Difference between revisions of "Animal Crossing"

From Nookipedia, the Animal Crossing wiki
(Linking to Animal Crossing (course) in hatnote)
 
(277 intermediate revisions by 58 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox VGinfo
+
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Animal Crossing''}}
|title        = [[File:AnimalCrossinglogo.png|200px]]
+
{{Wrongpage|the game|the series|Animal Crossing (series)|the course in Mario Kart 8|Animal Crossing (course)}}{{Infobox Video Game
|image        = [[File:Animal Crossing.jpg|200px]]
+
|title        = [[File:PG Logo English.png|200px|English logo]]
|developer    = [[Wikipedia:Nintendo EAD|Nintendo EAD]]
+
|image        = [[File:PG Box NA.png|200px|North American game cover]]
 +
|theme        = [[File:Main Theme PG.mp3|Main theme]]
 +
|developer    = {{wp|Nintendo EAD|Nintendo EAD}}
 
|publisher    = [[Nintendo]]
 
|publisher    = [[Nintendo]]
|distributor  = [[Nintendo]]
+
|director    = [[Katsuya Eguchi]]<br>[[Hisashi Nogami]]
|designer     =
+
|producer    = Takashi Tezuka
 +
|programmer  = Yuhiki Otsuki
 +
|artist      = Noriko Ikegawa<br>Yoshihisa Morimoto
 +
|writer      = Makoto Wada<br>Kenshirou Ueda<br>Kunio Watanabe<br>Nate Bihldorff{{Note|name=NoA|English localization}}<br>Rich Amtower{{Note|name=NoA}}
 +
|composer     = [[Kazumi Totaka]]<br>[[Kenta Nagata]]<br>[[Toru Minegishi]]<br>[[Shinobu Tanaka]]
 +
|series      = ''[[Animal Crossing (series)|Animal Crossing]]''
 
|platforms    = [[Nintendo GameCube]]
 
|platforms    = [[Nintendo GameCube]]
|engine      = {{DnM}}
+
|released    = {{Flag|USA}} {{Flag|CAN}} September 16, 2002<ref name=AC_Early>{{Cite web|author=Jonathan Metts|date=August 6, 2002|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7622/lucky-gamers-play-animal-crossing-early|title=Lucky Gamers Play Animal Crossing Early|site=Nintendo World Report}}</ref><br>{{Flag|AUS}} October 17, 2003<br>{{Flag|EUR}} September 24, 2004
|released    = {{JP}}December 14, 2001<br>{{NA}} September 15, 2002<br>{{AUS}} October 17, 2003<br>{{EU}} September 24, 2004
+
|genre        = Simulation
|genre        = Life Simulation<br>Role-playing
+
|languages    = {{Flag|USA}} {{Flag|AUS}} <small>English</small><br>{{Flag|EUR}} <small>English, French, Italian, German, Spanish</small>
|modes        = Single player
+
|modes        = Single-player
|rating      = {{Rating|ESRB=E (Everyone)|PEGI=3+}}
+
|ratings      = {{Rating|ESRB=E|PEGI=3+|OFLC=G}}
|media        = GameCube Optical Disc
+
|media        = GameCube Game Disc
|requirements =
+
|requirements = 57 blocks <small>(town save data)</small><br>3 blocks <small>(travel data)</small><br>1 block <small>(NES save data)</small>
|input        = GameCube controller<br>[[Game Boy Advance]]<br>[[Nintendo e-Reader]]
+
|input        = Nintendo GameCube Controller<br>[[Game Boy Advance]] <small>({{AI}} only)</small> <br>[[e-Reader]]
 
|strategywiki = Animal Crossing
 
|strategywiki = Animal Crossing
 
}}
 
}}
'''{{PG|nolink}}''' (Japanese: '''どうぶつの森+''', ''Dōbutsu no Mori+'', lit. Animal Forest+), full name: ''Welcome to Animal Crossing: Population Growing'', is an updated version of {{DnM}} for the [[Nintendo 64]], released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 14, 2001, just nine months after the original title, and localized for western regions in 2002. This version contains extra features that had to be left out of the Nintendo 64 version, and also utilizes the GameCube's built-in clock to keep track of the date and time while dropping the Nintendo 64's original system that utilized an internal clock built into the game cartridge. With the use of the GameCube's clock, time passes in the game even when the game is not being played. This led to the game's slogan, "It's playing, even when you're not".
+
'''''Animal Crossing''''' is a simulation game for the [[Nintendo GameCube]] released on September 16, 2002, and the first game in the {{SER}} to be localized for Western audiences. {{PG|nolink}} is the international release of {{DnM+}}, released in Japan on December 14, 2001, itself an expanded port of the [[Nintendo 64]] game {{DnM}}, which had been released just eight months prior. {{PG|nolink}} adds new content and utilizes the Nintendo GameCube's internal clock to keep track of the in-game date and time. The game's newly added content includes a tropical [[Animal Island|island]] where players can help a local [[islander]] furnish their [[Villager house|house]], a [[museum]] for donating collectibles, a [[Able Sisters|tailor]] where players can create custom designs, and compatibility with the [[e-Reader]] through a series of [[e-Reader card|cards]] released specifically for the game.
  
During the game's localization process overseas as Animal Crossing, there were many changes that not only involved immense translation from Japanese to English, but also replacements of many cultural references as well as brand new content, including new holidays, new items and new or altered events to appeal more to western audiances. Due to its popularity, {{PG|nolink}} became a Player's Choice title about a year after its North American release. The game was so commercially successful that it was ported back into Japanese with a few additional features and released as {{DnMe+}}. {{PG|nolink}} was also well-received by critics, and was included in many year-end 'best of' lists upon its release. It has also been featured in several all-time top video game countdowns, and has received multiple [[Animal_Crossing_(GCN)#Awards_and_nominations|awards and nominations]].
+
The game was released in North America in 2002. To prepare the game for release, Nintendo of America embarked on an extensive localization, headed by Nate Bihldorff and Rich Amtower. Their efforts resulted in a substantial increase of in-game text compared to {{DnM}}, and the change of many distinctly-Japanese cultural elements to make them more recognizable to a western audience. Additional content was implemented, such as entirely new holidays, items, and characters. Certain events were also changed to have broader appeal in western regions. This version of the game was also later released in Australia in 2003, and across Europe in 2004.
  
==Features==
+
{{PG|nolink}} was a commercial and critical success, selling more than 2 million copies worldwide and garnering strong reviews from gaming media. The game became a [[nintendowiki:Player's Choice|Player's Choice]] title in North America. Due to the successful localization effort, the game was translated back into Japanese and released in Japan as {{DnMe+}}, which features the western-oriented changes as well as additional content not present in any of the previous versions.
''Animal Crossing'' introduced numerous additions not present in the original ''Doubutsu no Mori'', including new items, new mechanics, and other things.
 
===Characters and Locations===
 
''Animal Crossing'' adds numerous characters and villagers into the game. For instance, the player can now travel to [[Animal Island|an island]] by speaking with [[Kapp'n]] at the beach, though only if a Game Boy Advance is connected to the system. Additionally, the [[Museum]] is added, allowing players to gather all of the bugs, fish, fossils, and paintings they collect to be on display for the public. The [[Able Sisters]] is also included, which allows the player to create their own custom designs.
 
  
===Items===
+
==Gameplay==
Various new furniture is added into the game, and the player can now gain additional upgrades for their house, gaining a second floor or basement. Furthermore, various bugs and fish not present in the original game are added, and the [[Axe]], which was unbreakable in the original game, now breaks if used too often. More NES games are also added, and are explicitly labeled by the game they emulate, rather than simply being called "famicom".
+
[[File:PG Player Out of House.png|thumb|left|240px|A player standing outside of their house]]
 +
Just as in {{DnM}}, [[player]]s assume the role of a human setting out for a life of their own in a [[town]] of anthropomorphic [[list of villagers|animals]]. Each town is randomly generated, ensuring that no two players' experiences are identical. Gameplay within each village is open-ended, allowing players to engage in a variety of activities that suit their playstyle. Players can pick [[fruit]], grow [[tree]]s, [[flower|garden]], hunt for [[fossil]]s and [[fish]], catch [[bug]]s, do favors for the [[villager]]s, or decorate their [[Player house|homes]].
  
[[Tortimer]], the mayor of the Player's town, is included, who will give the player an item to celebrate any holiday in which he appears.
+
===Plot===
 +
Upon arrival to the town, the player is greeted by [[Tom Nook]], a local store owner and freelance builder who provides the player with housing. Nook loans the house to the player, advising them to work for him to help pay off the house. After completing several tasks for Nook, he informs the player that they no longer need to work for him and can pay off the loan in their own time. After paying off the loan, Nook allows the player to expand their house in exchange for a new loan. After fully expanding the house and paying back all loans, Nook builds a statue of the player in their honor in front of the [[train station]].
 +
{{Clear|left}}
  
Stationary is also sold in packs of four, instead of one page in the original game, and the player can store more than one item in storage containers. Additionally, the player can now insert multiple airchecks into the same music player.
+
===Controls===
 +
{| class="styled color-gameplay"
 +
|-
 +
! align=center | Input
 +
! Result
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|stick|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Walking and running
 +
*Moving the cursor in menus
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|cstick|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Adjusting the camera (when inside houses or [[museum]] exhibits)
 +
*Doing aerobics (during the [[morning aerobics]] or while the {{I|aerobics radio|PG}} is turned on)
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|a|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Selecting within menus or dialogue
 +
*Interacting with items, objects, or characters
 +
*Using a held item
 +
*Advancing past the title screen
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|b|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Running (while holding a direction on {{Input|stick|console=GCN}})
 +
*Picking up items
 +
*Cancelling within menus or dialogue
 +
*Backspacing while typing
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|x|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Opening the [[map]]
 +
*Switching between accents on the last typed letter while typing
 +
*Pressing the Select button in an [[NES game]]
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|y|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Opening the player's [[pockets]]
 +
*Switching between letters, symbols, and icons while typing
 +
*Pressing the Start button in an [[NES game]]
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|z|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Turning the lights on or off in the player's house
 +
*Pressing the Select button in an [[NES game]]
 +
*Quitting an NES game (while also holding {{Input|l|console=GCN}} and {{Input|r|console=GCN}})
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|l|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Running (while holding a direction on {{Input|stick|console=GCN}}))
 +
*Picking up an item or design in the player's pockets
 +
*Switching keyboard to display numbers and capital letters while typing
 +
*Quitting an NES game (while also holding {{Input|r|console=GCN}} and {{Input|z|console=GCN}})
 +
*Soft resetting an NES game (while also holding {{Input|r|console=GCN}} and {{Input|start|console=GCN}})
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|r|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Running (while holding a direction on {{Input|stick|console=GCN}})
 +
*Switching between the player's pockets, bug collection, and fish collection
 +
*Creating a space while typing
 +
*Quitting an NES game (while also holding {{Input|l|console=GCN}} and {{Input|z|console=GCN}})
 +
*Soft resetting an NES game (while also holding {{Input|l|console=GCN}} and {{Input|start|console=GCN}})
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|start|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Opening the player's pockets
 +
*Confirming a written letter
 +
*Advancing past the title screen
 +
*Soft resetting an NES game (while also holding {{Input|l|console=GCN}} and {{Input|r|console=GCN}})
 +
|-
 +
| align=center | {{Input|dpad|console=GCN|size=32px}}
 +
|
 +
*Moving the cursor while typing
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{{Clear}}
 +
 
 +
==Development==
 +
{{See also|Doubutsu no Mori+#Development|label1=Doubutsu no Mori+ § Development}}
 +
The Nintendo of America localization team began writing game dialogue in early 2002; however, translation of the game's hundreds of items began months earlier.<ref name="Treehouse">{{Cite web|author=Nintendo|date=May 16, 2013|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgg62DMyzyA&t=1m13s|title=Inside the Treehouse with Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Localizing Animal Crossing (Ep 1)|site=YouTube}}</ref> Unlike the extended localization and development process for recent titles in the series, ''Animal Crossing'' was localized in the span of eight to twelve months. During this time, the team translated over 30,000 files of text,<ref name=NWR_Preview>{{Cite web|author=Andres Rojas|date=May 22, 2002|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/2855/animal-crossing-gamecube|title=Animal Crossing Hands-on Preview|site=Nintendo World Report}}</ref> worked to develop new items and events to appeal to a North American audience.
  
