Animal Crossing Observer

List of all known Bugs and Fish!

2009-01-10T07:30:00.002-06:00

Over on NooksCranny.net, critterannie has posted a list of all known Bugs and Fish, their bell value, and the location they can be caught in. Very handy!

Bugs: http://www.nookscranny.net/index.php/topic,1070.0.html

Fish: http://www.nookscranny.net/index.php/topic,1071.0.html

Moving In...

2009-01-05T15:16:00.002-06:00

Hi folks, just thought I'd introduce myself. I'm Ronnie, co-admin (with my good friend Marc) at Nooks Cranny (an Animal Crossing forum), and have been playing Animal Crossing since it's first English incarnation on the Gamecube. Was addicted to the DS version (Wild World) and am still getting to grips with the Wii version.

I'd like to invite you all to sign up at Nooks Cranny, we have over 300 members and, while the chit-chat is a bit slow at the moment, I expect it to pick up as more and more people become addicted to AC having gotten it for Christmas. We were hugely busy when Wild World was first on the DS, and it's been a few years now, but the old faces are slowly starting to return.

My AC friend code is on Nooks Cranny, in the Play Together section of the forum. Feel free to add me to your friends list and leave your friend code in the forum too (in a new post) and let others add you to their friends list too.

What I'll probably do is, like Chris said (below), link the NooksCranny.net URL to here and use Animal Crossing Observer as a launch point for the NC forum.

Feel free to drop me an email via NC (or here) and come visit!

Transitions

2009-01-05T09:37:00.002-06:00

I've found someone who is willing to take over this blog from me, Ronnie Tucker. He's one of the admins at NooksCranny.net which is an AC forum that's been about since AC:Wild World. He volunteered to take the job, so I'll be handing the blog over to him now.

So he'll be posting news here from now on, and he'll also be changing the URL to NooksCranny.net, so keep an eye out for that so that you don't lose the blog. I think that this is a great step for this blog, and it was cool to start it up, and hopefully it'll just grow and grow.

Peace out,
- Chris

The End?

2008-12-04T17:32:00.003-06:00

Yeah, now that Animal Crossing is out, I've gotten really lazy. I mean, I have other websites that I run, plus I'm doing a lot of college stuff right now. I just don't feel like updating this website anymore. So I'm calling it quits for Animal Crossing Observer. That's it, I'm not going to be updating anymore.

However, if you would like to become the webmaster of this site, then send me an email to africansk8er@gmail.com and I might just give you the website. Like Christmas. But only if you can provide me some evidence of your work running a blog. So email me if you want the site.

As for now, good bye!

Nintendo Power City Folk Review

2008-11-23T14:11:00.001-06:00

I know, I know, I said I would make a giant post of all the City Folk reviews during this weekend. Well, I got busy, what can I say. With all the college stuff and duties on other websites, I got my hands full. But I have some time off next week, so you should expect the giant review post then. In the meantime, here's a scan of Nintendo Power's City Folk review.

City Folk Wii Fish and Aquatic Life Species Locations and Guide

2008-11-23T14:02:00.000-06:00

River

Angelfish: 3,000 Bells (rare)
Arapaima: 10,000 Bells (rare)
Arowana: 10,000 Bells (rare)
Barbel Steed: 200 Bells
Bitterling: 900 Bells
Black Bass: 300 Bells
Bluegill: 120 Bells
Carp: 300 Bells
Cherry Salmon: 1,000 Bells
Crucian Carp: 120 Bells
Dace: 200 Bells
Dorado: 15,000 Bells (rare)
Eel: 2,000 Bells
Freshwater Goby: 300 Bells (rare)
Goldfish: 1,300 Bells (rare)
Guppy: 1,300 Bells (rare)
Koi: 2,000 Bells (rare)
Loach: 300 Bells
Neon Tetra: 500 Bells
Pale Chub: 200 Bells
Pike: 1,800 Bells
Piranha: 2,500 Bells (rare)
Popeyed Goldfish: 1,300 Bells (rare)
Rainbow Trout: 800 Bells
Stringfish: 15,000 Bells (rare)
Sweetfish: 900 Bells
Yellow Perch: 240 Bells

