When did you play New Leaf for the first time? 🍃

[Bluelady]

On my birthday of 2013. I remember because we celebrated at a restaurant that day. I recall feeling both excitement and embarrassment opening my present at the table.

 

[ali.di.magix]

I played it the Christmas of 2015. Got on the NL (and Nintendo) bandwagon quite late. Then joined here near Christmas 2016 with the release of the then-elusive white Christmas tree that I badly wanted. I remember trying so hard to save up tbt to buy them off others and give to my family and friends!

 

[xenosora2]

I think Christmas 2013 I'd say. But starting your island on a holiday is always a little strange feeling for me, so I do not do it anymore.

 

[~Kilza~]

I got it for Christmas in 2013. According to what it says in-game, I first started my town on December 26th, 2013, so that's probably accurate.

 

[MrBox]

On release day in the US! God, I was so excited.. I preordered it and I was waiting in line 30 minutes before Gamestop opened ...

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

New Leaf was my first AC Game! I started somewhere around late December/Early January 2013.. Such a strong, wonderful memory!!

 

[Alpawca]

The activity log on my old 3DS says December 14 2013! I remember it was the game that made me actually buy a 3DS in the first place. I still have a lot of screenshots of my old town on that 3DS, but recently started a new town from scratch back in June 2023, a decade after the game came out. :]

 

[ZeldaCrossing64]

I was pretty late to the New Leaf party, as I first created my town in April of 2021! I actually got into Animal Crossing via NL videos on YouTube in 2019, but it was around the time when New Horizons was announced so I saved up for that instead. It took another 2 years to get the game I originally wanted, but I'm happy to have gotten it at all.

 

[Coach]

On UK release date! I remember staying up all night just catching stuff even though re-tail was closed.

 

[themysterybidder]

I was extremely late to the New Leaf party, only getting a copy of the game along with Happy Home Designer in August 2022! I didn't play much until a few months ago. I think it was the graphics that were putting me off as I was used to New Horizons. Now, I enjoy it as much as NH!

 

[Hat']

I have quite a rollercoaster of a journey with ACNH as I've had my first cartridge stolen during a train trip, and I lost my second one during moving. I eventually bought a third one from a friend, but I remember my best friend's dad buying my first cart and I loved it so much. It must have been quite close to release day.

 

[trista]

august / september 2013!
i remember seeing an animal crossing: new leaf commercial on tv, and i convinced my parents to buy me a copy for my 8th birthday. i’ve been obsessed with the animal crossing franchise ever since :>

 

[Sarah3]

I first played right when it came out! Lots of memories with NL.

 

[NebulaNights]

I think I played it starting release day too! So many good memories!

 

[-Blue-]

Even though I first played it on Christmas day 2014, I kind of stopped playing maybe some time in March or April of 2015. I missed out on a lot of events and stuff. Life just got hectic. It wasn't until later in 2016 that I actually picked it back up and played it throughout the whole year and experienced all of the events. Even though it wasn't really a new experience at that point, it felt like I was experiencing all of that new-feel all over again.

 

[Kevinnn]

I remember having a fractured ankle the time ACNL was released. I was still able to attend school at the time, but I told my parents that my other leg was feeling exhausted for carrying too much weight every day.

I then proceeded to ask them if we can go to EBgames a few hours later, and that is when they realized I scammed them out of my highschool education for a day. I swear I did NOT see the light of day, I was glued to ACNL so hard

 

[RoseSilverpen]

I don't remember the exact date, but it couldn't have been too long after release. Though my earliest memory with New Leaf in particular was at the first Comic Con in my state. The organizers had no clue how many people would show up, and it got to the point where people in line were told "hey, you might want to head home, as we've reached the maximum for people allowed in the building and we don't want to have you standing out here for hours." My sibling and I stayed in line, and one of the few things I remember being there was a display 3DS with New Leaf on it. [They have since moved Comic Con to a much larger venue, btw.]
Regardless, this was before I regularly got games on release day, so I can't remember the exact date I got my copy... but it was a blast.

 

[Zerous]

15th June 2013, so the Australian release day! I went out with my family that day because some were visiting from another state, and while we were at the shops I picked it up, along with the little paper manual! I was so excited I remember asking for two

My current town is dated some time in 2014 because I reset twice however.

 

[milkyi]

January 2014, so just a little bit after release. At the time, my friends in school were all talking about this new game that they ADORED and I had to try it. Naturally, I had my dad take me to Gamestop later that day and get it for me... and wow! I sure am glad that he did. I played New Leaf endlessly, playing it daily and all day long for 3-4 years myself.

 

[Sharksheep]

Sometime in 2016 cause there was a good sale for a new 3ds