nimal Crossing doesn’t sound like it should be any fun. At E3, I grilled the poor Nintendo lackey, “So you live? You work? Just wander around and go to fishing tournaments?” “Yes,” he said. I clearly had not played the game…and he clearly had.

You pay off your mortgage, pick up some furniture, go fishing, gather pears, dig up a cornucopia of items, and sell your goods for fun and profit. That’s the brunt of the game, but I can’t stress enough that it is fun. The world of Animal Crossing features a 24-hour clock, a host of neighbors, wardrobe selections, and scheduled events (like fishing tournaments, meteor showers, and your birthday party).

With a few handy Nintendo accessories (a GBA, its link cable, and the new-fangled card reader profiled in Etc this month), Animal Crossing opens up even more. Full ports of classic NES games like Excitebike can be transferred to your trusty Game Boy Advance and played without a cartridge. The card reader can also bring new clothes, furniture, and customizable melodies to your tiny town.

Your neighbors react realistically to your every move. For example, Bessie would make fun of me mercilessly for not showing up to visit until evening (she prefers a morning chat to get the day going). You can certainly keep everyone up past 3 a.m., but don’t expect a lot of town activity early the next morning…they’re all sleeping because you pestered them ‘til the wee hours of the night.

Sadly, this game will suffer for two reasons: The graphics are less than mind-blowing (but fit the style, feel, and intent of the game), and most will see it as a niche title. It’s like a simple Sims…but it’s a lot of fun, I swear.  

MATT HELGESON   9 Animal Crossing is an amazing piece of software. I’d call it a great game, but I’m not sure it is a “game.” There aren’t any rules, and I’m not sure if there is any way to win. An easy comparison would be the Sims, or perhaps Harvest Moon without the drudgery of farm work, but somehow this title transcends its influences and achieves a feel all its own. In typical Nintendo fashion, it’s filled with secrets, a whimsical sense of humor, and sharply drawn characters. I can’t quite describe why you’re going to be captivated by doing the menial tasks of your character’s daily life, but you will be. Put it this way: At one point, I had to choose between going to Home Depot to buy paint (in my real life), and making an aerobics class (in Animal Crossing). The fact that I actually experienced a moment of indecision is a testament to this title’s uniquely addictive charms.