River and River Mouth

King Salmon: 1,800 Bells
Salmon: 700 Bells

Holding Pond

Crawfish: 250 Bells
Frog: 120 Bells
Killifish: 300 Bells (rare)

Pond

Catfish: 800 Bells
Gar: 6,000 Bells (rare)
Giant Snakehead: 5,500 Bells

Waterfall

Char: 3,800 Bells

Sea

Barred Knifejaw: 5,000 Bells
Blue Marlin: 10,000 (rare)
Butterflyfish: 1,000 Bells
Clownfish: 650 Bells
Coelacanth: 15,000 Bells (rare)
Dab: 300 Bells
Football Fish: 2,500 Bells (rare)
Hammerhead Shark: 8,000 Bells (rare)
Horse Mackerel: 150 Bells
Jellyfish: 100 Bells
Lobster: 2,500 Bells
Moray Eel: 2,000 Bells
Napoleonfish: 10,000 Bells
Octopus: 500 Bells
Olive Flounder: 800 Bells (rare)
Puffer Fish: 240 Bells
Ray: 3,000 Bells
Red Snapper: 3,000 Bells
Sea Bass: 160 Bells
Sea Butterfly: 1,000 Bells
Sea Horse: 1,100 Bells
Sea Sunfish: 4,000 Bells (rare)
Shark: 15,000 Bells (rare)
Squid: 400 Bells
Surgeonfish: 1,000 Bells
Tuna: 7,000 Bells (rare)
Zebra Turkeyfish: 400 Bells

From here.

Cube vs. DS vs. Wii Comparison Video

2008-11-20T16:40:00.000-06:00

Good and Bad of Animal Crossing City Folk

2008-11-18T16:28:00.003-06:00

Here's a really cool list of some of the extra stuff that is found in this latest version of Animal Crossing.

Brewster eventually offers up additional storage. Drink his coffee and earn this reward. It sounds like it’s only storage for one particular type of item, but we AC horders will take whatever storage space we can get.

Read the rest here.

7 Things You Never Knew About Your Animal Crossing Town

2008-11-18T16:28:00.001-06:00

Animal Crossing - the most harmless series ever created. Or so you thought...

Animal Crossing invites you into the quiet, tranquil life of a quaint little village, complete with it's own shop, tailors, museum and town hall. The only sounds to diturb you are the buzz of the bees and the trickle of the local river.

But look again - peel back this thin sharade and you'll find a veritable den of thieves, schemes and all-round nasty fellows...

Read more here.

Iwata Asks: Animal Crossing

2008-11-18T16:22:00.001-06:00

Nintendo has an awesome interview with some of the developers of City Folk on their website, and the interviewer is none other than Iwata. It's a great read, so read more here.

Iwata:
I think that's because NOA (Nintendo of America) were well aware that the sheer volume of text in Animal Crossing meant it was going to be no ordinary title. (laughs) So they needed to make sure they were prepared by getting the localization structures established well ahead of time. Okay, let's go back to the start of the project. With the team decided and work set to start on the Wii version, did you find there were aspects of the DS version which you felt obliged to carry over, or which somehow acted as obstacles?

Nogami:
Naturally, there were issues like that. But we decided to put the previous title out of our minds for the time being, and start work on the next one afresh. After all, Animal Crossing was originally a title that you could enjoy fully even when playing the game on your own.

City Folk Impressions

2008-11-17T17:06:00.002-06:00

Gemini and Phoenix of the Animal Crossing Friends podcast have their impressions of City Folk up. Check them out here.

Also, if you're looking for reviews of City Folk, I'll be making one big post on the weekend of all the City Folk reviews I can find on the internet. So hold on until then.

City Folk In The House

2008-11-16T14:52:00.001-06:00

That's right, I have my hands on a copy of Animal Crossing City Folk for the Wii. So expect a review soon, and maybe some other exciting features (like diaries or videos, something cool like that).