===e-Reader connectivity===
+
In contrast to a usual localization, ''Animal Crossing'' required not only significant rewriting, but replacing and addition of new contents. {{DnM+}} heavily featured elements from Japanese culture, and the developers wanted American audiences to have a similar experience.<ref name="Treehouse"/><ref name="N-Sider">{{Cite web|author=Jason Nuyens|date=November 12, 2004|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050315060847/http://www.n-sider.com:80/articleview.php?articleid=371|title=Interviews|site=N-Sider.com|archive-date=March 15, 2005}}</ref> As detailed in an interview with [[Nate Bihldorff]] and [[Bill Trinen]], the localization team conceptualized new events and items, and sent them to the developers in Japan to implement them in the game. The final addition was the [[Camping Season|summer camping event]], which was worked on collaboratively in-person during E3 2002, a few months before the game's release, when the development team offered to add more content. The localizers also faced some difficulties over the [[Gracie#Gender and characterization in Japan|portrayal]] of [[Gracie]]'s gender, as well as confusion over that of [[Saharah]] and [[Blanca]]. The flexibility of the actual script allowed them to insert their own voice or jokes, with the tasks of localizing each villager [[personality]] split among different members for consistency. According to Trinen, the team in Japan was so impressed with the changed and additional content of the localization that they decided to re-release the localized version of the game in Japan,<ref name="N-Sider"/> in what would become {{DnMe+}}.
{{main|Nintendo e-Reader}}
 
{{PG|nolink}} is the only title for the Nintendo GameCube released outside of Japan to feature support for the [[Nintendo e-Reader]] peripheral. By connecting to the e-Reader via a [[Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable]] players can access the [[island]], play [[NES games]], and scan [[Animal Crossing-e]] cards to access special items, patterns, and mini-games.
 
  
==North American localization==
+
====Announcement and release====
 +
[[File:PG Logo E3 2001.png|thumb|right|200px|The game's logo as seen at E3 2001]]
 +
In April 2001, shortly after the release of {{DnM|nolink}} and eight months before the release of {{DnM+|nolink}}, producer Takashi Tezuka stated in an issue of ''Nintendo Dream'' that Nintendo of America was preparing for an international release.<ref>{{Cite web|author=IGN|date=April 30, 2001|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030408034152/http://ign64.ign.com:80/articles/094/094018p1.html|title=Animal Forest for US|archive-date=April 8, 2003|retrieved=September 10, 2020}}</ref> The following month, on May 16, 2001<ref>{{Cite web|author=IGN|date=May 10, 2001|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/05/10/nintendo-pre-e3-press-conference-details-2|title=Nintendo Pre-E3 Press Conference Details}}</ref> at Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference, a six-second montage of gameplay footage from what was then known as ''Animal Forest'' was shown to members of the media as part of a larger reel featuring upcoming Nintendo GameCube titles.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Nintendo World Report|date=June 6, 2011|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGepCTXT0wA&t=6m0s|title=Planet Gamecube E3 2001 Video Part 5|site=YouTube}}</ref> The clip did not feature any dialogue, however the presence of the shrine indicates that it was still early in the localization process, if not footage directly from the Japanese version.
  
{{PG|nolink}} introduced the concept of region-exclusive [[Events|holidays]] and special events that would later become a series staple.
+
As early as October 2001,<ref>{{Cite web|author=Max Lake|date=October 19, 2001|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/6621/animal-forest-usa-bound|title=Animal Forest USA Bound?|site=Nintendo World Report}}</ref> Nintendo established a page on their website for ''Animal Forest'' noting it was "being optimized for its U.S. debut on the GameCube."<ref>{{Cite web|author=Nintendo|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011123183306/http://nintendo.com/games/gamepage/gamepage_main.jsp?gameId=646&showMe=1|title=Main Game Page, Animal Forest|archive-date=November 23, 2001}}</ref> A few months later on February 28, 2002, at a Nintendo Roundtable Conference, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that localization of ''Animal Forest'' was "progressing and moving along quite well" with then-Nintendo president Satoru Iwata projecting it to be released "sometime in the fall."<ref>{{Cite web|author=Michael Cole|date=February 28, 2002|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7060/animal-forest--coming-to-north-america|title=Animal Forest + coming to North America!|site=Nintendo World Report}}</ref> About a month later on March 30, 2002, the game's name was officially changed to ''Animal Crossing'',<ref>{{Cite web|author=Mike Sklens|date=March 30, 2002|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7196/animal-forest--gets-a-name-change|title=Animal Forest + gets a name change|site=Nintendo World Report}}</ref> as reflected on Nintendo's website at the time.
  
The Japanese release (''Doubutsu no Mori +'') features many culturally specific items and events that cater to a Japanese audience which Nintendo altered or removed in order to make the gameplay more appealing to Western players. Some examples include the transformation of the [[Media:Bell Shrine DnM.png|Bell Shrine]] into the [[Wishing Well]] and the removal of the [[Spa_set|spa items]], which are typical of Japanese ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen onsen]''. In an effort to preserve the game's unique real-world character, events were introduced that would be familiar to North American players, such as [[Groundhog's Day]] and [[Thanksgiving]].
+
On May 22, 2002, at Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference, an extended video was shown introducing ''Animal Crossing'' and highlighting its ability to connect with the e-Reader and Game Boy Advance.<ref>{{Cite web|author=NintendoNWRExclusive|date=June 10, 2013|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uzTeRvm1Uo&t=15m9s|title=Nintendo E3 2002 Press Conference from PGC E3 2002 DVD|site=YouTube}}</ref> Iwata also confirmed the game for September release in North America. Later that day, ''Animal Crossing'' made its second E3 appearance, this time as a playable title on the show floor.<ref name=NWR_Preview/> It was generally overshadowed by high-profile titles, however it still received the third-place spot on the Game Critic Award's list for Best Original Game of E3 2002.<ref name=GiantBomb_E3>{{Cite web|author=Giant Bomb|url=https://www.giantbomb.com/e3-2002/3015-3434/|title=E3 2002}}</ref> ''Animal Crossing'' was released in North America on September 16, 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Nintendo|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030213033234/http://www.nintendo.com/games/gamepage/gamepage_main.jsp?gameId=646&showMe=1|title=Animal Crossing|archive-date=February 13, 2003}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Nintendo|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021015011041/http://www.animal-crossing.com:80/parents.jsp|title=The Crossing Guardian : For Parents|site=animal-crossing.com|archive-date=October 15, 2002|retrieved=September 12, 2020}}</ref><ref name=AC_Early/> There were reports, however, that select Blockbuster Video locations had received and began renting advance copies of the game as early as September 6.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Billy Berghammer|date=September 6, 2002|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7731/animal-crossing-hits-blockbuster-early|title=Animal Crossing hits Blockbuster early?|site=Nintendo World Report}}</ref>
  
The NOA localization team began writing game dialog in early 2002, however translation of the game's hundreds of items began months earlier<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgg62DMyzyA&t=1m13s</ref>. Unlike the extended localization and development process for recent titles in the series, ''Animal Crossing'' was localized in the short span of eight to twelve months. During this time, the team translated 30,000+ files of text<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/2855/animal-crossing-gamecube</ref>, worked to develop new items (such as the [[Camping_Gear|camping gear]]) and added support for the [[Nintendo e-Reader]], which was launched just two days after the game's release in North America.
+
===Australian and European release===
 +
{{PG|nolink}} was released on October 17, 2003 and September 24, 2004 in Australia and Europe, respectively. Both versions feature minor bug fixes from the North American release, and the European release features localizations in French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
 +
{{Research Needed||note=Needs info about the Japanese DnM+ development + research into release date(s) in South American countries is needed. Starting point: Research South American distribution by ''Latamel Inc''.}}
  
===Announcement and release date===
+
==Regional differences==
On May 16, 2001<ref>http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/05/10/nintendo-pre-e3-press-conference-details-2</ref> at Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference, a six second montage of footage from "Animal Forest" was shown to members of the media as part of a larger reel featuring upcoming Nintendo Gamecube titles<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGepCTXT0wA&t=6m0s</ref>. The clip did not feature any dialog, however the presence of the Bell Shrine indicates that it was still early in the localization process, if not footage straight from {{DnM+}}. This was the first time the game was shown in North America, and the first evidence of its English localization.
+
===Japan to North America===
 +
In addition to being an upgraded re-release to the original {{DnM}}, there are also many differences between the Japanese {{DnM+|nolink}} and international {{PG|nolink}}.
  
As early as October of 2001<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/6621/animal-forest-usa-bound</ref>, Nintendo established a page on their website for Animal Forest noting it was "being optimized for its U.S. debut on the GameCube."<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20011123183306/http://nintendo.com/games/gamepage/gamepage_main.jsp?gameId=646&showMe=1</ref> A few months later on February 28, 2002 at a Nintendo Roundtable Conference, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that localization of Animal Forest was "progressing and moving along quite well" with Satoru Iwata projecting it to be released "sometime in the fall."<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7060/animal-forest--coming-to-north-america</ref> About a month later on March 30, 2002 the game's name was officially changed to ''Animal Crossing''<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7196/animal-forest--gets-a-name-change</ref>, as reflected on Nintendo's website at the time.
+
====Interface====
 +
*The dial typing system, featured in {{DnM|nolink}}, is retained in the Japanese version of {{PG|nolink}} game, although it is replaced with a virtual QWERTY keyboard in the international versions.
 +
*The color of the [[Nintendo]] logo differs between versions. In the Japanese version, it is white, while in the international version it is red.
 +
*The "Press START!" text on the title screen reads "Press Start Button!" in the Japanese version.
 +
*The copyright text on the title screen reads "&copy;2001 Nintendo" in the Japanese version; this was changed to "&copy;2001,2002 Nintendo" in the North American release.
  
On May 22, 2002 at Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference, an extended video was shown introducing ''Animal Crossing'' and highlighting its ability to connect with the e-Reader and Game Boy Advance<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uzTeRvm1Uo&t=15m9s</ref>. Iwata also confirmed the game for September release in North America. Later that day, ''Animal Crossing'' made its second E3 appearance, this time as a playable title on the show floor<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/2855/animal-crossing-gamecube</ref>. It was generally overshadowed by high-profile titles, however it still snagged a third place spot on the Game Critic Award's list for Best Original Game of E3 2002<ref>http://www.giantbomb.com/e3-2002/3015-3434/</ref>. Despite conflicting information on modern gaming websites<ref>http://www.gamefaqs.com/gamecube/516502-animal-crossing</ref><ref>http://www.ign.com/games/action-replay-ultimate-codes-animal-crossing/gcn-16562</ref>, ''Animal Crossing'''s North American release date was set for September 16, 2002 as noted on its official sites<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20030213033234/http://www.nintendo.com/games/gamepage/gamepage_main.jsp?gameId=646&showMe=1</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20020911113240/http://www.animal-crossing.com/parents.jsp</ref> and a press release from Nintendo of America<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7622/lucky-gamers-play-animal-crossing-early</ref>. There were reports, however, that select Blockbuster Video locations had received and began renting advance copies of the game as early as September 6th<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7731/animal-crossing-hits-blockbuster-early</ref>.
+
====Locations====
 +
*The shrine from the original game is changed in the international version to be a [[wishing well]].
 +
*[[Tom Nook's shop]], the [[Town Tune|Melody Board]], and the [[dump]] all have different signs. In the Japanese version, the signs feature katakana but are replaced with English text in the international version.
 +
*The exterior of [[Nookington's]] is considerably redesigned, featuring a new canopy and marquee, a new building surface, and a large window in place of the sales banners. The clothing display window is also repositioned and given a new border.
 +
*The {{Wp|Japanese postal mark}} (〒) above the [[post office]] entrance is changed to a window in the international version.
 +
*The sign above the entrance of the [[police station]], which features Japanese text and a star in the center, is changed to "POLICE" in the international version. Additionally, the sign to the left of the entrance is removed and the poster on the side is changed from a wanted poster featuring six individuals, one of which is crossed out, to a single animal.
 +
*[[Redd]]'s stand during the [[Fireworks Festival]] has a completely different appearance between versions. In {{DnM|nolink}} it is enclosed by red canvas walls on three sides with a sign above the front side of the stall. In the international version, it is open on all sides, with a red and white-striped pitched roof and more visible decorations but no signage.
 +
*[[Igloo]]s contain woks with bubbling blocks of tofu in the Japanese version, which is changed to a pot of chowder in the international.
 +
*The orange-roofed player house has a {{I|worn-out dirt wall|DnM+}} and {{I|old board floor|DnM+}} instead of {{I|wood paneling|PG}} and {{I|steel flooring|PG}}.
  
