makes an AC game special?

[peachsaucekitty]

I have wondered this a lot since I started wild world. I have three towns now (WW, NL, NH) and even though theyre in the same series they all feel really different. some days I feel like playing wild world, others new leaf. So what makes an AC game, an AC game? In your opinion what is pretty much required for a game to be apart of this series?

One thing has to be the hourly music. Available the second you start the game. (looking at you new horizons) And it has to be good (looking at new horizons once more) Bonus points if it matches the vibe of the hour it plays. Hourly music is something that I love about AC, I don't know any other series that do this, and it's something that has made AC really iconic. And the game progressing in real time, but that's just an obvious one.

I also prefer a game that would focus on simple town life.(Like city folk or wild world) I just love how you move into a random town without choosing a map, and a random house without deciding the placement. I also really enjoy how they're very distanced from technology (unlike new horizons where it's literally everywhere) I also love how you had to work for Toom Nook in the beginning, idk why but I just found that cool. These three games in the series (gc, cf, ww) that sort of thing got old, but the simple town life sort of thing is something I like a lot. I also like the games where Tom Nook is just....an entity. a creature. he is not to be trusted.

Also, good villager dialogue. I have no idea how Nintendo managed to make NH have the most boring, bland, even painful villager dialogue in the whole. entire. series. And fourth wall breaks are dumb and get old really fast. And for me, NH just progresses so. agonizingly. slow. compared to other games. Like...no starter bridge and you only get a vaulting pole when blathers comes......okay.

I would say that bugs, fish and fossils are also requirements, but I think an AC game could still be good without any of those, provided it has lots of other things to do.

Some smaller stuff, i hate crafting. NO CRAFTING!!! And now that Nintendo WFC is dead and gone, Nintendo should bring back inviting friends to unlock stuff. since people actually have their own wifi now. Would be cool and fun imo. I liked having a lot of NPCs (like in NL. there's literally so many but theyre all gone in NH who knows what happened to them) And it makes sense why Nintendo removed these but....I liked having a random face or hair decided for my based on the responses I give to an NPC (like kapp'n, rover or harriet). it made it more fun, and more exciting for me. :'(

So yeah that's what I like in AC games and some stuff I want to be brought back. what about you guys??

 

[BerryBug]

while my ac experience pretty much starts and ends with new leaf, I 1000% agree with u! athmosphere and music are really the soul of an ac game and those in new horizons are.. quite underwhelming ngl.. I guess nh is still an ac game as it has the core mechanics, but something is missing from it and I can't exactly point out what is it.. :c
I really hope one day I get to play some of the older games too, they seen lovely! c:
I think what makes me the most sad is that nh removed gyroids :'c I really don't get why?? they've been in the series for so long, and they are such a fun part of the games ;_;

 

[-Lumi-]

I think there's something charming about Animal Crossing and the no-stakes gameplay of it. I know there are other life-sims out there but nothing has hit that sweet spot of, "you genuinely don't have to do anything" while still managing to be engaging and fun.

Everything I do in Animal Crossing I'm doing because I want to and if I choose not to do something there's going to be a few consequences but I'll never actually feel like I've lost. If I don't play New Leaf for a few days there's a good chance I'll lose a villager which definitely hurts and is a bummer, but! Eventually I could get the villager back (even if they won't remember me) and there will always be somebody new ready to move in. Or maybe my flowers will wilt and disappear because I didn't keep up with watering them, but I can always grow more or get some from friends. I can take 5 years to fill out my museum or pay off my home loan and I won't be penalized for it. I won't have access to certain features right away but there's never a cut off of, "oh you didn't donate enough items in time so now you won't get the second floor!!" or "you've taken ages to pay off your house I'm going to start adding interest to your loan!" It's a completely low-stakes experience that's here just to be enjoyed.

I love the simplicity of it. Catch some bugs, go fishing, find fossils, or even go diving! Donate the new ones to the museum, give some to your animal friends, keep them for yourself, or sell them. Plants some trees, harvest fruit, sell it for bells or give it to an animal friend. Buy the furniture and clothes that interest you at your own pace. All while having adorable graphics, friendly villagers, and a pleasant environment to enjoy.