In the mean time, here's my friend code -
Name - Pirate
Town - Seaport
Code - 3179-9558-0625

You can add me, but make sure you post your friend code in the comments so I can add you back!

Famitsu City Folk Review Scores

2008-11-12T16:44:00.003-06:00

These are the scores from super-popular Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu.

Machi e Ikouyo: Doubutsu no Mori [Animal Crossing: City Folk] (Wii, Nintendo): 9 / 8 / 8 / 8 - (33/40)

Not a bad score at all.

Nintendo Creates a Place Where Everyone Feels at Home

2008-11-12T16:44:00.001-06:00

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– The new Animal Crossing™: City Folk game for the Wii™ console launches Nov. 16, allowing players to move into fun communities, customize their surroundings and interact with hundreds of animal characters. The world is filled with possibilities, and players never run out of things to do. They can collect more than 2,400 items like shells, fossils and bugs, or design new clothing patterns that they can share with their friends.

The new “city” area of the game provides access to the latest fashions and offers players the ability to give their character a Mii™ makeover at the hair salon, which transforms the character’s features to look like the player’s Mii. Players can also put items up for auction in the city and bid on items others want to sell.

“Animal Crossing: City Folk is all about building communities, customizing your world and staying in touch with friends and other characters,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “There’s no ending, so people can keep playing for months and even years. It’s an experience that everyone in the household can share together.”

Up to four people can create characters and move into the same town. And using the Wii Speak™ accessory, players can voice chat with friends and family members around the world. The microphone sits atop the TV set and captures the voice of everyone in the room, providing for a more communal experience. People can now get together to chat with their distant loved ones, which is especially meaningful when they can’t be together for the holidays. The microphone can also be used with the upcoming Wii Speak Channel, which launches in December.

The Animal Crossing: City Folk calendar passes in real time, so climates along with bugs and fish change with the seasons. Players can catch fireflies in the summer or celebrate Harvest Festival in the fall. If players use Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection to meet up with friends in other countries, they will experience the holidays native to the friends’ cultures.

Animal Crossing: City Folk is a great value for the holidays because it can be enjoyed by everyone. The game never ends, which gives players months – or even years – of exploring and interacting with their virtual community.

Animal Crossing: City Folk retails at an MSRP of $49.99 and the Wii Speak accessory is sold separately at an MSRP of $29.99. Bundles of the game and accessory are also available at an MSRP of $69.99.

Animal Crossing remains one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises. The original Animal Crossing for Nintendo GameCube™ sold more than 1.55 million copies in the United States alone, while the Nintendo DS™ version, Animal Crossing™: Wild World, sold more than 1.75 million in the United States.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com. For more information about Animal Crossing: City Folk, visit Animal-Crossing.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.8 billion video games and more than 480 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii and Nintendo DS, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.

GameVideos City Folk Videos

2008-11-12T16:43:00.000-06:00

Animal Crossing: City Folk ‘Window Shopping’ gameplay
Animal Crossing: City Folk ‘Katrina’ gameplay
Animal Crossing: City Folk ‘Tom Nook’ gameplay

NRevolution Review of City Folk

2008-11-10T16:33:00.001-06:00

Surprisingly, the first verdict doesn’t come from one of the official Nintendo mags, but unofficial UK-based publication NRevolution - the latest issue of which dropped onto subscribers’ doormats this morning. It gets 9/10, with the review concluding that it’s “a lovely game for the right people. It may not appeal to more hardcore gamers, but for anyone else it’s excellent”.

And they start coming in... Also, if you have the Nintendo Channel on your Wii, it may be worth checking out the new AC video on there.

City Folk Japanese Holidays

2008-11-08T11:53:00.001-06:00

These are the holidays that will be in the Japanese version of the game. There will be some differences between this and the US version. Also, this is the 100th post of this blog. Hooray!