{{ExpertWanted|global logistics and game studies|''Animal Crossing''|Discrepancies in NA release date need resolution, research into release date(s) in South American countries is needed. Starting point: Research South American distribution by ''Latamel Inc''.}}
+
====Characters====
 +
*All of the possible [[player]] face textures have black eyes in the Japanese version. In the international version, six of the eight faces for each gender are given colored eyes. This design choice is retained in other Japanese releases until the release of {{HHD}}.
 +
*[[Farley]] and [[Franklin]] are new characters introduced in the international version that do not exist in the Japanese version.
 +
*Various existing characters were redesigned in the international version, and their redesigns have been kept in all subsequent games in all regions.
 +
**[[Tortimer]] wears glasses with white blue lenses and a red zucchetto in the Japanese version. He also wears a white rope around his chest.
 +
**[[Mr. Resetti]] and [[Don Resetti]] simply wear white shirts in the Japanese version and wear overalls on top of the shirts in the international version. Additionally, Mr. Resetti's mining helmet features a green stripe under the headlight, while Don Resetti's is green with a white stripe.
 +
**[[Tom Nook]] and [[Redd]] both have Japanese characters on their aprons. In the international version, Tom Nook's apron is instead emblazoned with his logo, and Redd's apron features the letter B. Tom Nook's apron in the Japanese version displays the character ''ten'' ('''店'''), meaning "shop."
 +
**The uniforms for Tom Nook's uniform in [[Nook 'n' Go]] and [[Nookway]] were reversed for the international version. His Nook 'n' Go uniform is an apron with a blue and orange color scheme, which is changed to red and green and used for Nookway in the international version. His [[Nookway]] uniform is changed to the opposite. This was most likely done to avoid infringing on the color scheme for {{wp|7-Eleven}}, of which the original Nookway uniform resembles.
 +
**Tom Nook's [[raffle]] uniform in the Japanese version is a red and black Haori with a white Hachimaki tied around his head, while in the international version it is changed to a tricolor apron with a sports visor.
 +
**Redd's uniform during the [[Fireworks Show]] is completely different in both versions. In the Japanese version, he wears a red and white Hachimaki with a feather attached, and a deep-blue Haori over his usual apron. In the international version, he wears a sports visor and full-length apron with red and white stripes and the letter B emblazoned on it.
 +
**[[Chip]] in the Japanese version has distinctly brown fur, with narrow eyes, glasses, and a purple vest. In the international version, Chip's eyes were made wider, his vest was changed to blue with green trim, and his glasses were removed.
 +
**On [[New Year's Day]], [[Katrina]] dresses on some occasions in the Japanese version in a traditional Japanese Hakama, with her head fully exposed and a white band on her forehead, as well as sometimes wearing her traditional purple robes. In the international version, Katrina exclusively wears her purple robes.
 +
**[[Copper]] and [[Booker]] have lighter shirts and hats with slightly different texturing. Additionally, the badge on their hats is a different design, and there is no badge on their shirts.
 +
**In the Japanese version, [[Aziz]] and [[Elina]] each has a dot on their forehead that resembles a {{Wp|Bindi (decoration)|bindi}}, a decoration traditionally worn by Hindus and Jains from the Indian subcontinent. Both were removed from international releases; however, Elina's dot still appears on her Game Boy Advance sprite.
 +
**In the Japanese version, [[Jane]] has white fur and brown skin. In international releases, she has purple fur and pink skin.
  
==Website and promotion==
+
=====Altered character designs=====
{{main|Crossing Guardian}}
+
{| class="styled color-villager mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="margin:auto;text-align:center"
In early September 2002 the official North American ''Animal Crossing'' website, the Crossing Guardian, went live. It mimicked a real-life newspaper and featured articles on different aspects of the game, sometimes written from the perspective of in-game characters. The site was also used to distribute [[secret code]]s for exclusive [[NES games]] as well as items from the [[Mario Theme]].
+
! Name !! {{DnM+|nolink}} !! {{PG|nolink}}
 +
|-
 +
| [[Player]]<br><small>(boy AAB)</small> || [[File:Boy AAB DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Boy AAB PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(boy ABB)</small> || [[File:Boy ABB DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Boy ABB PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(boy BAA)</small> || [[File:Boy BAA DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Boy BAA PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(boy BAB)</small> || [[File:Boy BAB DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Boy BAB PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(boy BBA)</small> || [[File:Boy BBA DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Boy BBA PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(boy BBB)</small> || [[File:Boy BBB DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Boy BBB PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(girl AAB)</small> || [[File:Girl AAB DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Girl AAB PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(girl ABA)</small> || [[File:Girl ABA DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Girl ABA PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(girl ABB)</small> || [[File:Girl ABB DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Girl ABB PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(girl BAA)</small> || [[File:Girl BAA DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Girl BAA PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(girl BAB)</small> || [[File:Girl BAB DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Girl BAB PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Player<br><small>(girl BBA)</small> || [[File:Girl BBA DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Girl BBA PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Aziz]] || [[File:Aziz DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Aziz PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Booker]] || [[File:Booker DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Booker PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Chip]] || [[File:Chip DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Chip PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Copper]] || [[File:Copper DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Copper PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Don Resetti]] || [[File:Don Resetti DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Don Resetti PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Elina]] || [[File:Elina DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Elina PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Hambo]] || [[File:Hambo DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Hambo PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Katrina]]<br><small>([[New Year's Day]])</small> || [[File:Katrina (New Year's Day) DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Katrina PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Jane]] || [[File:Jane DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Jane PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Mr. Resetti]] || [[File:Mr. Resetti DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Mr. Resetti PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Redd]] || [[File:Redd DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Redd PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Redd<br><small>([[Fireworks Festival]])</small> || [[File:Redd (Fireworks Festival) DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Redd (Fireworks Festival) PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Tom Nook]] || [[File:Tom Nook DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Tom Nook PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Tom Nook<br><small>([[Nook 'n' Go]])</small> || [[File:Tom Nook (Nook 'n' Go) DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Tom Nook (Nook 'n' Go) PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Tom Nook<br><small>([[Nookway]])</small> || [[File:Tom Nook (Nookway) DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Tom Nook (Nookway) PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| Tom Nook<br><small>([[raffle]])</small> || [[File:Tom Nook (Raffle) DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Tom Nook (Raffle) PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Tortimer]] || [[File:Tortimer DnM+ Model.png|100px]] || [[File:Tortimer PG Model.png|100px]]
 +
|}
  
===''Animal Crossing'' Pioneers===
+
=====Villagers with changed default clothing=====
On August 7, 2002 Nintendo of America announced a contest whereby 125 teams of two would be selected to receive advance promotional copies of ''Animal Crossing''<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7622/lucky-gamers-play-animal-crossing-early</ref>. The submission deadline for the contest was August 12th. To be considered for selection, applicants had to submit a written response of 50 words or less explaining why they should chosen as Pioneers. Those selected received a special ''Animal Crossing'' disc marked "for promotional use only", along with a 59 block Memory Card and a promotional ''Animal Crossing'' calendar. Pioneers received the game a month early and were expected to help Nintendo generate online buzz in advance of the title's release. Pioneers were also given exclusive access to their own web forum<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20021022162833/http://www.nintendo.com/animalcrossing/index.jsp</ref> where they could discuss amongst themselves as well as provide feedback to Nintendo representatives. At the end of the experience, the Pioneers were invited to an online chat with a few of the members of the game's localization team<ref>http://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,8/dgm,63261/</ref>. An analysis of the standard and promotional game disc concluded that the two were byte identical<ref>http://redump.org/disc/5169/</ref>, meaning that no changes were made to the final version as a result of Pioneer feedback. The promotional copy and calendar have since become collector's items, selling for over $500 together on eBay as of March, 2014<ref>http://www.ebay.com/itm/301124433392?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649</ref>.
+
{| class="styled color-villager mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="margin:auto;text-align:center"
<center>
+
! Name !! {{DnM+|nolink}} !! {{PG|nolink}}
<gallery>
+
|-
File:ACGCPioneersProgramLogin.png | Pioneer program login
+
| [[Cesar]] || [[File:Cesar DnM+ Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|A shirt|PG}} || [[File:Cesar PG Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Two-ball shirt|PG}}
File:ACGCPromotionalCopy.png | Promotional disc
+
|-
File:ACGCPioneerLetter.png | Calendar letter
+
| [[Cousteau]] || [[File:Cousteau DnM+ Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Noodle shirt|PG}} || [[File:Cousteau PG Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Rally shirt|PG}}
File:ACGCCalendarFront.png | Front of calendar & promo copy
+
|-
File:ACGCCalendarBack.png | Back of calendar & promo copy
+
| [[Grizzly]] || [[File:Grizzly DnM+ Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|W shirt|DnM+}} || [[File:Grizzly PG Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Houndstooth tee|PG}}
File:ACGCCalendarInside.png | Inside calendar
+
|-
</gallery>
+
| [[Paolo]] || [[File:Paolo DnM+ Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|I love GC shirt|DnM+}} || [[File:Paolo PG Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Cherry shirt|PG}}
</center>
+
|-
 +
| [[Punchy]] || [[File:Punchy DnM+ Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|I love GC shirt|DnM+}} || [[File:Punchy PG Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Cherry shirt|PG}}
 +
|-
 +
| [[Rasher]] || [[File:Rasher DnM+ Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Familiar shirt|DnM+}} || [[File:Rasher PG Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Fortune shirt|PG}}
 +
|-
 +
| [[Tabby]] || [[File:Tabby DnM+ Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Tomato juice shirt|DnM+}} || [[File:Tabby PG Model.png|100px]]<br>{{I|Fish bone shirt|PG}}
 +
|}
  
===Sweepstakes===
+
====Events====
On August 30, 2002 Nintendo of America initiated the {{PG|nolink}} "Deck Out Your Room" Sweepstakes. One grand prize winner received a TV, headphones, and CD player from Panasonic, a Nintendo GameCube, a Game Boy Advance, five GameCube games, five Game Boy Advance Games, two WaveBird controllers, and a one year subscription to Nintendo Power. Five first prize winners received a Nintendo GameCube, a copy of ''Animal Crossing'', and a one year subscription to Nintendo Power<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20020903184841/http://www.animal-crossing.com/sweeps/index.jsp</ref>. The sweepstakes ended on October 15, 2002<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20020923023614/http://www.animal-crossing.com/sweeps/rules.jsp</ref>. Those who registered for the sweepstakes received an ''Animal Crossing'' screensaver<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7734/deck-out-your-room</ref>.
+
*Many of the events found in the Japanese version are changed for or removed from the international version.  
 +
**Seven Spring Herbs Day, Coming of Age Day, Bean-Throwing Festival, White Day, Festival of the Weaver, Summer Day, and Winter Day are exclusive to the Japanese version.  
 +
**[[Groundhog Day]], [[Valentine's Day]], [[April Fool's Day]], [[Founder's Day]], [[Explorer's Day]], the [[Harvest Festival]], and [[Sale Day]] are all exclusive to the international version.
 +
*In the Japanese version, villagers will wear the Summer Robe and Bamboo Robe during the [[Fireworks Show]] and [[Mushrooming Season]]. They will also wear the Plum Kimono and Somber Robe during certain other events. In ''Animal Crossing'', all of these clothing items are not used or legitimately obtainable, though they still exist in data.
 +
*On [[New Year's Day]], the player shakes a pole in the middle of the shrine to ring the bell. In the international version, this is changed to the player tossing a coin in the [[wishing well]]'s fountain.
 +
*During the [[Cherry Blossom Festival]], villagers will picnic on tatami mats at the shrine. In the international version, the mats are changed to picnic tables and the villagers dance around the wishing well.
  
===Commercials and trailer===
+
====Items====
Nintendo of America began its advertising campaign in early September, 2002 with the release of four live-action commercials featuring players living in an {{PG|nolink}} world<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7756/animal-crossing-commercials</ref>. These commercials along with a trailer for the game appeared on a Preview DVD for the Nintendo GameCube that was distributed by retailers (both in North America and internationally<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIuQsSDVZPs</ref>) in late 2002 and may have also been an insert in Nintendo Power magazine<ref>http://www.destructoid.com/blogs/The+Bowels+of+Trogdor/the-gamecube-promo-dvd-trailers-done-right-developers-take-notes--267660.phtml</ref>. Video trailers for the game were also included on Interactive Multi-Game Demo Disc Versions 5<ref>http://www.ign.com/games/interactive-multi-game-demo-disc-july-2002-142703/gcn-490225</ref> and 7<ref>http://www.ign.com/games/interactive-multi-game-demo-disc-version-7-142714/gcn-492650</ref>, released in July and September of 2002, respectively. These game discs were sent to retailers for use in Nintendo GameCube demo kiosks.
+
*Several furniture sets are different compared to the international version:
 +
**The [[Spa Theme|Publicbath Theme]] is only present in {{DnM|nolink}}, this game's Japanese version, and returns in {{DnMe+|nolink}}. It is completely removed from the international version and is also absent from {{WW|short}}. It returns in games from {{CF|short}} onwards for all regions, but it is no longer a theme.
 +
**The [[Japanese Theme]] is only present {{DnM|nolink}}, this game's Japanese version, and {{DnMe+|nolink}}. It returns from {{WW|short|nolink}}-onwards under a [[Zen Set|different name]] for all regions but as a set rather than a theme.
 +
**The [[School Theme]] contains different items in the international version.
 +
**The [[Construction Theme]] contains different items in the international version.
 +
**The [[Harvest Series]] and numerous holiday items are absent as they are exclusive to the international version.
 +
**The [[Boxing Theme]], [[Mossy Garden Theme|Backyard Theme]], and [[Western Theme]] have been added in the international version.
 +
*There are many differences with the availability of [[Famicom Disk System]] (FDS) and [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES) games between versions.
 +
**The Japanese version features the Famicom games ''{{I|Gomoku Narabe|DnM+}}'' and ''{{I|Mahjong|DnM+}}'', while in the international version these games are changed to the NES games ''{{I|Soccer|PG}}'' and ''{{I|Excitebike|PG}}''.  
 +
**''{{I|Ice Climber|PG}}'' would be received as a "housewarming gift" after using the service to transfer save data from {{DnM}} to this game's Japanese version. In the international version, it can only be acquired through an ''[[Animal Crossing-e]]'' Series 4 card.
 +
**The Japanese version features the Famicom Disk System version of ''{{I|Legend of Zelda|PG|The Legend of Zelda}}''. The game is changed to the NES version in the international version, though the game is not legitimately obtainable in either version.
 +
*Four [[Clothes/Animal Crossing|shirts]] are unique to the Japanese version, having been redesigned in ''Animal Crossing'':
 +
**'''{{I|I love GC shirt|DnM+}}''' (redesigned as the '''{{I|cherry shirt|PG}}''' — Worn by [[Paolo]] and [[Punchy]])
 +
**'''{{I|Familiar shirt|DnM+}}''' (redesigned as the '''{{I|fortune shirt|PG}}''' — Worn by [[Rasher]])
 +
**'''{{I|Tomato juice shirt|DnM+}}''' (redesigned as the '''{{I|fish bone shirt|PG}}''' — Worn by [[Tabby]])
 +
**'''{{I|W shirt|DnM+}}''' (redesigned as the '''{{I|houndstooth tee|PG}}''' — Worn by [[Grizzly]])
 +
*The {{I|fortune paper|PG}} and {{I|new year's card|PG}} [[stationery]] have a different visual appearance in the international version.
  
