Writing
Review: Animal Crossing Wild World - Published by N-Philes, Mar 26, 2006
Who would have thought that a game about catching fish, collecting furniture, and running errands for a town of talking animals would have been made, let alone go on sell over a million copies largely due to word of mouth? Nintendo took a risk taking Animal Crossing out of Japan, but thanks to the quirky game's success, a sequel was born on Nintendo's quirky handheld. Thus, we have our second outing in Animal Crossing Wild World, where sly raccoons will hustle you for every bell, shy porcupines will tell you their life story, and insightful owls will give you every reason you need to hate bugs.
Wild World isn't so much a sequel as it is a refinement of the first opus. If you've played the GameCube version of Animal Crossing then you know pretty much what to expect. Your character leaves home to take up residence in a small village inhabited by talking animals; upon arrival, Tom Nook, a sexy treadmill capitalist, will sell you a house. Of course, you have no money to pay for this house, so he puts you to work indentured-servant style. After a few tutorial-style missions that help players get you used to the game, Nook cuts you loose from his tight grip, and it's at this point that the Wild World experience truly begins.
Wild World brings several fresh ideas to the table. The most noticeable change is the round, cylindrical presentation of the village. Not only does this give the village a chibi-planet-like vibe (it smacks of Le Petit Prince), but it cleverly allows the player to see more of his or her surroundings on the small, low resolution DS screens. The second most noticeable change is character customization. Shirts are nice, but Wild World steps it up a notch, allowing players to wear new hairstyles, hats, and even facial accessories. It's completely possible to storm your friend's village with an army helmet and gas mask, axe in hand, demanding that he give you his cabana wallpaper. Other noteworthy additions include new fish, tools, items, music, and even characters, such as Brewster the coffee house pigeon, and Dr. Skunk the psychologist.
Animal Crossing Wild World is a complete beast that can suck away all of your free time, if you aren't careful. The seemingly mundane daily tasks of watering plants and keeping tabs with neighbors can prove so addicting that you can very likely forget to water your real life plants (if you have any) or keep up with real life friends (you don't). Also, like any other game, this one extends its replay value further thanks to multiplayer support. Wild World makes interacting with others much simpler and more dynamic. Not unlike its console predecessor, the game does support four players, alternating play, with one game cart. However, instead of having one house per player, everyone lives under the same roof in this village. This means that your house is never the same as when you left it, and any college dorm-dwellers can attest to the reality of this situation. A housemate can easily sell your rare Halloween collection and replace it with awful pink furniture. Fortunately, the dresser storage system has been completely overhauled. Each player has their own large depository to store items inaccessible to anyone else. As the house expands, everyone will have enough room to call their own.
The real kicker, however, is that for the first time in Animal Crossing's brief history, multiple players can play together simultaneously. In the end, orgasmic is far from the term I would use to describe local wireless play. The DS' keyboard interface makes communicating within the game a breeze (folks, there is no going back to the keyboard in the GameCube game), but there is no reason to use it when the person you're playing with is sitting right beside you. In fact, playing Wild World locally isn't very fun at all. Sure, you can fish together and exchange items, but most of the communication for a communication game takes place outside of the game. This seems to hinder the overall experience. Also, there are other little quirks that make for an underwhelming session; for example: the fish on each DS don't match up, so you can't see the fish that your friend is trying to catch, meaning you can't try to catch it too. Being able to compete for the same fish would have been nice, that's all I'm saying.
Perhaps the biggest selling point for Wild World is online play, which pushes the series in a direction that many envisioned while playing the first Animal Crossing game (a title that met near-Smash Bros. levels of fanboy speculation about online play) . All you need to visit someone via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is a wireless internet connection and a friend code with his or her character and town names. Once your friend opens his or her town gate, you can freely visit that town. The online experience is perhaps the best multiplayer aspect of the game. You can do everything that you could with local wireless, including: fishing contests, fruit planting, tree cutting, item trading, shopping, writing letters, and visiting with the locals. The only difference between online and offline play is the communication aspect - with online play you use the keyboard and emotional faces. This simple feature makes the whole experience feel much more interactive. The only drawback is that, although online play is a cinch to set up and get into, there isn't a whole lot to do with a friend or three. Sure, you can compete to catch the most fish, but when the timer goes off, the score isn't displayed, nor is there any reward for winning. Though, seeing as the entire game is based around doing a whole lot of nothing, the virtue of online play is all heavily dependent on the player's perspective.
Control is a big aspect of the DS, and Wild World delivers unlike any other game thus far. The entire game can be played exclusively with the buttons, the touch screen, or any combination of the two. Those who can't get enough stylus action will be pleased to know that moving around and performing actions with the touch screen aren't awkward at all. Chances are, each player will find a balance by using the buttons for some actions, and the screen for others. The only gripe with using both is that the transition isn't seamless; when switching from the buttons to the touch screen, or vice versa, you need to tap the screen once before your action can be executed. It is also a bit annoying that you cannot move around while having your inventory open. This would make some tasks easier, like catching bees and mole crickets.
Graphically, Animal Crossing Wild World retains the style of the GameCube version. While the style is more fitting for a less powerful system, it doesn't push what the DS can handle. Coupling a lower resolution with fewer polygons, many household items don't have a lot of detail. Zooming in helps, but even then detail doesn't shine though. The game itself runs smoothly, though there can be slowdown when connected online with even one other player. Usually this only happens when someone enters or exits a house or building.
Perhaps one of the best leaps from the GameCube version is in the sound department. The beautiful surround sound effects that the DS can pull off are fully realized in the game's music. The tracks are all wonderful, and they really add to the overall experience. The stereo effect can help the player locate other players in the town, as well as town residents and bugs. Though the animalese language doesn't sound as clear, you can still make out a few words here and there, kitty kat.
Steady Beat - You'll enjoy your stay in the Wild World.
While Animal Crossing Wild World isn't that much different from its predecessor, the game itself is just as engrossing (a better word might be "addicting"), and there's definitely fun to be had with it. There may be fewer animals living in the town, but interaction with each one is more fun, and since Wild World is portable, it's accessible when you need that quick fix, and easy to play together with friends wherever they may live.
Like the Cube version, Animal Crossing isn't for everyone. Players don't get any immediate gratification, but rather you get back what you invest into the experience. Animal Crossing Wild World is the perfect game to bridge the gap between non-gamers and gamers, so whatever you do, keep it away from your parents and your siblings. They will enjoy this game, and they will take your DS.
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