JANUARY
1/1 - New Years
1/17 - Fishing Tournament
1/25 - Flea Market

FEBRUARY
2/3 - Setsubun
2/14 - Fishing Tournament
2/22 - Flea Market
2/23 - Carnival
MARCH
3/3 - Hinamatsuri
3/21 - Fishing Tournament
3/22 - Flea Market

APRIL
4/1 - April Fools
4/11 - Fishing Tournament
4/12 - “Come to the Pyontarou” day
4/26 - Flea Market

MAY
5/5 - Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day)
5/16 - Fishing Tournament
5/24 - Flea Market

JUNE
6/20 - Insect-catching Tournament
6/28 - Flea Market

JULY
7/7 - Tanabata (Star Festival)
7/18 - Insect-catching Tournament
7/26 - Flea Market

AUGUST
8/2 - Summer Fireworks Gathering
8/9 - Summer Fireworks Gathering
8/15 - Insect-catching Tournament
8/16 - Summer Fireworks Gathering
8/23 - Summer Fireworks Gathering
8/30 - Summer Fireworks Gathering

SEPTEMBER
9/19 - Insect-catching Tournament
9/27 - Flea Market

OCTOBER
10/3 - Tsukimi (Moon Festival/Mid-Autumn Festival)
10/10 - Fishing Tournament
10/25 - Flea Market
10/31 - Halloween

NOVEMBER
11/21 - Fishing Tournament
11/22 - Flea Market
11/26 - Harvest Festival

DECEMBER
12/12 - Fishing Tournament
12/24 - Christmas Eve
12/31 - Count Down [to New Years]

WiiSpeak Press Release

2008-11-07T14:00:00.001-06:00

The new in-game voice chat function for Animal Crossing™: City Folk will be ready to go as soon as the game launches on Nov. 16, using the Wii Speak™ accessory. A separate Wii Speak™ Channel that people can use to chat independent of Animal Crossing: City Folk will be available in December.

The new voice chat function makes use of the new Wii Speak accessory, a microphone that sits on top of the television and allows entire rooms of people to communicate with one another. Only users who have traded Friend Codes can connect with one another using Wii Speak. The accessory is sold separately at an MSRP of $29.99 and will also be available as a bundle with Animal Crossing: City Folk at select retailers at an MSRP of $69.99. The Wii Speak accessory comes with a code that lets users download the Wii Speak Channel from the Wii Shop Channel at no charge.

The Wii Speak Channel will allow friends and family members to chat with one another, whether they live across town or across the globe. When users are chatting with the Wii Speak Channel, they can see each other’s Mii™ characters representing them on the television screen.

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

Japanese City Folk Site Up

2008-11-06T13:41:00.001-06:00

I don't understand anything it says here, but it's launched.

So check it out here.

City Folk Videos: Museum and Observatory

2008-11-06T13:37:00.001-06:00

AC Projector

2008-11-05T16:47:00.002-06:00

This looks like a cool toy for those collectors out there. The rascally animals and default human characters of Animal Crossing are loved the world over. To capitalize on the fan fervor, toy manufacturers have released Animal Crossing plushes, beverage holders, and countless trinkets. There's never been an Animal Crossing Wii Remote Projector Light product however. That is, until now.

The Axing Projector is basically a thumb-sized keychain that shoots out a battery-powered image of a recognizable Axing character such as Totakeke (aka K.K. Slider), a mole named Mr. Resetti, and a pairing of Tanukichi (Tom Nook) and Crazy Redd.

Check it out here.

City Folk Videos: Pascal and Pineas

2008-11-03T16:08:00.000-06:00

City Folk Video: Halloween

2008-10-31T20:31:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!!

Some City Folk Footage

2008-10-31T20:30:00.000-05:00

Micromania Games Show Booth Pics

2008-10-31T20:28:00.001-05:00

Here are some photos of Animal Crossing: Let's Go to the City booth at Micromania Games Show with a real Animal Crossing style village.

See the rest here.

City Folk Bundle $70 From Amazon.com?

2008-10-30T16:25:00.000-05:00

I know it's been said from numerous sources that it would be cheaper than that, maybe even as low at $50. But here's Amazon.com selling it for $70. Hopefully that's a mistake on their part, we'll find out soon.