==Pricing and sales==
+
<gallery>
''Animal Crossing'' shipped with a $49.95 MSRP in North America<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20020911113240/http://www.animal-crossing.com/parents.jsp</ref>. In a press release from Nintendo of America dated October 28, 2002 the game was reported to have sold over 100,000 copies in its first four weeks of sale<ref>http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7951/animal-crossing-e-cards-released</ref>, ranking eighth in video game sales for the month of September<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20090120102407/http://www.videobusiness.com/index.asp?layout=marketData&content=topgamesellers&chartdate=9%2F1%2F2002&Submit=Go</ref>. ''Animal Crossing'' would fall off the charts the next month and would not reappear near the top of an industry-wide cumulative sales chart (monthly or otherwise) for the remainder of its life cycle, however it would remain a popular title in terms of GameCube software sales. In December of 2002, it sold over 130,000 copies<ref>http://forum.beyond3d.com/archive/index.php/t-3020.html</ref>, not far behind Super Mario Sunshine, which was released a few weeks before {{PG|nolink}}. By October of 2004 {{PG|nolink}} had sold upwards of 760,000 copies, making it the 11th best selling title on the system at the time<ref>http://www.videogame.it/forum/t/152967/.html</ref>. On September 25th, 2003 just over a year after its initial release, ''Animal Crossing'' became a Player's Choice title, with a new MSRP of $29.99<ref>http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news100903playerschoice</ref>. All-time sales figures place ''Animal Crossing'' as the sixth best-selling GameCube game with somewhere between 1.68<ref>http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-USPlatinum.shtml</ref> and 1.92<ref>http://www.vgchartz.com/game/81/animal-crossing/</ref> million units sold, just ahead of the critically acclaimed Metroid Prime. Comparing it to the Pikmin series, another new Nintendo IP debuting on the GameCube, ''Animal Crossing'' sold more than both Pikmin titles combined—a considerable feat considering the original Pikmin had been available since the console's launch.
+
I Love GC Shirt DnM+ Model.png|I love GC shirt
 +
Familiar Shirt DnM+ Model.png|Familiar shirt
 +
Tomato Juice Shirt DnM+ Model.png|Tomato juice shirt
 +
W Shirt DnM+ Model.png|W shirt
 +
Fortune Paper DnM+.png|Fortune paper
 +
New Year's Card DnM+.png|New year's card
 +
</gallery>
  
==Regional Differences==
+
====Miscellaneous====
In addition to being an upgraded re-release to the original [[Dōbutsu no Mori (game)|Dōbutsu no Mori]], there are also many differences between ''Dōbutsu no Mori+'' and ''Animal Crossing''.
+
*The live version of "[[DJ K.K.]]" contains guitar riffs resembling the song "Get Ready for This" by 2 Unlimited. In the international version, this is changed to an original melody.
  
===General Changes===
+
===North America to Australia and Europe===
*''Doubutsu no Mori+'' almost has the same game code as ''Animal Crossing''. ''Doubutsu no Mori+'' is GAFJ, ''Animal Crossing'' is GAFE in the US version, GAFP in the PAL version.
+
Several minor changes were made to {{PG|nolink}} in its Australian and European versions. In addition to these changes, both versions include various bug fixes from the North American version.
*The dial typing system, featured in the original {{DnM}}, is retained in ''Doubutsu no Mori+''.
 
*The player is able to transfer data from {{DnM}} into the Japanese version. This is removed in ''Animal Crossing'' due to the fact that ''Doubutsu no Mori'' was not released outside of Japan.
 
  
===Event Changes===
+
====Australia====
*Different events are featured in the games compared to Animal Crossing. Seven Spring Herbs Day, Coming of Age Day, Bean Throwing Festival, White Day, Festival of the Weaver, Summer Day, Winter Day are exclusive to the Japanese games. Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, April Fool's Day, Nature Day, Spring Cleaning, Founder's Day, Hometown Day, Explorer's Day, the Harvest Festival, and Sale Day are all exclusive to Animal Crossing.
+
*The font for the copyright text on the title screen was changed, and it now reads "&copy;2001-2003 Nintendo" to reflect the game's release date in Australia.
*Villagers will wear the Summer Robe and Bamboo Robe during the Fireworks Show, and during Mushrooming Season. They will also wear the Plum Kimono and Somber Robe during certain other events. In Animal Crossing, all of these clothing items are unused.
+
*The {{I|Mario trophy|PG}} and {{I|Luigi trophy|PG}} have shorter bases. This is carried over from {{DnMe+}}.
*On New Year's Day, instead of tossing a coin in the fountain, the player shakes the pole in the middle of the Bell Shrine to ring the bell.
+
*The ROMs for ''{{I|Golf|PG}}'', ''{{I|Pinball|PG}}'', {{I|Punchout|PG|''Punch-Out!!''}}, ''{{I|Soccer|PG}}'', and ''{{I|Wario's Woods|PG}}'' have been changed to their European versions.
*During the Cherry Blossom Festival, villagers will picnic on tatami mats at the Bell Shrine. In Animal Crossing, they simply dance around the Wishing Well.
+
*The following dialog entries have been changed to fix typos or formatting errors (changes in '''bold'''):
 +
{| class="styled color-gameplay mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
 +
|-
 +
! Entry ID
 +
! North America
 +
! Australia
 +
! Notes
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 0788
 +
|
 +
"Oh, '''Wait''' a minute!<br>
 +
What am I doing, chewing<br>
 +
your ear off like this?<br>
 +
My apologies!"
 +
|
 +
"Oh, '''wait''' a minute!<br>
 +
What am I doing, chewing<br>
 +
your ear off like this?<br>
 +
My apologies!"
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 078E
 +
|
 +
"That price is rock bottom!<br>
 +
Any lower, and I'd be giving<br>
 +
it away! '''I 'm''' not that crazy<br>
 +
Hee hee hee."
 +
|
 +
"That price is rock bottom!<br>
 +
Any lower, and I'd be giving<br>
 +
it away! '''I'm''' not that crazy!<br>
 +
Hee hee hee."
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 0D69
 +
|
 +
"So, <player>''','''<br>
 +
If you buy something there,<br>
 +
make sure you know what<br>
 +
you're paying for!"
 +
|
 +
"So, <player>'''...'''<br>
 +
If you buy something there,<br>
 +
make sure you know what<br>
 +
you're paying for!"
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 1103
 +
|
 +
"Hold it! This is no bass!<br>
 +
It's a '''sweet fish'''. It might as<br>
 +
well have a stamp on its<br>
 +
side that says "NOT A BASS!""
 +
|
 +
"Hold it! This is no bass!<br>
 +
It's a '''sweetfish'''. It might as<br>
 +
well have a stamp on its<br>
 +
side that says "NOT A BASS!""
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 1300
 +
|
 +
"I feel so silly.<br>
 +
I accidentally bought '''two'''<br>
 +
<item>!"
 +
|
 +
"I feel so silly.<br>
 +
I accidentally bought '''a'''<br>
 +
'''second''' <item>!"
 +
| Item name is not pluralized, leading to a grammatical error in the North American version.
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 1410
 +
|
 +
"I see. Well, I've got to get<br>
 +
some things ready for you.<br>
 +
Please wait while."
 +
|
 +
"I see. Well, I've got to get<br>
 +
some things ready for you.<br>
 +
Please wait '''for just a''' while."
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 14A4
 +
|
 +
"No big deal. Anyway, I'm<br>
 +
going to get things, so<br>
 +
keep your pants on!"
 +
|
 +
"No big deal. Anyway, I'm<br>
 +
going to get things '''ready''', so<br>
 +
keep your pants on!"
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 1D54
 +
|
 +
"In an hour, it'll be <nowiki><time></nowiki>...<br>
 +
yaaaawn...zzz...zzz...<br>
 +
Whaー?<br>
 +
Must stay awake! Awake!!!"
 +
|
 +
"In an hour, it'll be <nowiki><time></nowiki>...<br>
 +
<span style="color:#969696">yaaaawn...zzz...zzz...</span><br>
 +
Whaー?<br>
 +
Must stay awake! Awake!!!"
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 321B
 +
|
 +
"Oh, my! <player>!<br>
 +
It seems like such a long<br>
 +
time,&nbsp;&nbsp;<catchphrase>!"
 +
|
 +
"Oh, my! <player>!<br>
 +
It seems like such a long<br>
 +
time, <catchphrase>!"
 +
| Double space after "time" in the North American version.
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 3A4C
 +
|
 +
"So, Sonny had an urgent<br>
 +
errand that he just couldn't<br>
 +
pull himself away from.<br>
 +
The '''guys'''' like a mole dynamo."
 +
|
 +
"So, Sonny had an urgent<br>
 +
errand that he just couldn't<br>
 +
pull himself away from.<br>
 +
The '''guy's''' like a mole dynamo."
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 3A6B
 +
|
 +
"'''Let's''' me make one thing<br>
 +
perfectly clear: snails are not<br>
 +
insects. Snails are members<br>
 +
of the mollusk family, wot!"
 +
|
 +
"'''Let''' me make one thing<br>
 +
perfectly clear: snails are not<br>
 +
insects. Snails are members<br>
 +
of the mollusk family, wot!"
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 3B20
 +
|
 +
"You need to insert a different<br>
 +
Memory Card into Slot A or<br>
 +
Slot B.<br>
 +
'''<catchphrase>'''"
 +
|
 +
"You need to insert a different<br>
 +
Memory Card into Slot A or<br>
 +
Slot B."
 +
|
 +
|-
 +
| style="text-align:center;" | 3B3D
 +
|
 +
"The Memory Card in<Slot A/Slot B><br>
 +
is corrupted! You can't use
 +
it!"
 +
|
 +
"The Memory Card in <Slot A/Slot B><br>
 +
is corrupted! You can't use
 +
it!"
 +
|
 +
|}
 +
*The lengths of the pauses between words during [[Kapp'n's Song]] have been adjusted.
 +
*The spelling of two names in the credits has been fixed: "Tim O'Leary" ("Tim O'leary" in the North American version) and "Robert Crombie" ("Robert Cromble" in the North American version).
  
===Item Changes===
+
====Europe====
*''Doubutsu no Mori+'' features the Famicom games Gomoku Narabe and Majong, while ''Animal Crossing'' and ''Doubutsu no Mori e+'' feature the NES games Soccer and Exitebike. In addition, ''Doubutsu no Mori+'' features the Famicom Disk System version of Legend of Zelda. ''Animal Crossing'' and ''Doubutsu no Mori e+'' feature the English NES version. And you can obtain the [[Forbidden Four]] [[NES game]]s normally in the game. In ''Animal Crossing'' you need a [[cheating device]].
+
{{Multiple Image
*The Ragged Wall and Old Board Floor, and Public Bath Wall and Bathroom Floor are absent from Animal Crossing.
+
|align= right
*The Zen and Public Bath furniture themes are absent from Animal Crossing, though they appear in all later games.
+
|direction= horizontal
*The W Shirt and the Tomato Juice Shirt are exclusive to Doubutsu no Mori and ''Doubutsu no Mori+''.
+
|footer= The North American (left) and European (right) title screens. Note the altered "Press START!" text and copyright dates.
*The New Year's Card and the Fortune Paper were redesigned for Animal Crossing.
+
|width= 200
  
===Area Changes===
+
|image1= PG Title Screen.png
*''Doubutsu no Mori+'' features a [[Bell shrine]] in place of the [[Wishing Well]].
+
|alt1= North American title screen
*Tom Nook's shop, the Post Office, and the Dump have different signage containing katakana.
 
