Prerelease and unused content in New Leaf

The following is a list of prerelease and unused content in Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

Early builds

E3 2010

In the prerelease build of Animal Crossing: New Leaf shown at E3 2010, a number of significant differences from later builds can be seen in screenshots released to the press.

Different textures and models are used for trees, fruits, flowers, and houses. Furthermore, all models use very different lighting than their final release counterparts and the sky notably lacks any clouds. Public works projects had stone underneath them, much like key buildings do in the final game.

A further screenshot seems to show that the beach was originally going to have a slight slope going into the ocean.

The villager dialogue box initially used a more rectangular design with a speech bubble for the villager's name. The box itself would be reused in the final game for non-character text with the speech bubble removed.

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  A player character standing next to a rock

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  A player character standing next to the rock

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  Early villager dialogue box

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  Public works projects with stone underneath

Early villager house

Tokyo Game Show 2010

The same build as depicted in the E3 2010 screenshots was shown in a software lineup reel during Nintendo's 2010 Tokyo Game Show conference. The footage appears to have been taken at the same time as the screenshots, showing many of the same things. The most notable new thing shown is a full view of an early villager house.

3DS Game Lineup Trailer

A lineup trailer released on January 19, 2011 shows further video of the E3 2010 screenshots, showing some new footage. None of the footage reveals anything not already shown in prior media.

E3 2011

Animal Crossing: New Leaf was formally revealed with a video trailer at E3 2011.

The game, while not quite finished, looks much closer to its final state. Lighting has been substantially improved and the skybox now has clouds. Fruits and houses look very close to the final game, although the tent has a bundle of wood that was later removed. The stone underneath public works projects has been removed, bringing them to their final appearance, and it is shown that villagers can sit on benches.

Trees and flowers have been redesigned, still appearing similar to what was shown in E3 2010 but with redone models and textures. Cedar and palm trees are first shown, the former featuring a significantly different design than in the final game and the latter appearing identical to the final save for a slightly taller trunk.

Text boxes have been slightly redesigned, with the speech bubble replaced with a rectangular label and the color changed from blue to a light beige.

Wet suits make their first appearance in this trailer, seemingly identical in functionality to the final game. Notably, the dock has a different design and does not have a Tortimer Island box. Kapp'n is also not present but may simply not be unlocked yet. The beach also no longer has the slight slope seen in previous media.

Various other things are shown for the first time; including Isabelle, mushrooms, sneaking with nets, and furniture on walls; all appearing similar to the final game.

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  New dialogue box design

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  A player standing on front of their tent. Note the bundle of wood on the right

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  A player standing the older dock. Note the lack of a Tortimer Island box and the different pine tree

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  A player standing next to an updated house, public works project, and ceder trees

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  A player sneaking to catch a yellow butterfly

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  A player and Punchy sitting together on a bench surrounded by tulips.

Isabelle asking the mayor if they would like to build the Café

Two players on multiplayer, one sitting on a tree trunk. The tulips have been updated since E3 to their final appearance

Tokyo Game Show 2011

Further video was shown at Tokyo Game Show 2011. This build appears to be very similar to that shown during E3, showing a lot of new things not seen then.

The trailer is in Japanese, with dialogue revealing that the player is the mayor. Dialogue with Isabelle, then called Hisho (Japanese for secretary) rather than her final Japanese name of Shizue, shows a player deciding where to build the Café.

A number of additional features are shown, seemingly functionally identical to the final game. This includes the ability to sit on tree trunks, custom furniture (in the form of a player character placing down a Cabin Couch customized with the Heart Tee), and multiplayer.

It also appears that tulips were redesigned between E3 and this trailer, as they much more closely resemble the final game.

Unused content

Leftover E3 demo screenshot from the game files

E3 2010 screenshot

A screenshot corresponding with the E3 2010/TGS 2010 build can be found within the game files. It depicts the early house model seen in other media of this build, with no visible player character in frame.

Unused bed icon

Unused bed icon

An unused version of an icon used when replacing the player's bed in the attic#Animal Crossing: City Folk in Animal Crossing: City Folk can be found in the games file. It is modified to have a cross over it. Its intended use is unclear.

See also

• Animal Crossing: New Leaf/Gallery § Promotional and pre-release screenshots