Too often the video game community remains overtaken by games with breathtaking graphics and heart-stopping action that allows for the player to immerse themselves in the role of a hero, like in Uncharted, or, in some cases, the villain, like in Grand Theft Auto. However, Animal Crossing 3D breaks the mold and allows for the player to play as neither the hero nor the villain, which is a pleasant surprise.

Animal Crossing 3D: A New Leaf, released June 14, expands on the ideas presented in the previous release, Animal Crossing: Wild World. Essentially, the story begins when the player accepts the position of mayor in a town where they just arrived in. This opens up an array of new opportunities to customize the town, including building bridges, benches, streetlights or fountains in the surrounding environment. Animal Crossing 3D: A New Leaf differentiates from its predecessor with its 3D effects, although they do not stand out, and are only available on the Nintendo 3DS.

This game possesses few mistakes and provides an immersive world that can consume hours of play. The gameplay corresponds to all of the Sims games, meaning the gameplay consists of buying furniture, decorating the home, buying clothes, fishing and even collecting fossils. Animal Crossing 3D’s cartoonish style works well in its favor and acts as a breath of fresh air, especially when compared to the unbelievably realistic games that are on the market today. Animal Crossing’s philosophy ultimately means keeping the gameplay simple while also keeping it interesting. The game doesn’t need a captivating story or deep character development to make the player care. The mere idea of upgrading the house to a mansion or changing the environment to exactly how the player wants it gives anyone enough motivation to play.

Overall, the unique gameplay and the endless possibilities that the game presents makes Animal Crossing 3D: A New Leaf a winner, so prepare to spend countless hours discovering everything in Animal Crossing 3D: A New Leaf.