*Igloos contain woks with bubbling blocks of tofu, as opposed to the pot of chowder seen in Animal Crossing.
 
  
===Design Changes===
+
|image2= PG Title Screen Europe.png
*All [[Player]] designs have black eyes in {{DnM+|nolink}}. In {{PG|nolink}}, only a few designs retain black eyes, possibly to add diversity. This trait is retained in other Japanese releases up to {{PC}}.
+
|alt2= European title screen
*[[Tortimer]] wears glasses with white blue lenses and a red hat in {{DnM+|nolink}}. He also wears a white rope around his chest.
+
}}
*[[Mr. Resetti]] and [[Don Resetti]] simply wear white shirts in ''Doubutsu no Mori+'', and wear overalls on top of the shirts in ''Animal Crossing''. Additionally, Mr. Resetti's mining helmet features a green stripe under the headlight, while Don Resetti's is green with a white stripe.
+
*French, German, Italian, and Spanish languages are supported, and the language used by the game is dependent on the GameCube's language.
*[[Tom Nook]] and [[Redd]] both have Japanese characters on their default (For Tom Nook) uniforms instead of their respective logos. Tom Nook's displays the character ''ten'' ('''店'''), meaning "shop", while Redd's is currently unknown.
+
*All [[e-Reader]] functionality (and references to it) has been removed, as the e-Reader was never released in Europe. This means the {{I|Ice Climber|PG}} and {{I|Mario Bros|PG}} items are unobtainable, though they still exist in the game's code. Despite this, the item names still received translations.
**On a side note, Tom Nook's Uniform from [[Nook 'n' Go]] has green and red stripes in {{DnM+|nolink}}, as opposed to blue and orange stripes in {{PG|nolink}}. This also applies to his [[Nookway]] uniform, but in the other way around. Additionally, his [[Lottery]] uniform has him wear a red and black vest with a white rope tied around his head, as opposed to a tricolor apron with a sports visor.
+
*The "Press START!" text on the title screen now reads "press START", and the font has been changed.
*[[Chip]] has lighter fur, gray-rimmed glasses, and squinted eyes in ''Doubutsu no Mori+''.
+
*The font for the copyright text on the title screen was changed, and it now reads "&copy;2001-2004 Nintendo" to reflect the game's release date in Europe.
*[[Katrina]] dresses in a traditional Japanese Hakama, with her head fully exposed and wearing a white band on her forehead in ''Doubutsu no Mori+'', in addition to her traditional gypsy robes. In ''Animal Crossing'', Katrina dresses exclusively in Gypsy robes.
+
*The clock uses the 24-hour format rather than the 12-hour format used in the North American version, and all in-game dialogue is updated to reflect this.
*The [[Nintendo]] logo color changes. In ''Animal Crossing'' it was red, in ''Doubutsu no Mori+'' it was white, and ''Doubutsu no Mori'' has the [[Nintendo 64]] logo.
+
*Dates use the Day/Month format rather than the Month/Day format used in the North American version.
 +
*''Pounds'', in the context of weight, is replaced by ''kg''.
 +
*Numbers use periods instead of commas as decimal separators (e.g. 1.000 rather than 1,000).
 +
*The sign in front of the [[dump]] features a fish-bone design in non-English language versions rather than the text "Dump."
 +
*[[Spring Cleaning Day]] occurs on March 15 instead of May 1.
 +
*[[Labor Day]] occurs on May 1 instead of the first Monday of September.
 +
*The {{I|chalk board|PG}} reads "English Lesson" instead of "Social Study."
 +
*The Mario Trophy and Luigi Trophy have shorter bases. This is carried over from {{DnMe+|nolink}}.
 +
*The ROMs for ''Golf'', ''Pinball'', ''Punch-Out!!'', ''Soccer'', and ''Wario's Woods'' have been changed to their European versions.
 +
{{Clear}}
  
<center>
+
==Promotion==
 +
===''Animal Crossing'' Pioneers===
 +
On August 7, 2002, Nintendo of America announced a contest whereby 125 teams of two would be selected to receive advance promotional copies of ''Animal Crossing''.<ref name=AC_Early/> The submission deadline for the contest was August 12th. To be considered for selection, applicants had to submit a written response of 50 words or less explaining why they should be chosen as Pioneers. Those selected received a special ''Animal Crossing'' disc marked "for promotional use only," along with a 59 block Memory Card and a promotional ''Animal Crossing'' calendar. Pioneers received the game a month early and were expected to help Nintendo generate online buzz in advance of the title's release. Pioneers were also given exclusive access to a web forum where they could discuss the game amongst themselves as well as provide feedback to Nintendo representatives. At the end of the experience, the Pioneers were invited to an online chat with a few of the members of the game's localization team.<ref>{{Cite web|author=MobyGames|url=https://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,8/dgm,63261/|title=Animal Crossing Pioneer}}</ref> An analysis of the standard and promotional game disc concluded that the two were byte identical,<ref>{{Cite web|author=Redump|url=http://redump.org/disc/5169/|title=Animal Crossing}}</ref> meaning that no changes were made to the final version as a result of Pioneer feedback. The promotional copy and calendar have since become collector's items, with one set selling for over $500 on eBay in March 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024004426/https://www.ebay.com/itm/Animal-Crossing-Pioneer-Disc-Calendar-Reward-Gift-Great-Cond-Ultra-Rare-Promo-/301124433392?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l10137.c10&nordt=true&rt=nc&orig_cvip=true|title=Animal Crossing Pioneer Disc & Calendar Reward Gift Great Cond. Ultra Rare Promo|site=eBay|archive-date=October 24, 2020}}</ref>
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
Tom Nook DnM.png|[[Tom Nook]]
+
ACGCPioneersProgramLogin.png|Pioneer program login
NooknGoNookJPNArt.png|Tom Nook (Nook 'n' Go)
+
PG Disc North America Promotional.png|Promotional disc
NookwayNookJPN.png|Tom Nook (Nookway)
+
ACGCPioneerLetter.png|Calendar letter
TomNookJapaneseLottery.png|Tom Nook (Lottery)
+
ACGCCalendarFront.png|Front of calendar & promo copy
Tortimer PG Japan.png|[[Tortimer]]
+
ACGCCalendarBack.png|Back of calendar & promo copy
Resetti PG Japan.png|[[Mr. Resetti]]
+
ACGCCalendarInside.png|Inside calendar
Don PG Japan.png|[[Don Resetti]]
 
Chip DnM.png|[[Chip]]
 
Redd DnM.png|[[Redd]]
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
</center>
+
 
 +
===Sweepstakes===
 +
From August 30 to October 15, 2002, Nintendo of America initiated the {{PG|nolink}} "Deck Out Your Room" Sweepstakes.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Nintendo|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020923023614/http://www.animal-crossing.com/sweeps/rules.jsp|title=Official Sweepstakes Rules|site=animal-crossing.com|archive-date=September 23, 2002}}</ref> One grand prize winner received a TV, headphones, and CD player from Panasonic, a Nintendo GameCube, a Game Boy Advance, five GameCube games, five Game Boy Advance Games, two WaveBird controllers, and a one-year subscription to Nintendo Power. Five first prize winners received a Nintendo GameCube, a copy of ''Animal Crossing'', and a one-year subscription to Nintendo Power.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Nintendo|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020903184841/http://www.animal-crossing.com/sweeps/index.jsp|title=Enter the Animal Crossing "Deck Out Your Room" Sweepstakes|site=animal-crossing.com|archive-date=September 3, 2002}}</ref> Those who registered for the sweepstakes received a free ''Animal Crossing'' screensaver.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Billy Berghammer|date=September 10, 2002|url=https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/7734/deck-out-your-room|title=Deck out your room!|site=Nintendo World Report}}</ref>
  
 
==Reception==
 
==Reception==
''Animal Crossing'' was met with mostly positive reviews from critics, with many praising its charming, unique gameplay and long life span. e-Reader connectivity was seen as a welcome addition, however some criticized its outdated graphics and felt that it did not offer much of a single-player experience. {{PG|nolink}} was included in many year-end 'best of' lists upon its release in 2002. It has also been featured in several all-time top video game countdowns, and has received multiple [[Animal_Crossing_(GCN)#Awards_and_nominations|awards and nominations]]. Review aggregator Metacritic notes a Metascore of 87/100 for ''Animal Crossing''<ref>http://www.metacritic.com/game/gamecube/animal-crossing</ref>, which places it just behind {{NL}}'s score of 88.
+
''Animal Crossing'' was met with mostly positive reviews from critics, with many praising its charming, unique gameplay and long life span. e-Reader connectivity was seen as a welcome addition, although some criticized its outdated graphics and felt that it did not offer much of a single-player experience.{{Citation Needed}}
 +
 
 +
{{PG|nolink}} was included in many year-end 'best of' lists upon its release in 2002. It has also been featured in several all-time top video game countdowns and has received multiple [[Animal Crossing#Awards_and_nominations|awards and nominations]]. Review aggregator Metacritic notes a Metascore of 87/100 for ''Animal Crossing'',<ref>{{Cite web|author=Metacritic|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/gamecube/animal-crossing|title=Animal Crossing for GameCube Reviews}}</ref> which places it just behind {{NL}}'s score of 88. In May 2021, {{PG|nolink}} was inducted into the {{Wp|World Video Game Hall of Fame}}.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Marcus Ramirez|date=May 6, 2021|url=https://nintendowire.com/news/2021/05/06/the-original-animal-crossing-has-been-inducted-into-the-world-video-game-hall-of-fame/|title=The original Animal Crossing has been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame|site=Nintendo Wire|retrieved=May 6, 2021}}</ref>
  
 
===Awards and nominations===
 
===Awards and nominations===
{| class="wikitable"
+
{| class="styled color-series"
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Year
 
!Year
Line 140: Line 523:
 
!Category
 
!Category
 
!Result
 
!Result
 +
!Ref.
 
|-
 
|-
|rowspan=6|2002
+
|rowspan=6; align="center"|2002
 
|Game Critic Award
 
|Game Critic Award
|Best Original Game of E3<ref>http://www.giantbomb.com/e3-2002/3015-3434/</ref>
+
|Best Original Game of E3
 
|{{Nom}}
 
|{{Nom}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref name=GiantBomb_E3/>
 
|-
 
|-
|rowspan=4|GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002
+
|rowspan=4|''GameSpot'''s Best and Worst of 2002
|Game of the Year<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20030201105621/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/general1.html</ref>
+
|Game of the Year
 
|{{Nom}}
 
|{{Nom}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=GameSpot|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030201105621/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/general1.html|title=GameSpot's Video Game of the Year, Nominees|archive-date=February 1, 2003}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|Best Role-Playing Game on GameCube<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021223103711/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/gc19.html</ref>
+
|Best Role-Playing Game on GameCube
 
|{{Won}}
 
|{{Won}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=GameSpot|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021223103711/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/gc19.html|title=Best Role-Playing Game on GameCube|archive-date=December 23, 2002}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
| Most Innovative Game<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20030210083623/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/general6.html</ref>
+
| Most Innovative Game
 
|{{Won}}
 
|{{Won}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=GameSpot|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030210083623/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/general6.html|title=Most Innovative Game|archive-date=February 10, 2003}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
| Funniest Game (Purposefully) <ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021223112403/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/general11.html</ref>
+
| Funniest Game (Purposely)
 
|{{Nom}}
 
|{{Nom}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=GameSpot|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021223112403/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/general11.html|title=Funniest Game (Purposely)|archive-date=December 23, 2002}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|GameSpy's Best of 2002
+
|''GameSpy'''s Best of 2002
|GameCube Game of the Year<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20030628043605/http://www.gamespy.com/goty2002/gcn/index2.shtml</ref>
+
|GameCube Game of the Year
 
|{{Nom}}
 
|{{Nom}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=GameSpy|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030628043605/http://www.gamespy.com/goty2002/gcn/index2.shtml|title=Runners Up|archive-date=June 28, 2003}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|rowspan=7|2003
+
|rowspan=7; align="center"|2003
 
|The Game Developers Choice Awards
 
|The Game Developers Choice Awards
|Innovation Award<ref>http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/archive/innovation.html</ref>
+
|Innovation Award
 
|{{Won}}
 
|{{Won}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=Game Developers Choice Awards|url=https://www.gamechoiceawards.com/archive/innovation.html|title=Innovation Archive}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|rowspan=6|Interactive Achievement Awards
 
|rowspan=6|Interactive Achievement Awards
|Innovation in Console Gaming<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20120510120906/http://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2003&idGame=339</ref>
+
|Innovation in Console Gaming
 
|{{Won}}
 
|{{Won}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref name=IAA>{{Cite web|author=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510120906/http://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2003&idGame=339|title=Interactive Achievement Awards By Video Game Details|archive-date=May 10, 2012}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
 
|Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
 
|{{Won}}
 
|{{Won}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref name=IAA/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Console Role-Playing Game of the Year
 
|Console Role-Playing Game of the Year
 
|{{Won}}
 
|{{Won}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref name=IAA/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Console Game of the Year
 
|Console Game of the Year
 
|{{Nom}}
 
|{{Nom}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref name=IAA/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Game of the Year
 
|Game of the Year
 
|{{Nom}}
 
|{{Nom}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref name=IAA/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering
 
|Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering
 
|{{Nom}}
 
|{{Nom}}
 +
|align="center"|<ref name=IAA/>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
===Top lists===
 
===Top lists===
{| class="wikitable"
+
{| class="styled color-series"
 
|-
 
|-
 
!Year
 
!Year
!Source
+
!Publication
 
!List
 
!List
 
!Placement
 
!Placement
 +
!Ref.
 +
|-
 +
|rowspan=2; align="center"|2003
 +
|''[[Nintendo Power]]''
 +
|''Nintendo Power'''s All-Time Console Favorites
 +
|align="center"|17
 +
|align="center"|{{Citation Needed}}
 
|-
 
|-
|2003
+
|''Entertainment Weekly''
|Entertainment Weekly
+
|The 100 Greatest Videogames
|The 100 Greatest Videogames<ref>http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,450558,00.html</ref>
 
 
|align="center"|72
 
|align="center"|72
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 12, 2003|url=https://ew.com/article/2003/05/12/100-greatest-videogames-no-51-no-100/|title=The 100 greatest videogames: No. 51 - No. 100}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|rowspan=3|2006
+
|rowspan=3; align="center"|2006
|Electronic Gaming Monthly
+
|''Electronic Gaming Monthly''
|The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20060519133249/http://1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=2&cId=3147448</ref>
+
|The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time
 
|align="center"|126
 
|align="center"|126
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=Electronic Gaming Monthly|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060519133249/http://1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=2&cId=3147448|title=The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time|site=1UP.com|archive-date=May 19, 2006}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|Nintendo Power
+
|''Nintendo Power''
|Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games<ref>http://nintendo.wikia.com/wiki/Nintendo_Power%27s_Top_200_Games</ref>
+
|Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games
 
|align="center"|51
 
|align="center"|51
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=Nintendo Wiki|url=https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Power%27s_Top_200_Games|title=Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games|site=Fandom}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|X-Play
+
|''X-Play''
|10 Best GameCube Games Ever<ref>http://www.g4tv.com/videos/12007/best-gamecube-games-ever-7-5/</ref>
+
|10 Best GameCube Games Ever
 
|align="center"|7
 
|align="center"|7
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=G4|date=July 7, 2006|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309234329/https://g4tv.com/videos/12007/best-gamecube-games-ever-7-5/|title=Best GameCube Games Ever: #7-5|archive-date=March 9, 2013}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|rowspan=2|2007
+
|rowspan=2; align="center"|2007
|Edge
+
|''Edge''
|Top 100 Games of All Time <ref>http://www.edge-online.com/features/edges-top-100-games-all-time/6/</ref>
+
|Top 100 Games of All Time
 
|align="center"|49
 
|align="center"|49
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=Edge|date=July 2, 2007|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018205611/http://www.edge-online.com/features/edges-top-100-games-all-time/6/|title=EDGE'S TOP 100 GAMES OF ALL TIME|archive-date=October 18, 2012}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|ScrewAttack!  
+
|''ScrewAttack!''
|Top 10 GameCube Games<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYIPS_LMxh4</ref>
+
|Top 10 GameCube Games
 
|align="center"|5
 
|align="center"|5
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=ScrewAttack!|date=July 19, 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYIPS_LMxh4|title=Top 10 GameCube Games - ScrewAttack.com|site=YouTube}}<sup>[dead link]</sup></ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|2008
+
|align="center"|2008
|Nintendo Power
+
|''Nintendo Power''
|Best of the Best - Nintendo GameCube (Top 20) <ref>http://nintendo.wikia.com/wiki/Nintendo_Power%27s_Best_of_the_Best</ref>
+
|Best of the Best - Nintendo GameCube (Top 20)
 
|align="center"|19
 
|align="center"|19
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=Nintendo Wiki|url=https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_Power%27s_Best_of_the_Best|title=Nintendo Power's Best of the Best|site=Fandom}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
|2012
+
|align="center"|2012
|TIME
+
|''TIME''
|All-TIME 100 greatest video games<ref>http://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/animal-crossing-2001/</ref>
+
|All-''TIME'' 100 Video Games
 
|align="center"|-
 
|align="center"|-
 +
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|author=Lev Grossman|date=November 15, 2012|url=https://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/animal-crossing-2001|title=Animal Crossing|site=Time}}</ref>
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
 
{{Gallery}}
 
{{Gallery}}
 +
<gallery>
 +
PG Logo English.png|Logo
 +
PG Title Screen.png|Title screen
 +
PG Nook's Cranny Interior.png|[[Nook's Cranny]]
 +
PG Museum Interior.png|The [[museum]]
 +
</gallery>
  
===Screenshots===
+
==Prerelease and unused content==
<center>
+
{{Main|List of prerelease and unused content in Animal Crossing}}
<gallery>
 
Animal Crossing-title.png|Title Screen
 
GCNMuseum.png|The [[Museum]]
 
Tom_nook_raffle.png|Tom Nook hosting the monthly [[Lottery]].
 
</gallery></center>
 
  
 
==Names in other languages==
 
==Names in other languages==
*This section lists the full name as on the cover, though simply Animal Crossing is used elsewhere.
 
 
{{Foreignname
 
{{Foreignname
|Spa=Bienvenido a Animal Crossing: Población: ¡en aumento!
+
|ja=どうぶつの森{{tt|+|プラス}}
|SpaM=Welcome to Animal Crossing: Population: in growth!
+
|ja-r=Doubutsu no Mori Purasu
|Fra=Bienvenue dans Animal Crossing: Population : eroissant !
+
|ja-m=Animal Forest+
|FraM=Welcome to Animal Crossing: Population: growing!
+
|es=Animal Crossing
|Ger=Willkommen bei Animal Crossing: Einwohner steigend!
+
|es-m=Animal Crossing
|GerM=Welcome to Animal Crossing: Population Growing!
+
|fr=Animal Crossing
|Ita=Benvenuti ad Animal Crossing: Popolazione in aumento!
+
|fr-m=Animal Crossing
|ItaM=Welcome to Animal Crossing: Population in growth!
+
|de=Animal Crossing
 +
|de-m=Animal Crossing
 +
|it=Animal Crossing
 +
|it-m=Animal Crossing
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
 
*[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ngc/gafj/ Official Japanese site]
 
*[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ngc/gafj/ Official Japanese site]
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20021004080450/http://www.animal-crossing.com/index.jsp Official North American site] <small>(archived)</small>
+
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20021004080450/http://www.animal-crossing.com/index.jsp Official North American site] <small>(archived)</small>
 
*[http://ms.nintendo-europe.com/animalcrossing/languageselect/index.html Official European site]
 
*[http://ms.nintendo-europe.com/animalcrossing/languageselect/index.html Official European site]
 
*[https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-GameCube/Animal-Crossing-267719.html Official Nintendo UK page]
 
*[https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-GameCube/Animal-Crossing-267719.html Official Nintendo UK page]
*[http://www.nintendo.com.au/nintendo/games/gameoverview.php?gameid=422 Official Australian page]
+
*[https://www.nintendo.com.au/nintendo/games/gameoverview.php?gameid=422 Official Australian page]
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
+
<small>{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}</small>
<references/>
+
{{Reflist}}
<br>{{construction}}
+
 
<br>{{Animal Crossing}}
+
{{Navbox Gen 1}}
[[Category:Video Games]]
+
{{Navbox Animal Crossing series}}
[[Category:Animal Crossing series]]
+
[[Category:Video games]]
 +
[[Category:Animal Crossing|*]]
 +
 
 +
[[es:Animal Crossing: Población: ¡en aumento!]]

Latest revision as of 18:35, April 14, 2024

This article is about the game. For the series, see Animal Crossing (series). For the course in Mario Kart 8, see Animal Crossing (course).
English logo
North American game cover
Main theme
Developer(s) Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Katsuya Eguchi
Hisashi Nogami
Platform(s) Nintendo GameCube
Release date(s) United States of America Canada September 16, 2002[1]
Australia October 17, 2003
Europe September 24, 2004
Genre(s) Simulation
Language(s) United States of America Australia English
Europe English, French, Italian, German, Spanish
Modes Single-player
Ratings ESRB:  E
OFLC:  G
PEGI:  3+
Media GameCube Game Disc
File size 57 blocks (town save data)
3 blocks (travel data)
1 block (NES save data)
Input
methods
Nintendo GameCube Controller
Game Boy Advance (Animal Island only)
e-Reader

Guide at StrategyWiki

Animal Crossing is a simulation game for the Nintendo GameCube released on September 16, 2002, and the first game in the Animal Crossing series to be localized for Western audiences. Animal Crossing is the international release of Doubutsu no Mori+, released in Japan on December 14, 2001, itself an expanded port of the Nintendo 64 game Doubutsu no Mori, which had been released just eight months prior. Animal Crossing adds new content and utilizes the Nintendo GameCube's internal clock to keep track of the in-game date and time. The game's newly added content includes a tropical island where players can help a local islander furnish their house, a museum for donating collectibles, a tailor where players can create custom designs, and compatibility with the e-Reader through a series of cards released specifically for the game.

The game was released in North America in 2002. To prepare the game for release, Nintendo of America embarked on an extensive localization, headed by Nate Bihldorff and Rich Amtower. Their efforts resulted in a substantial increase of in-game text compared to Doubutsu no Mori, and the change of many distinctly-Japanese cultural elements to make them more recognizable to a western audience. Additional content was implemented, such as entirely new holidays, items, and characters. Certain events were also changed to have broader appeal in western regions. This version of the game was also later released in Australia in 2003, and across Europe in 2004.

Animal Crossing was a commercial and critical success, selling more than 2 million copies worldwide and garnering strong reviews from gaming media. The game became a Player's Choice title in North America. Due to the successful localization effort, the game was translated back into Japanese and released in Japan as Doubutsu no Mori e+, which features the western-oriented changes as well as additional content not present in any of the previous versions.

Gameplay[edit]

A player standing outside of their house

Just as in Doubutsu no Mori, players assume the role of a human setting out for a life of their own in a town of anthropomorphic animals. Each town is randomly generated, ensuring that no two players' experiences are identical. Gameplay within each village is open-ended, allowing players to engage in a variety of activities that suit their playstyle. Players can pick fruit, grow trees, garden, hunt for fossils and fish, catch bugs, do favors for the villagers, or decorate their homes.

Plot[edit]

Upon arrival to the town, the player is greeted by Tom Nook, a local store owner and freelance builder who provides the player with housing. Nook loans the house to the player, advising them to work for him to help pay off the house. After completing several tasks for Nook, he informs the player that they no longer need to work for him and can pay off the loan in their own time. After paying off the loan, Nook allows the player to expand their house in exchange for a new loan. After fully expanding the house and paying back all loans, Nook builds a statue of the player in their honor in front of the train station.

Controls[edit]

Input Result
GCN Control Stick.svg
  • Walking and running
  • Moving the cursor in menus
GCN C Stick.svg
GCN A Button.svg
  • Selecting within menus or dialogue
  • Interacting with items, objects, or characters
  • Using a held item
  • Advancing past the title screen
GCN B Button.svg
  • Running (while holding a direction on GCN Control Stick.svg)
  • Picking up items
  • Cancelling within menus or dialogue
  • Backspacing while typing
GCN X Button.svg
  • Opening the map
  • Switching between accents on the last typed letter while typing
  • Pressing the Select button in an NES game
GCN Y Button.svg
  • Opening the player's pockets
  • Switching between letters, symbols, and icons while typing
  • Pressing the Start button in an NES game
GCN Z Button.svg
  • Turning the lights on or off in the player's house
  • Pressing the Select button in an NES game
  • Quitting an NES game (while also holding GCN L Button.svg and GCN R Button.svg)
GCN L Button.svg
  • Running (while holding a direction on GCN Control Stick.svg))
  • Picking up an item or design in the player's pockets
  • Switching keyboard to display numbers and capital letters while typing
  • Quitting an NES game (while also holding GCN R Button.svg and GCN Z Button.svg)
  • Soft resetting an NES game (while also holding GCN R Button.svg and GCN Start Button.svg)
GCN R Button.svg
  • Running (while holding a direction on GCN Control Stick.svg)
  • Switching between the player's pockets, bug collection, and fish collection
  • Creating a space while typing
  • Quitting an NES game (while also holding GCN L Button.svg and GCN Z Button.svg)
  • Soft resetting an NES game (while also holding GCN L Button.svg and GCN Start Button.svg)
GCN Start Button.svg
  • Opening the player's pockets
  • Confirming a written letter
  • Advancing past the title screen
  • Soft resetting an NES game (while also holding GCN L Button.svg and GCN R Button.svg)
GCN +Control Pad.svg
  • Moving the cursor while typing

Development[edit]

See also: Doubutsu no Mori+ § Development

The Nintendo of America localization team began writing game dialogue in early 2002; however, translation of the game's hundreds of items began months earlier.[2] Unlike the extended localization and development process for recent titles in the series, Animal Crossing was localized in the span of eight to twelve months. During this time, the team translated over 30,000 files of text,[3] worked to develop new items and events to appeal to a North American audience.

