Animal Crossing: City Folk

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Kiffa's Animal Crossing: City Folk Review

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Kiffa

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Kiffa's Review
Aug 21, 2009

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3 of 4 found this helpful

+my favourites

Animal Crossing: City Folk

THE GOOD:
+ Vibrant graphics and realistic sounds
+ WiFi connection
+ City to visit and explore (new to Animal Crossing)
+ Endless hours of gameplay
+ More challenging gameplay than other games in the series
+ Can makeover character as a Mii
+ Can use Wii Speak over WiFi

THE BAD:
- Boring over time
- Weeds grow when you do not play
- Neighbours move out over time
- Not many beneficial additions
- Hype is not lived up to

SUMMARY:
Overview:
After a long bus ride, you find your character wandering into their new home. Seem familiar? That’s because Animal Crossing: City Folk differs very little from Wild World or the basic concept from the Gamecube version. You can control your customized character in their Animal Crossing life, paying off your mortgage, fishing, bug catching, making friends or visit the main city (a new feature to the game). While the main principles are still in tact, veteran players lose out on any new and exciting features, unlike what Wild World brought to the DS version of the series. I felt, having been avidly entertained by the DS game, slightly disappointed. Nevertheless, I felt myself addicted and craving the game… for a short time anyways.

Gameplay:
Like any Animal Crossing game, City Folk allows players to control a character through their town to live their own life. Their goals can be whatever they wish. They could create a perfect, utopia-like town, or make it a disgusting dump. The amazing quality to these games is the freedom for the gamer. Essentially, all players will try to pay off their house mortgage and upgrade it to the maximum. On the side, players can fish, bug catch, garden (plant trees/flowers), visit the City, decorate their home, donate to the local museum, design clothes, mail letters or even visit friends outside of your town via WiFi. Your options while playing are virtually endless, bringing both positive and negative aspects to the game. On one hand, there is so much to do that gameplay ceases to ever actually end. On the other hand, it becomes quite repetitive and boring to play.

To divulge into more detail, players pay off their mortgage through the use of bells, the in-game currency. Bells can be made in a variety of ways, and can be used to do things besides paying off your house. Bells can be made fishing, bug catching, selling fruit and other items and for performing various tasks for neighbours. Your hard-earned bells can be kept for your house fund, or put towards new items, accessories, outfits or for miscellaneous reasons. Bells can even be put towards a complete makeover, where players can update their player's face with one of their Miis (seen in the image on the left). Like the real world, Bells help players attain many items to which they desire. These include special in-game items, furniture, clothing, accessories, tools, and basically, most things, even a cup of coffee! I find the best thing in Animal Crossing is fishing and bug catching. It helps make the most bells and I enjoy trying to catch every species there is in the game. It can be a challenge, and requires a lot of time, but it's one of the more enjoyable pastimes in the game. Fish and bugs vary on the season (which can be adjusted at any time in the main menu). Besides these two main features, a lot of the player's game life is spent exploring their town, a friend's town via WiFi or the City.

A great feature, although perhaps too hyped, was the addition of the City. It added a new area for players to explore, with many attractions in one. However, my biggest issue is that it basically sums up what all the other games had in special visits into one area. It takes away from the value of the special events, but it is quite handy for somethings. It includes a shoe shiner, the auction house, Grace's boutique, a bank, the HRA headquarters, a theatre, the barber shop, a tarot reader and Redd's warehouse. All in all, you would think there is plenty to do. However, there are many places, like the tarot reader and the HRA headquarters, you might not visit much. The main attractions include Redd's, where you can find expensive, but rare items that Nook doesn't always sell and the auction house. At the auction house, which has a finicky setup system, allows players to put items up for auction. Other animals can bid for your items, and you can bid for theirs. It's a new feature I found impossible to use. Your timing must be impeccable, which I found annoying. Overall, the City is okay. I choose to only go there when I am extremely bored, or I have money for a Gracie set. Gracie's store is a neat addition, with over-priced furniture sets that are incredibly rare. It's a fun goal to try and save up for her items. She sells furniture, clothing and accessories. Besides the City, players can visit friends towns or explore their own. In every generic town, players will find a Nook's (for all buying and selling needs), Able's (for clothing), the post office, museum and town gates. In brief, the post office can send letters and pay off your mortgage, as well give town updates. The museum is in desperate need of your donation in paintings, fossils, fish and bugs. Lastly, the town gates is crucial in visiting other people's town. There is a bus stop, made separate, for traveling to the City.

Overall, I found my favourite aspect was improving my home and donating to the museum. This involved mostly fishing and some bug catching. As a veteran to the series, I have always found a passion and love for fishing. I enjoy expanding my collection in hopes of obtaining the golden fishing rod and completing my museum collection. It's a lot of work, but it's a great way to keep yourself entertained all year round. I found the City to be okay, but in all honesty, I was expecting a lot more. It still has it's uses though.

WiFi Connection:
Playing off Wild World, City Folk brings back the fantastic WiFi feature with an enhanced bonus: Wii Speak. While some players may feel uneasy speaking live, Wii Speak brings players closer by allowing regular speech to each other, if everyone has the product. Players can talk back and forth verbally, something that the DS version could have included. I was pleased to see this addition to the game, and found it convenient to purchase the game in it's special bundle form with Wii Speak. The WiFi itself can be laggy and lost connection often, but it's still an amazing experience to the game. WiFi gives the game hours of increased game time, as traveling to another town or having guests in yours make it so much more entertaining for anyone. I recommend that any player of this game invest in WiFi connection at the minimum, as it's benefits are fantastic.

Like Wild World, City Folk offers players up to 3 additional
guests in a town. Players can chat with the Wii Speak product
and can participate in tournaments or trades.

Graphics and Sound:

Like any typical Animal Crossing game, the graphics and sound are more than passed par. The clear, cute and colourful graphics look great on a good quality TV. They accurately depict an Animal Crossing town and character, with simplistic detail we've come to love. The sounds have also carried through. The chatter of Animalese, the language of your villagers, and the soothing background sounds compliment the graphics harmoniously. In the video, on the right, you can get a sample of the graphics and sound, though there is no verbal directions such as the video delivers. The only verbal talking you will hear is from Wii Speak chats held over WiFi connection. The graphics are extremely good quality, and put the finest detail into the things that matter most, including item design. The layout of the game is done in a decent matter, however, it can be sensitive when you first begin playing. It takes some time to get used to, but it becomes seamless when trying to access different toolbars later on. Like any previous games, sound qualities can be changed and Animalese can be turned off. Overall, both the graphics and sounds match this third Animal Crossing title perfectly. The sounds of simple things, such as running, or the closing of the bus doors, are realistic. It enhances the player's experience during the game. The sounds of the City are cute and remind me of a 50s movie. The door chimes and sounds associated with cities actively reflect the City in Animal Crossing. Both the sounds and graphics are visually pleasing and soothing to the ear. There isn't much to complain about, giving the game great benefits, since both aspects are key to any game.

Relation to Series:
As the third game in the series, City Folk falls a bit flat. While it is still fun and enjoyable, it brought little change from its predecessor, Animal Crossing: Wild World, for the DS. It uses the same screen style, the same features are included and even the new additions are only minimal. The basic concept of Animal Crossing is prominent and perfectly suited for this version. However, veterans of the series may find that it wasn't what they had hoped, or they had hoped for me. I know as a player of all three I expected a lot more. The game isn't bad, it just wasn't what I had hoped it to be. It's still worth the investment, especially for players who haven't tried the series, or have only the Gamecube version for an experience. It's insanely addicting (for a time) and tons of fun.

Lasting Impression:
Sure, perhaps City Folk fell a little flat, but it doesn't mean that it's not a great game and that all games are perfect. It's hard to top such a success like Wild World and there were some improvements. City Folk just doesn't have that exciting kick Wild World offered, with all it's new features. City Folk is a great play for anyone, veterans or newcomers to the series. It's still addicting as ever and fun to play, regardless of whether or not it's a step up from its predecessor.

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