

Release
Monday, September 16, 2002
Critic score
80/100
Platform families
1
Editorial overview
What it is
Occasionally strange but completely addictive, Nintendo's Animal Crossing for the GameCube is not so much a game as a simulation of life on a small town. Players begin the game by setting out to live life on their own in a colorful town, where they are greeted by a seemingly endless supply of things to do and characters to meet.
Time passes in Animal Crossing in real-time, as the month, day, season, and time of day matches that of the player's. Holiday seasons come and go in Animal Crossing, just as they would in the real world. Experience the freedom to fish, decorate your house, go bug catching, garden, write letters, and even play original Nintendo NES games in this imaginative, and addictive game.
The premise
Finally on their own, a young boy or girl hops on a train and set out for a new life in a small village inhabited by sentient, humanoid animals. However, being a spirited youth, the child forgot to find a place to live first and has only the clothes on their back and 1,000 Bells. On the train, Rover sits across from them and drums up a conversation. During the exchange, the cat finds out about the child’s situation. Rover contacts Tom Nook and arranges for his old friend to help out the boy or girl upon their arrival.
More like this
Connected releases
Core game only
Game data from IGDB
Play styles
Single player
Perspective
Bird view / Isometric
Themes
Fantasy · Sandbox · Kids
Languages
5 supported
Cinematic archive
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Gameplay Video
Trailer
Trailer
Beyond this game
One complete franchise view connects the main releases, spin-offs, settings, and related game families.
Production dossier
Cast, creators, hardware, release history, and the details that define how this game plays.

Nintendo GameCube
Gen 6