Animal Crossing: Wild World Member Review for the DS

Animal Crossing was a smash hit back in 2002, giving nintendo fans it's own personal simulation game, Complete with a large variety of animal neighbors, collectables and other little secrets. The popularity of the game was phenominal, but the fans were definitly craving for more, more things to collect, more towns to visit, more of the same.

With Animal Crossing, Wild World, we get more of the same, and then some. Thanks to the new Nintendo WIFI connection, ACWW becomes not your average sim, but something more.

Graphics- A pretty game that has a decent framerate, although it dips a few times. Instead of the grid from Animal Crossing, we have a turning motion, which is really impressive and cool to look at. The graphics are similar to the origonal, so fans will like it, but newcomers might see it as to cartoony and childish.The game also has a cool day/night system where players can see the sun set and rise, which is a cool effect. Overall its great for the power of the DS.

Final Score- B+

Gameplay- ACWW has unique gameplay. You basically go around, digging up fossils, buy, selling, trading furniture, masks, helmets,hats, umbrellas, clothing, and other stuff, interact with the townsfolk, and go online and visit towns. The game has no point, unless you count paying off debts in the early stages, the game has no end either, it all depends on where you stop. It just like the sims, but it keeps going on instead of pausing. It is hard to not like the gameplay here, because there is SO MUCH to do, but, after a while it can become a tad repetitive, especially mundane things like watering flowers and collecting seashells, which you will do a lot so you can pay off debts. Even things like bug collecting and fishing would be trouble if you get bored, but it is rewarding when there are over 30 types of things to collect even for that.

Final Score- A

Sound- The game has simple, catchy music, and the animals speak in a made up language of bleeps and dings. Very cartoony but also a bit weak. It also gives it a cutesy feel to the game, but it fits perfectly with the game at the same time.

Final Score- B-

Satisfaction- ACWW is a great experience offline, but once your online, and you find friends and get friend codes (which is the only way to visit towns, unfortanatly.) it is a whole new experience. Seeing other towns, interacting with other people, and participating in interesting games of tag which are cool ideas that might never be done is what makes the game better than great. The touch screen is used very well, although the top screen is shafted a bit in the end, giving you nothing but a clear sky or a look at the paused screen when you have the various menus on the touch screen. Also it is a bit cluttered, the various menus, but despite that, the game is one of the best games on the DS, utilizing all of it's aspects to make an incredible gaming experience.

Final Score- A

Overall Score- A-