Review: Animal Crossing – New Leaf
Animal Crossing has a become a staple Nintendo game that I can usually be assured that I know I will enjoy it. New Leaf is nothing different in that regard. It now stands as my 2nd most played games on my 3DS (2nd to Monster Hunter) to date if you check the built in Activity Log app on my 3DS.
So I started out with my misadventures on New Leaf with an introduction to Isabelle. When you eventually get to town, you’re greeted by the locals there and welcomed in as the new mayor of you town (right train, wrong time). Isabelle is your given secretary and helps you with the day to day mayoring. She’s there to greet you every time the game is turned on to tell you if people need something or if a new person has moved to you town. It’s useful if you’re the unobservant type like myself some days. Later in the game you are able to enact ordinances through Isabelle like making the villagers keep the town free of garbage and full of flowers, or have them wake up earlier or later. It’s a nice addition to the game.
The main goal in New Leaf is to still have you town looking as nice as it can. The issue this time around is that you have an added adversary: yourself! You will have to battle yourself on what you want to do. Money comes easy-ish if you want to grind beetles on the vacation island, but that could makes the game feel too short. Don’t get me wrong I do that, just not everyday.
So there I am without a pocket full of money while I need to make my house larger but my villagers want a campground, a larger museum, lampposts, and a coffee stand. That doesn’t even bring in the fact that a river will probably cut your town inconveniently in half and you’ll have to pay for a new bridge(or two). Plus you can only do one of these “Public Works Projects” things at a time.
I find myself battling between making my house larger so it doesn’t look like an episode of Hoarders while still trying to buy new stuff to make my house feel “complete”. Lately I’ve just purchasing items and then reselling them because I’m running out of room like a fiend. That and once you own an item, you can easily head over to the current version of T&T’s store and order it from the “catalog”. It’s pretty sweet. (Specialty items don’t apply here. Store your Nintendo stuff in your closet.)
Anyone familiar with the older versions of Animal Crossing should be acquainted with Tom Nook. For those that don’t know, Mr. Nook is the man who will improve your house for a premium. The main difference in New Leaf is that this time he will ask you first if you want to improve your house and not just auto upgrade and give you the bill. I feel they would have stuck with the previous method except this time they give you more choices. You can now add rooms to your main unit (five in total), and then you can increase the size twice for each room. You’re going to be spending millions on your house… no lies.
Multiplayer is… included. I have to admit that it’s really only fun for griefing and going to the vacation island for the mini-games. They are pretty fun for what they are. They have one where you run around and smack a robot with a hammer… or you can hit your friends, whatever. Mostly I use the island for farming money (beetles & sharks).
The day to day ensues in New Leaf and expansions are made here and there. Public Works Projects are brought up and completed in time (mostly on your dime even though the townsfolk can and do contribute). There are a ton of them and more unlock as you play the game solo and with others. There is a ton to do in New Leaf and those who have loved the past Animal Crossings will probably find this to be the best version yet due to the ton of options you are given.
Final Score: