Nintendo's next mobile game after Miitomo, Super Mario Run, and Fire Emblem Heroes will hit mobile devices Nov. 22.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, announced this past October, is a miniaturized version of the Animal Crossing Series released on Nintendo consoles such as the DS, Wii, and the 3DS. The mobile iteration seems more similar to the mainline simulation entries than the spinoffs, thankfully. It's also the first time for Animal Crossing to be ported over to mobile devices. Most important of all, it represents Nintendo's increasing smartphone presence.
Gamers will have a ball playing this game. There's a reason why Animal Crossing is one of Nintendo's most commercially successful and popular franchises, and it may be either of these or all of them combined: charm, animals acting like they're human, slow-paced but calming gameplay, and the ability to do whatever one wants. It is an oddball of a title, that's for sure.
There is essentially nothing to do in the game — there are no difficult goals or levels players must pass — yet there is somehow so much to do, like decorating one's home, designing clothes, planting trees, fishing, expanding one's home, and a ton more. Like many Nintendo titles, Animal Crossing appeal to players by offering something very lax yet engaging — it's a do-what-you-want type of game, basically, but infused with Nintendo's signature charm.
What To Do In 'Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp'
Hopefully Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp retains all those when it launches this week. In the game, players are going to manage a campsite, which they can decorate with certain furniture to attract animal visitors. Also included are the usual tenets of an Animal Crossing game: fishing, bug-catching, shopping, and even crafting items.
The game runs in real-time, which means it will reflect whatever time it is in the real world. Time and seasons have always been significant elements of the game, affecting which types of bugs spawn, which flowers grow, and which fish can be caught.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Might Be A Hit
The game has actually been made available in Australia as a soft-launch, and it climbed up to the top spot faster than either Super Mario Run or Fire Emblem Heroes, according to MacRumors. So, will it be a hit or not?
Who cares? Well, Nintendo does, for sure. But the most important thing here is that Animal Crossing is about to get a brand-new audience: casual mobile players. If they fall in love with the game, they might be convinced to purchase future mainline titles. Pretty slick strategy there, Nintendo.
Animal Crossing Pocket: Camp launches Nov. 22. It will be a free-to-play game but users will have the option to buy "Leaf Tickets" to bypass certain things, such as wait times for build structures. Hopefully, Nintendo doesn't go full EA with the in-app purchases.
