Most video games are the same, no matter when people play them. Whether it’s 3 a.m. or 5 p.m., gamers can do the same thing. But Nintendo’s new Real Time game, “Animal Crossing,” breaks this mold.
The game came out Sept.16, 2002, on Nintendo’s GameCube. Since then, it has become an addictive force for gamers everywhere.
“It’s a cuter, furrier version of crack,” said Todd Musso, a photography junior. “It can steal hours of your life at a time.”
The game is simple in design and graphics. Players take control of small creatures, who can only be described as sickeningly cute, and live in little woodland towns. It seems harmless enough at first.
Players are forced to buy a home on credit and then must pay the shopkeeper back for the loan. Every time a player pays his loan, the shopkeeper improves his house, and players find themselves in debt again.
Players perform tasks to earn money. They catch fish, dig for fossils and chop down trees – all for money to pay off their debts.
The gem of this game is the Real Time factor. The game checks the GameCube clock for the date and time and then sets surroundings based on that information. The game changes seasons, the sun sets and shops close all depending on the actual time in reality.
This real-time does cause aggravation for some gamers because the shops close at night, and they can’t buy anything until the next day. Also, there are one-time sales, and if players miss, they must wait until the next one. If players attempt to change the clock, the game scolds them.
Another nice factor in the game is its versatility. Players can decorate their new homes with all the things they find or buy. Some of the house decorations become very elaborate.
Players set up towns for their characters, and each player in the same town has different houses the other players can visit. Players send letters to each other and build relationships with the computer-controlled characters.
The game’s addictive quality will require a great deal of the players’ time. As players spend more time playing “Animal Crossing,” the addiction sets in and they continue playing for hours on end.
Nathan Champion, a religious studies junior, describes it as “a quaint, cute game that for some reason, I just can’t seem to stop playing.”
Players can use their Nintendo Game Boy Advance with the game, unlocking a secret island that appears only with the Game Boy Advance. It contains unique items only found on the island.
Nintendo has taken great leaps forward in creativity with this game. It keeps players interested and can be played again and again without being exactly like the last time. It is a unique game; it leaves players wanting more.