I think the day/night cycle being in real time adds a lot of charm to the game, too. It definitely takes away from my stress when playing the game and is one of my favourite things about Animal Crossing.

With other life-sims like Stardew Valley or Story of Seasons I do feel more of a stress with them to get everything done in a day. It feels like there's more at stake if I don't water and harvest my crops, take care of my animals, and talk to all the villagers before the day cycle is over - much less make time to explore/forage! While I do still enjoy the games they're not the same experience that I get from Animal Crossing. There's just something more pleasant and comforting about Animal Crossing that I haven't been able to get from other games.

 

[peachsaucekitty]

while my ac experience pretty much starts and ends with new leaf, I 1000% agree with u! athmosphere and music are really the soul of an ac game and those in new horizons are.. quite underwhelming ngl.. I guess nh is still an ac game as it has the core mechanics, but something is missing from it and I can't exactly point out what is it.. :c
I really hope one day I get to play some of the older games too, they seen lovely! c:
I think what makes me the most sad is that nh removed gyroids :'c I really don't get why?? they've been in the series for so long, and they are such a fun part of the games ;_;

ikr i was just about to add that i love having the gyroids in the games. they are literally exclusive to the series and are super iconic yet the newest ac game doesn't even have them?????

 

[Meadows]

Honestly, the villagers and that's about it.

The game cube was the best game in my opinion.

 

[LadyDestani]

For me, Animal Crossing is about only one thing, having meaningful interactions with the animal villagers and NPCs. As long as the game provides that, everything else is just a bonus. Not to say that I don't partake in other activities while playing Animal Crossing, but my villagers are always priority number one.

Unfortunately, it feels like Nintendo has been going further away from that core feature in recent games in the series. It's making me want to go back to the older games to get that sense of friendship and community that I used to feel when I played.

 

[VanitasFan26]

Animal Crossing in the past was always building a community, you make friends the first time you moved in, sure you were having a hard time fitting in and you had to earn everyone's respect, but at the end of the day when you get to know them better, you start feeling better about being accomplished and the villagers feel like your real friends that you can always talk to and they would have new things to say each day.

Also whenever you would go to shops there is always something new to sell and whenever you kept on shopping the shops would upgrade which gives you encouragement to keep buying stuff to get newer and better things. It always felt so rewarding.

However, and I know people get tired when I say this, since City Folk the focus on building a community and having conversations with your villagers has kinda died down. In New Leaf when you became the Mayor you were in charge sure, but your villagers were always treating you like you were some type of "delivery" person when they want something out of you. Its even worse in New Horizons, because the villagers only seem to talk more about themselves, asking you the same questions you heard so many times, and of course often reminding you what you're wearing or reminding you what you did recently.

Overall what made Animal Crossing special in the first place was the villagers, they were always there for you whenever you wanted some comfort and you would it always gave you more of a reason to talk to them. However, with the newer AC games they seem to have went from building a community to just focusing on designing and creativity which has created a balance issue.

 

[fairysyndrome]

definitely agree with the dialogue mentions; my first and favourite AC game is forever the gamecube one because the dialogue is so memorable. makes it special to me! i think the events and sense of interaction also make AC special -- i'm forever mourning the loss of ACGC's morning aerobics and sports day events (and also the endless villager fetch quests, as tedious as they could get), because they gave me a sense of interaction within my villagers. like the town was a community! and i'm always more about how characters interact with each other than how they interact with my character when i play things, so i look for that a lot. NH is pretty good on that with how often villagers chat with each other, wave to each other, and sing to each other, but it's still kind of lacking because of the whole dialogue thing; i've gotten the same villager duo-convos Over and Over and Over again. i can't remember NL giving me satisfying villager interaction, either. population growing just wormed its way into my heart and never left, i guess.