In contrast to a usual localization, Animal Crossing required not only significant rewriting, but replacing and addition of new contents. Doubutsu no Mori+ heavily featured elements from Japanese culture, and the developers wanted American audiences to have a similar experience.[2][4] As detailed in an interview with Nate Bihldorff and Bill Trinen, the localization team conceptualized new events and items, and sent them to the developers in Japan to implement them in the game. The final addition was the summer camping event, which was worked on collaboratively in-person during E3 2002, a few months before the game's release, when the development team offered to add more content. The localizers also faced some difficulties over the portrayal of Gracie's gender, as well as confusion over that of Saharah and Blanca. The flexibility of the actual script allowed them to insert their own voice or jokes, with the tasks of localizing each villager personality split among different members for consistency. According to Trinen, the team in Japan was so impressed with the changed and additional content of the localization that they decided to re-release the localized version of the game in Japan,[4] in what would become Doubutsu no Mori e+.

Announcement and release[edit]

The game's logo as seen at E3 2001

In April 2001, shortly after the release of Doubutsu no Mori and eight months before the release of Doubutsu no Mori+, producer Takashi Tezuka stated in an issue of Nintendo Dream that Nintendo of America was preparing for an international release.[5] The following month, on May 16, 2001[6] at Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference, a six-second montage of gameplay footage from what was then known as Animal Forest was shown to members of the media as part of a larger reel featuring upcoming Nintendo GameCube titles.[7] The clip did not feature any dialogue, however the presence of the shrine indicates that it was still early in the localization process, if not footage directly from the Japanese version.

As early as October 2001,[8] Nintendo established a page on their website for Animal Forest noting it was "being optimized for its U.S. debut on the GameCube."[9] A few months later on February 28, 2002, at a Nintendo Roundtable Conference, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that localization of Animal Forest was "progressing and moving along quite well" with then-Nintendo president Satoru Iwata projecting it to be released "sometime in the fall."[10] About a month later on March 30, 2002, the game's name was officially changed to Animal Crossing,[11] as reflected on Nintendo's website at the time.

On May 22, 2002, at Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference, an extended video was shown introducing Animal Crossing and highlighting its ability to connect with the e-Reader and Game Boy Advance.[12] Iwata also confirmed the game for September release in North America. Later that day, Animal Crossing made its second E3 appearance, this time as a playable title on the show floor.[3] It was generally overshadowed by high-profile titles, however it still received the third-place spot on the Game Critic Award's list for Best Original Game of E3 2002.[13] Animal Crossing was released in North America on September 16, 2002.[14][15][1] There were reports, however, that select Blockbuster Video locations had received and began renting advance copies of the game as early as September 6.[16]

Australian and European release[edit]

Animal Crossing was released on October 17, 2003 and September 24, 2004 in Australia and Europe, respectively. Both versions feature minor bug fixes from the North American release, and the European release features localizations in French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Nat NH Character Icon.png
This article or section requires further research.
You can help by investigating this topic and editing this article to include more information. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page.
Further details: Needs info about the Japanese DnM+ development + research into release date(s) in South American countries is needed. Starting point: Research South American distribution by Latamel Inc.
Nat NH Character Icon.png
This article or section requires further research.
You can help by investigating this topic and editing this article to include more information. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page.
Further details: Needs info about the Japanese DnM+ development + research into release date(s) in South American countries is needed. Starting point: Research South American distribution by Latamel Inc.

Regional differences[edit]

Japan to North America[edit]

In addition to being an upgraded re-release to the original Doubutsu no Mori, there are also many differences between the Japanese Doubutsu no Mori+ and international Animal Crossing.

Interface[edit]

  • The dial typing system, featured in Doubutsu no Mori, is retained in the Japanese version of Animal Crossing game, although it is replaced with a virtual QWERTY keyboard in the international versions.
  • The color of the Nintendo logo differs between versions. In the Japanese version, it is white, while in the international version it is red.
  • The "Press START!" text on the title screen reads "Press Start Button!" in the Japanese version.
  • The copyright text on the title screen reads "©2001 Nintendo" in the Japanese version; this was changed to "©2001,2002 Nintendo" in the North American release.

Locations[edit]

  • The shrine from the original game is changed in the international version to be a wishing well.
  • Tom Nook's shop, the Melody Board, and the dump all have different signs. In the Japanese version, the signs feature katakana but are replaced with English text in the international version.
  • The exterior of Nookington's is considerably redesigned, featuring a new canopy and marquee, a new building surface, and a large window in place of the sales banners. The clothing display window is also repositioned and given a new border.
  • The Japanese postal mark (〒) above the post office entrance is changed to a window in the international version.
  • The sign above the entrance of the police station, which features Japanese text and a star in the center, is changed to "POLICE" in the international version. Additionally, the sign to the left of the entrance is removed and the poster on the side is changed from a wanted poster featuring six individuals, one of which is crossed out, to a single animal.
  • Redd's stand during the Fireworks Festival has a completely different appearance between versions. In Doubutsu no Mori it is enclosed by red canvas walls on three sides with a sign above the front side of the stall. In the international version, it is open on all sides, with a red and white-striped pitched roof and more visible decorations but no signage.
  • Igloos contain woks with bubbling blocks of tofu in the Japanese version, which is changed to a pot of chowder in the international.
  • The orange-roofed player house has a worn-out dirt wall and old board floor instead of wood paneling and steel flooring.

Characters[edit]

  • All of the possible player face textures have black eyes in the Japanese version. In the international version, six of the eight faces for each gender are given colored eyes. This design choice is retained in other Japanese releases until the release of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer.
  • Farley and Franklin are new characters introduced in the international version that do not exist in the Japanese version.
  • Various existing characters were redesigned in the international version, and their redesigns have been kept in all subsequent games in all regions.
    • Tortimer wears glasses with white blue lenses and a red zucchetto in the Japanese version. He also wears a white rope around his chest.
    • Mr. Resetti and Don Resetti simply wear white shirts in the Japanese version and wear overalls on top of the shirts in the international version. Additionally, Mr. Resetti's mining helmet features a green stripe under the headlight, while Don Resetti's is green with a white stripe.
    • Tom Nook and Redd both have Japanese characters on their aprons. In the international version, Tom Nook's apron is instead emblazoned with his logo, and Redd's apron features the letter B. Tom Nook's apron in the Japanese version displays the character ten (), meaning "shop."
    • The uniforms for Tom Nook's uniform in Nook 'n' Go and Nookway were reversed for the international version. His Nook 'n' Go uniform is an apron with a blue and orange color scheme, which is changed to red and green and used for Nookway in the international version. His Nookway uniform is changed to the opposite. This was most likely done to avoid infringing on the color scheme for 7-Eleven, of which the original Nookway uniform resembles.
    • Tom Nook's raffle uniform in the Japanese version is a red and black Haori with a white Hachimaki tied around his head, while in the international version it is changed to a tricolor apron with a sports visor.
    • Redd's uniform during the Fireworks Show is completely different in both versions. In the Japanese version, he wears a red and white Hachimaki with a feather attached, and a deep-blue Haori over his usual apron. In the international version, he wears a sports visor and full-length apron with red and white stripes and the letter B emblazoned on it.
    • Chip in the Japanese version has distinctly brown fur, with narrow eyes, glasses, and a purple vest. In the international version, Chip's eyes were made wider, his vest was changed to blue with green trim, and his glasses were removed.
    • On New Year's Day, Katrina dresses on some occasions in the Japanese version in a traditional Japanese Hakama, with her head fully exposed and a white band on her forehead, as well as sometimes wearing her traditional purple robes. In the international version, Katrina exclusively wears her purple robes.
    • Copper and Booker have lighter shirts and hats with slightly different texturing. Additionally, the badge on their hats is a different design, and there is no badge on their shirts.
    • In the Japanese version, Aziz and Elina each has a dot on their forehead that resembles a bindi, a decoration traditionally worn by Hindus and Jains from the Indian subcontinent. Both were removed from international releases; however, Elina's dot still appears on her Game Boy Advance sprite.
    • In the Japanese version, Jane has white fur and brown skin. In international releases, she has purple fur and pink skin.
Altered character designs[edit]
Name Doubutsu no Mori+ Animal Crossing
Player
(boy AAB)
Boy AAB DnM+ Model.png Boy AAB PG Model.png
Player
(boy ABB)
Boy ABB DnM+ Model.png Boy ABB PG Model.png
Player
(boy BAA)
Boy BAA DnM+ Model.png Boy BAA PG Model.png
Player
(boy BAB)
Boy BAB DnM+ Model.png Boy BAB PG Model.png
Player
(boy BBA)
Boy BBA DnM+ Model.png Boy BBA PG Model.png
Player
(boy BBB)
Boy BBB DnM+ Model.png Boy BBB PG Model.png
Player
(girl AAB)
Girl AAB DnM+ Model.png Girl AAB PG Model.png
Player
(girl ABA)
Girl ABA DnM+ Model.png Girl ABA PG Model.png
Player
(girl ABB)
Girl ABB DnM+ Model.png Girl ABB PG Model.png
Player
(girl BAA)
Girl BAA DnM+ Model.png Girl BAA PG Model.png
Player
(girl BAB)
Girl BAB DnM+ Model.png Girl BAB PG Model.png
Player
(girl BBA)
Girl BBA DnM+ Model.png Girl BBA PG Model.png
Aziz Aziz DnM+ Model.png Aziz PG Model.png
Booker Booker DnM+ Model.png Booker PG Model.png
Chip Chip DnM+ Model.png Chip PG Model.png
Copper Copper DnM+ Model.png Copper PG Model.png
Don Resetti Don Resetti DnM+ Model.png Don Resetti PG Model.png
Elina Elina DnM+ Model.png Elina PG Model.png
Hambo Hambo DnM+ Model.png Hambo PG Model.png
Katrina
(New Year's Day)
Katrina (New Year's Day) DnM+ Model.png Katrina PG Model.png
Jane Jane DnM+ Model.png Jane PG Model.png
Mr. Resetti Mr. Resetti DnM+ Model.png Mr. Resetti PG Model.png
Redd Redd DnM+ Model.png Redd PG Model.png
Redd
(Fireworks Festival)
Redd (Fireworks Festival) DnM+ Model.png Redd (Fireworks Festival) PG Model.png
Tom Nook Tom Nook DnM+ Model.png Tom Nook PG Model.png
Tom Nook
(Nook 'n' Go)
Tom Nook (Nook 'n' Go) DnM+ Model.png Tom Nook (Nook 'n' Go) PG Model.png
Tom Nook
(Nookway)
Tom Nook (Nookway) DnM+ Model.png Tom Nook (Nookway) PG Model.png
Tom Nook
(raffle)
Tom Nook (Raffle) DnM+ Model.png Tom Nook (Raffle) PG Model.png
Tortimer Tortimer DnM+ Model.png Tortimer PG Model.png
Villagers with changed default clothing[edit]
Name Doubutsu no Mori+ Animal Crossing
Cesar Cesar DnM+ Model.png
A shirt
Cesar PG Model.png
Two-ball shirt
Cousteau Cousteau DnM+ Model.png
Noodle shirt
Cousteau PG Model.png
Rally shirt
Grizzly Grizzly DnM+ Model.png
W shirt
Grizzly PG Model.png
Houndstooth tee
Paolo Paolo DnM+ Model.png
I love GC shirt
Paolo PG Model.png
Cherry shirt
Punchy Punchy DnM+ Model.png
I love GC shirt
Punchy PG Model.png
Cherry shirt
Rasher Rasher DnM+ Model.png
Familiar shirt
Rasher PG Model.png
Fortune shirt
Tabby Tabby DnM+ Model.png
Tomato juice shirt
Tabby PG Model.png
Fish bone shirt

Events[edit]

  • Many of the events found in the Japanese version are changed for or removed from the international version.
  • In the Japanese version, villagers will wear the Summer Robe and Bamboo Robe during the Fireworks Show and Mushrooming Season. They will also wear the Plum Kimono and Somber Robe during certain other events. In Animal Crossing, all of these clothing items are not used or legitimately obtainable, though they still exist in data.
  • On New Year's Day, the player shakes a pole in the middle of the shrine to ring the bell. In the international version, this is changed to the player tossing a coin in the wishing well's fountain.
  • During the Cherry Blossom Festival, villagers will picnic on tatami mats at the shrine. In the international version, the mats are changed to picnic tables and the villagers dance around the wishing well.

Items[edit]

Miscellaneous[edit]

  • The live version of "DJ K.K." contains guitar riffs resembling the song "Get Ready for This" by 2 Unlimited. In the international version, this is changed to an original melody.

