Play it again, Sam!
Enough with the innuendo and all the second-guessing...it's time to make it
official! One of the key weapons in Nintendo's E3 Conference yesterday was
the totally expected, yet totally welcome return to the world of Animal Crossing
for the Wii console. Or should I say online world of Animal Crossing, as
the City Folk adventure learns a few tricks from its DS cousin and ups
its online game considerably.
Adding to the mixture of wow and cool is the implementation of Wii Speak,
Nintendo's answer to the throngs of perturbed WiFi fans anxious to
trash-talk online and annoy the rest of the world. We all knew it was
coming, and now its officially working with each copy Animal Crossing: City
Folk (sold-separately). I'm loving how Nintendo is calling this one a
Community Simulation, as the wacky franchise certainly doesn't seem to fit
anywhere else nicely. Although you might be thinking this one looks mighty
familiar, its hard to imagine just how much different a fuller-realized version
of this strange, colorful world would look. Online play, voice-chat, and
information sharing should be enough for anyone, at least the most agile
Crossing fans out there.
Just below is all the official good stuff, direct from Nintendo themselves.
Check out our other coverage of Animal Crossing: City Folk, including
some pretty cool screenshots and official trailer as well. This one is
definitely going to be big folks, and should safely be one of Nintendo's biggest
holiday releases - if not their biggest. Now enough chatter and more
official blurbs!
If life were an endless vacation, what would you do? Go fishing, collect
shells or watch fireworks with friends? Build a snowman, exchange presents
with family or decorate your house for the holidays? Take a trip to the
city, go on a shopping spree or visit friends from all over the globe? In
Animal Crossing: City Folk, life moves at a relaxed pace, but the world
brims with endless possibilities.
• There’s always something new to do. In the living, breathing world of
Animal Crossing: City Folk, days and seasons pass in real time, so there’s
always something to discover. Catch fireflies in the summer, go
trick-or-treating on Halloween or hunt for eggs on Bunny Day. If you’re in
the mood for something a little faster paced, take a bus to a new urban city
area that’s unique to Animal Crossing: City Folk. There you can catch a show
at the theater or check out the sales at Gracie’s boutique. But if you don’t
show your face back home for too
long, your neighbors will miss you.
• Up to four people from your household can live and work together to build
the perfect town. Design clothes and patterns, write letters and post
messages on the bulletin board for each other, or invite up to three friends
to visit your town using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. With the new WiiSpeak
microphone, it’s like you’re all in the same room. The microphone sits atop
the sensor bar and picks up the conversation of everyone in the room to
encourage a more inclusive experience.
• Get to know your neighbors. The heart of Animal Crossing: City Folk is
building relationships with the animals in your town as well as with other
players. Befriend your animal neighbors by exchanging letters, gifts and
favors. Animals can also move from town to town, bringing their memories and
stories from their old towns with them. And since animals are notoriously
loose-lipped, they spill all the juicy details.
• Express your personal style. Customize your town, your house and yourself
by collecting bugs, fish, fossils, art, furniture, clothes and accessories.
You can also go to the salon in the city to change your hairstyle and get a
Mii™ makeover. Plus, if you design clothes in the tailor’s shop, animals
will wear them and maybe even bring them to other towns.