 

[Corrie]

Engaging dialogue for sure. I want to feel like I live in a little warm community. The hourly music has to be good and fitting as well.

 

[Croconaw]

Personally, I dislike the crafting aspect. It makes it seem too much like Minecraft and less like the game we all grew to love. I don’t know how I feel about terraforming. While I love the concept, I think natural islands can look just as nice. I’d not be opposed if they removed it from the next main series game, but I’d also be alright if they kept it.

I loved the Gamecube version. I thought that game in particular had features that really made the series stand out. For one, I loved how you could find balls on the ground and villagers were able to interact with them. They would kick the ball back and forth with you. Also, the morning aerobics with Copper was a neat feature. I’m the farthest thing from a morning person, but I recall waking up to participate a few times. I wish the little things like this were brought back.

 

[VanitasFan26]

Personally, I dislike the crafting aspect. It makes it seem too much like Minecraft and less like the game we all grew to love. I don’t know how I feel about terraforming. While I love the concept, I think natural islands can look just as nice. I’d not be opposed if they removed it from the next main series game, but I’d also be alright if they kept it.

I loved the Gamecube version. I thought that game in particular had features that really made the series stand out. For one, I loved how you could find balls on the ground and villagers were able to interact with them. They would kick the ball back and forth with you. Also, the morning aerobics with Copper was a neat feature. I’m the farthest thing from a morning person, but I recall waking up to participate a few times. I wish the little things like this were brought back.

In my personal opinion New Horizons just feels like it was inspired by Minecraft but then it falls flat on what the crafting is suppose to be about. Like you mentioned with Minecraft, but in that game the crafting was more simple and faster to understand. AC tries to copy that same concept but fails to deliver a smooth experience. I hate to sound negative with the game, but when Animal Crossing tried something new that they haven't done before, at first it was a good idea, but the way it was executed wasn't all that good.

Don't get me wrong crating in Animal Crossing is a good idea and DIYS are a great thing, but again they are flawed and could use some improving. Its 2021 and we still don't have a way of bulk crafting and we still keep getting duplicating DIYS if you were like me and played this game since the day it came out last year.

 

[Princess Mipha]

I feel like it has a lot to do with the music. I am not a huge fan of the soundtrack of New Horizons.
New Leaf and Wild World soundtrack was so much better and that's why the games feel a lot more special to me.
I also feel like the villagers are more "alive" in the older games, with more text and being able to visit you, etc.

 

[Moritz]

Its funny to see people praise new leafs sound track as I think its the least remarkable and most forgettable in the whole series!
I remember when the game was new and people trashed it.

For me, the best sounds track is between city folk and new horizons.

New horizons has the most consistently good soundtrack by far.

However city folk, while it has some super lame tracks, also has the best in the series.

So its hard to say which is better.

As for what makes animal crossing animal crossing its the ability to sink a whole day into it.

Always having something to do.

To be able to make your mark and meet your friends.

So far nothing in the series (minus pocket camp).has missed that for men

 

[King koopa]

I think what makes a ac game remarkable is to have a good soundtrack. Nobody wants to hear a bad soundtrack! (That's why I don't hate the nh soundtrack, I just slightly dislike it) I know someone will get mad at me, but I like the new leaf soundtrack, it's calm, and not all crazy. That's how people grow to love the series. New horizons kinda messed up on that, but they were trying something new, so no hate. Another thing is to not have the villagers seem like robots that talk about the bugs under the floorboards for the 50000000000000th time. Another reason why new leaf is better than nh (imo put the toy hammer down right now)
Overall, just make the game seem like a animal crossing game, and I'm sure people like me who played older games will like it.

 

[Moritz]

I think what makes a ac game remarkable is to have a good soundtrack. Nobody wants to hear a bad soundtrack! (That's why I don't hate the nh soundtrack, I just slightly dislike it) I know someone will get mad at me, but I like the new leaf soundtrack, it's calm, and not all crazy. That's how people grow to love the series. New horizons kinda messed up on that, but they were trying something new, so no hate. Another thing is to not have the villagers seem like robots that talk about the bugs under the floorboards for the 50000000000000th time. Another reason why new leaf is better than nh (imo put the toy hammer down right now)
Overall, just make the game seem like a animal crossing game, and I'm sure people like me who played older games will like it.