North America to Australia and Europe[edit]

Several minor changes were made to Animal Crossing in its Australian and European versions. In addition to these changes, both versions include various bug fixes from the North American version.

Australia[edit]

  • The font for the copyright text on the title screen was changed, and it now reads "©2001-2003 Nintendo" to reflect the game's release date in Australia.
  • The Mario trophy and Luigi trophy have shorter bases. This is carried over from Doubutsu no Mori e+.
  • The ROMs for Golf, Pinball, Punch-Out!!, Soccer, and Wario's Woods have been changed to their European versions.
  • The following dialog entries have been changed to fix typos or formatting errors (changes in bold):
Entry ID North America Australia Notes
0788

"Oh, Wait a minute!
What am I doing, chewing
your ear off like this?
My apologies!"

"Oh, wait a minute!
What am I doing, chewing
your ear off like this?
My apologies!"

078E

"That price is rock bottom!
Any lower, and I'd be giving
it away! I 'm not that crazy
Hee hee hee."

"That price is rock bottom!
Any lower, and I'd be giving
it away! I'm not that crazy!
Hee hee hee."

0D69

"So, <player>,
If you buy something there,
make sure you know what
you're paying for!"

"So, <player>...
If you buy something there,
make sure you know what
you're paying for!"

1103

"Hold it! This is no bass!
It's a sweet fish. It might as
well have a stamp on its
side that says "NOT A BASS!""

"Hold it! This is no bass!
It's a sweetfish. It might as
well have a stamp on its
side that says "NOT A BASS!""

1300

"I feel so silly.
I accidentally bought two
<item>!"

"I feel so silly.
I accidentally bought a
second <item>!"

Item name is not pluralized, leading to a grammatical error in the North American version.
1410

"I see. Well, I've got to get
some things ready for you.
Please wait while."

"I see. Well, I've got to get
some things ready for you.
Please wait for just a while."

14A4

"No big deal. Anyway, I'm
going to get things, so
keep your pants on!"

"No big deal. Anyway, I'm
going to get things ready, so
keep your pants on!"

1D54

"In an hour, it'll be <time>...
yaaaawn...zzz...zzz...
Whaー?
Must stay awake! Awake!!!"

"In an hour, it'll be <time>...
yaaaawn...zzz...zzz...
Whaー?
Must stay awake! Awake!!!"

321B

"Oh, my! <player>!
It seems like such a long
time,  <catchphrase>!"

"Oh, my! <player>!
It seems like such a long
time, <catchphrase>!"

Double space after "time" in the North American version.
3A4C

"So, Sonny had an urgent
errand that he just couldn't
pull himself away from.
The guys' like a mole dynamo."

"So, Sonny had an urgent
errand that he just couldn't
pull himself away from.
The guy's like a mole dynamo."

3A6B

"Let's me make one thing
perfectly clear: snails are not
insects. Snails are members
of the mollusk family, wot!"

"Let me make one thing
perfectly clear: snails are not
insects. Snails are members
of the mollusk family, wot!"

3B20

"You need to insert a different
Memory Card into Slot A or
Slot B.
<catchphrase>"

"You need to insert a different
Memory Card into Slot A or
Slot B."

3B3D

"The Memory Card in<Slot A/Slot B>
is corrupted! You can't use it!"

"The Memory Card in <Slot A/Slot B>
is corrupted! You can't use it!"

  • The lengths of the pauses between words during Kapp'n's Song have been adjusted.
  • The spelling of two names in the credits has been fixed: "Tim O'Leary" ("Tim O'leary" in the North American version) and "Robert Crombie" ("Robert Cromble" in the North American version).

Europe[edit]

PG Title Screen.png
PG Title Screen Europe.png
The North American (left) and European (right) title screens. Note the altered "Press START!" text and copyright dates.
  • French, German, Italian, and Spanish languages are supported, and the language used by the game is dependent on the GameCube's language.
  • All e-Reader functionality (and references to it) has been removed, as the e-Reader was never released in Europe. This means the Ice Climber and Mario Bros items are unobtainable, though they still exist in the game's code. Despite this, the item names still received translations.
  • The "Press START!" text on the title screen now reads "press START", and the font has been changed.
  • The font for the copyright text on the title screen was changed, and it now reads "©2001-2004 Nintendo" to reflect the game's release date in Europe.
  • The clock uses the 24-hour format rather than the 12-hour format used in the North American version, and all in-game dialogue is updated to reflect this.
  • Dates use the Day/Month format rather than the Month/Day format used in the North American version.
  • Pounds, in the context of weight, is replaced by kg.
  • Numbers use periods instead of commas as decimal separators (e.g. 1.000 rather than 1,000).
  • The sign in front of the dump features a fish-bone design in non-English language versions rather than the text "Dump."
  • Spring Cleaning Day occurs on March 15 instead of May 1.
  • Labor Day occurs on May 1 instead of the first Monday of September.
  • The chalk board reads "English Lesson" instead of "Social Study."
  • The Mario Trophy and Luigi Trophy have shorter bases. This is carried over from Doubutsu no Mori e+.
  • The ROMs for Golf, Pinball, Punch-Out!!, Soccer, and Wario's Woods have been changed to their European versions.

Promotion[edit]

Animal Crossing Pioneers[edit]

On August 7, 2002, Nintendo of America announced a contest whereby 125 teams of two would be selected to receive advance promotional copies of Animal Crossing.[1] The submission deadline for the contest was August 12th. To be considered for selection, applicants had to submit a written response of 50 words or less explaining why they should be chosen as Pioneers. Those selected received a special Animal Crossing disc marked "for promotional use only," along with a 59 block Memory Card and a promotional Animal Crossing calendar. Pioneers received the game a month early and were expected to help Nintendo generate online buzz in advance of the title's release. Pioneers were also given exclusive access to a web forum where they could discuss the game amongst themselves as well as provide feedback to Nintendo representatives. At the end of the experience, the Pioneers were invited to an online chat with a few of the members of the game's localization team.[17] An analysis of the standard and promotional game disc concluded that the two were byte identical,[18] meaning that no changes were made to the final version as a result of Pioneer feedback. The promotional copy and calendar have since become collector's items, with one set selling for over $500 on eBay in March 2014.[19]

Sweepstakes[edit]

From August 30 to October 15, 2002, Nintendo of America initiated the Animal Crossing "Deck Out Your Room" Sweepstakes.[20] One grand prize winner received a TV, headphones, and CD player from Panasonic, a Nintendo GameCube, a Game Boy Advance, five GameCube games, five Game Boy Advance Games, two WaveBird controllers, and a one-year subscription to Nintendo Power. Five first prize winners received a Nintendo GameCube, a copy of Animal Crossing, and a one-year subscription to Nintendo Power.[21] Those who registered for the sweepstakes received a free Animal Crossing screensaver.[22]

Reception[edit]

Animal Crossing was met with mostly positive reviews from critics, with many praising its charming, unique gameplay and long life span. e-Reader connectivity was seen as a welcome addition, although some criticized its outdated graphics and felt that it did not offer much of a single-player experience.[citation needed]

Animal Crossing was included in many year-end 'best of' lists upon its release in 2002. It has also been featured in several all-time top video game countdowns and has received multiple awards and nominations. Review aggregator Metacritic notes a Metascore of 87/100 for Animal Crossing,[23] which places it just behind Animal Crossing: New Leaf's score of 88. In May 2021, Animal Crossing was inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame.[24]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award Category Result Ref.
2002 Game Critic Award Best Original Game of E3 Nominated [13]
GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002 Game of the Year Nominated [25]
Best Role-Playing Game on GameCube Won [26]
Most Innovative Game Won [27]
Funniest Game (Purposely) Nominated [28]
GameSpy's Best of 2002 GameCube Game of the Year Nominated [29]
2003 The Game Developers Choice Awards Innovation Award Won [30]
Interactive Achievement Awards Innovation in Console Gaming Won [31]
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design Won [31]
Console Role-Playing Game of the Year Won [31]
Console Game of the Year Nominated [31]
Game of the Year Nominated [31]
Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering Nominated [31]

Top lists[edit]

Year Publication List Placement Ref.
2003 Nintendo Power Nintendo Power's All-Time Console Favorites 17 [citation needed]
Entertainment Weekly The 100 Greatest Videogames 72 [32]
2006 Electronic Gaming Monthly The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time 126 [33]
Nintendo Power Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games 51 [34]
X-Play 10 Best GameCube Games Ever 7 [35]
2007 Edge Top 100 Games of All Time 49 [36]
ScrewAttack! Top 10 GameCube Games 5 [37]
2008 Nintendo Power Best of the Best - Nintendo GameCube (Top 20) 19 [38]
2012 TIME All-TIME 100 Video Games - [39]

Gallery[edit]

Prerelease and unused content[edit]

Main article: List of prerelease and unused content in Animal Crossing

Names in other languages[edit]

Japanese どうぶつの森
Doubutsu no Mori Purasu
Animal Forest+

German Animal Crossing Animal Crossing

European Spanish Animal Crossing Animal Crossing

European French Animal Crossing Animal Crossing

Italian Animal Crossing Animal Crossing

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Jonathan Metts (August 6, 2002). "Lucky Gamers Play Animal Crossing Early". Nintendo World Report.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Nintendo (May 16, 2013). "Inside the Treehouse with Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Localizing Animal Crossing (Ep 1)". YouTube.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Andres Rojas (May 22, 2002). "Animal Crossing Hands-on Preview". Nintendo World Report.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Jason Nuyens (November 12, 2004). "Interviews". N-Sider.com. Archived from the original on March 15, 2005.
  5. IGN (April 30, 2001). "Animal Forest for US". Archived from the original on April 8, 2003. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  6. IGN (May 10, 2001). "Nintendo Pre-E3 Press Conference Details".
  7. Nintendo World Report (June 6, 2011). "Planet Gamecube E3 2001 Video Part 5". YouTube.
  8. Max Lake (October 19, 2001). "Animal Forest USA Bound?". Nintendo World Report.
  9. Nintendo. "Main Game Page, Animal Forest". Archived from the original on November 23, 2001.
  10. Michael Cole (February 28, 2002). "Animal Forest + coming to North America!". Nintendo World Report.
  11. Mike Sklens (March 30, 2002). "Animal Forest + gets a name change". Nintendo World Report.
  12. NintendoNWRExclusive (June 10, 2013). "Nintendo E3 2002 Press Conference from PGC E3 2002 DVD". YouTube.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Giant Bomb. "E3 2002".
  14. Nintendo. "Animal Crossing". Archived from the original on February 13, 2003.
  15. Nintendo. "The Crossing Guardian : For Parents". animal-crossing.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2002. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  16. Billy Berghammer (September 6, 2002). "Animal Crossing hits Blockbuster early?". Nintendo World Report.
  17. MobyGames. "Animal Crossing Pioneer".
  18. Redump. "Animal Crossing".
  19. "Animal Crossing Pioneer Disc & Calendar Reward Gift Great Cond. Ultra Rare Promo". eBay. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020.
  20. Nintendo. "Official Sweepstakes Rules". animal-crossing.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2002.
  21. Nintendo. "Enter the Animal Crossing "Deck Out Your Room" Sweepstakes". animal-crossing.com. Archived from the original on September 3, 2002.
  22. Billy Berghammer (September 10, 2002). "Deck out your room!". Nintendo World Report.
  23. Metacritic. "Animal Crossing for GameCube Reviews".
  24. Marcus Ramirez (May 6, 2021). "The original Animal Crossing has been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame". Nintendo Wire. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  25. GameSpot. "GameSpot's Video Game of the Year, Nominees". Archived from the original on February 1, 2003.
  26. GameSpot. "Best Role-Playing Game on GameCube". Archived from the original on December 23, 2002.
  27. GameSpot. "Most Innovative Game". Archived from the original on February 10, 2003.
  28. GameSpot. "Funniest Game (Purposely)". Archived from the original on December 23, 2002.
  29. GameSpy. "Runners Up". Archived from the original on June 28, 2003.
  30. Game Developers Choice Awards. "Innovation Archive".
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 31.4 31.5 Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. "Interactive Achievement Awards By Video Game Details". Archived from the original on May 10, 2012.
  32. Entertainment Weekly (May 12, 2003). "The 100 greatest videogames: No. 51 - No. 100".
  33. Electronic Gaming Monthly. "The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2006.
  34. Nintendo Wiki. "Nintendo Power's Top 200 Games". Fandom.
  35. G4 (July 7, 2006). "Best GameCube Games Ever: #7-5". Archived from the original on March 9, 2013.
  36. Edge (July 2, 2007). "EDGE'S TOP 100 GAMES OF ALL TIME". Archived from the original on October 18, 2012.
  37. ScrewAttack! (July 19, 2012). "Top 10 GameCube Games - ScrewAttack.com". YouTube. [dead link]
  38. Nintendo Wiki. "Nintendo Power's Best of the Best". Fandom.
  39. Lev Grossman (November 15, 2012). "Animal Crossing". Time.