I have to disagree about the soundtrack as I think new horizons has way better music than new leaf.
New Leafs music other than 1am is bland and forgettable.

But with the personalities I do kinda agree.
I love new horizons personalitys more than any other entry in the series.
But... the personalities as so bold they feel like they belong to just one person. And that's great!
Only there are 8 personalities and 10 slots to fill.
So with such bold personalities, you're going to have 2 or more of the same that are just so similar. And no one is going to believe that when they are so in your face.

 

[Dunquixote]

For me, it has always been collecting and decorating with furniture (and some clothing), bonding with villagers as well as meeting new ones and saying good bye to some, and the fact you can take your time and go at your own pace. Sadly for NH, I don’t like a lot of the furniture, but that is a story for another time. Also I really love how creative the games lets us be ,

 

[TheWildShadow55]

I have to agree with others in this thread, it's about building a community, and the fact that you don't technically have to do anything. I must disagree with some posts about soundtracks, NL's soundtrack is quite good to me and NH's isn't bad either, I only don't like the 2pm track.

 

[LordPembroke]

Honestly, I think each person's conception of what makes an Animal Crossing game special is unique (and that's brilliant!)

Wild World is special because it was my first Animal Crossing game (the nostalgia element), and also because of the funny little quirks it had; Boondox donations and the feather rewards, events exclusive to the game such as Yay Day and the gardening contest, and the fact that Copper and Booker were dressed like ceremonial soldiers guarding the 'town gate'

New Leaf is special because it led me to discover The Bell Tree, and was an opportunity to socialise and make friends in addition to just being a life simulation game. I love features such as Club Tortimer and the ability to go on tours with random people across the globe, Phineas handing out badges when you reach certain milestones (so satisfying) and the ability to be Mayor of your town, signing ordinances and building exterior decorations.

Although I've only just bought New Horizons, I'm loving every moment of it. The crafting element seems to be a point of contention, but I think it's really neat, especially since it provides some utility to rocks and weeds which in previous games acted as nuisances you had to clean up/build around. I haven't unlocked terraforming yet, but I'm looking forward to designing my own utopia and beautifying my island. The game's release has also breathed new life into the Animal Crossing community; Discord servers with 500,000+ members, the forums thriving with shops and Turnip exchange threads, people showcasing their latest accomplishments on Reddit and other social media platforms. It's introduced new, younger people to the series and rekindled older players' love and sentiment for the games.

Ultimately, Animal Crossing sticks to its core idea of being a life simulation game. It's about starting in a tent, paying off your loan and building up your house, building up a thriving community by befriending villagers and decorating your town, and visiting other peoples' towns and making friends along the way. You make your own fun, and as long as you're having fun, you're doing it right.

 

[Cosmic_Crossfade]

In all truth?

It is the very existence of the game itself.

There has not been, and will not be, another like it and that is what makes it so special in my eyes.

No matter how I may criticize, snuff at, or voice my (strongly worded) opinion on how ACNH should be at times, this game does hold up it's own and gives the ambience of tranquil calm throughout it all still. I feel deep down, despite myself not really playing ACNH much at all anymore these days, that the memories I hold so near and dear to me for the franchise as a whole were made from a game like no other and that the very essence of it's music, creative innovative outlet, characters and fun is what brings me back to it again and again.

 

[BluebearL]

-A sense of relaxation and immersion
-Villagers and NPCs that players can care about or at least enjoy chatting to
-Having exciting things to unlock and works towards
-Discovery- finding little gems within the game you were not aware of
-The infamous economic system
-Creativity (but not exclusively in the area of design)
-A variety of things to do
-Fun multiplayer
-The little things that give the game its quirk; dialogue, characters, items (eg; froggy chair), letters from mum, etc...
-The soundtrack