Check it out here.

PS - Don't forget the contest for a free copy of City Folk!

City Folk Video: Lighthouse

2008-10-30T16:24:00.000-05:00

City Folk/WiiSpeak US Bundle Box Art

2008-10-29T16:05:00.001-05:00

2 More City Folk Videos

2008-10-29T16:04:00.000-05:00

Another AC Contest, This Time By Nintendo

2008-10-27T17:08:00.001-05:00

Fans of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing™ franchise are some of the most loyal in the world. To reward them for their devotion to these community-building games and to get players fired up for the Nov. 16 release of Animal Crossing™: City Folk for Nintendo’s Wii™ console, Nintendo is hosting an outrageous animal costume contest.

Critter lovers can show their creativity by submitting the most original images of animals dressed in costumes or even as characters from the hit video game franchise Animal Crossing. The entrants of the top 50 photos in the “Animal Crossing Welcome Waggin’ Costume Contest” will win membership to the exclusive Welcome Waggin’ Committee. All committee members will receive a Wii video game system, a copy of Animal Crossing: City Folk, a Wii Speak™ microphone, access to exclusive information about the game and more.

Expanding on the popularity of the Animal Crossing series, Animal Crossing: City Folk lets every member of the household partake in the fun of a unique animal-filled town. Players use the simple controls of the wireless Wii Remote™ controller to customize their own characters and surroundings. And for the first time, players can take their adventure to the city, complete with shopping and theater excursions. It’s also the first game to make use of the Wii Speak microphone, a new accessory that enables players to use voice chat over a broadband Internet connection. The Wii Speak microphone is sold separately.

Daily photo picks and details about the “Animal Crossing Welcome Waggin’ Costume Contest” will be posted at www.WelcomeWagginContest.com. Entries will be accepted Oct. 27 - Nov. 16. For more information about Animal Crossing: City Folk, please visit www.Animal-Crossing.com.

Contest: Win Free Copy of AC City Folk

2008-10-27T16:58:00.001-05:00

That's right, Animal Crossing Friends podcast is giving away a free copy of City Folk for the Wii! So hop on over to see what the dealio is.

Animal Crossing: City Folk Promo

2008-10-25T19:14:00.000-05:00

City Folk Video: Happy Room Academy

2008-10-25T13:17:00.000-05:00

City Folk Video: Mysterious Door

2008-10-24T17:12:00.001-05:00

City Folk: Wifi Meetings Video

2008-10-23T17:16:00.000-05:00

IGN Hands On and Wierd Headphones Option

2008-10-22T16:46:00.003-05:00

IGN has a new preview of City Folk and WiiSpeak up. It has this interesting tidbit.

The questionable option within the menu: you had the ability to turn on and off a suspicious “Use Headphones” switch. On the one hand, it could just be an option to adjust the sound equalizer so you’re not blowing out your eardrums. On the other hand, I was thinking that this could be an optional ability to separate and send the voice through optional headphones, but you don’t plug headphones into the Wii. If you want personal sound you have to plug into a sound system or directly into the television, so maybe this option sends voice through one audio channel and the in-game sound through the other? It was a feature I couldn’t test, but keep your ears peeled.

Sounds interesting. See the rest here.

Taking and Sending Photos Video

2008-10-22T16:46:00.001-05:00

Lots of City Folk Art

2008-10-22T16:43:00.001-05:00

Here is a new batch of Animal Crossing character art, revealing some more of the folk you can expect to meet in Let's Go To The City (the European version of City Folk.

Loose some weight there, Mr. Resetti?

See the pics here.

Japanese Bundle and Screens

2008-10-21T16:20:00.002-05:00

Here's a pic of the bundle of City Folk and the WiiSpeak mic for Japanese gamers, plus there's even more screens.

Check it out here.

City Folk: Hide and Seek

2008-10-21T16:17:00.000-05:00

Japanese AC Wii Box Art

2008-10-18T08:47:00.002-05:00

Same as everyone else's...

City Folk Website Launches

2008-10-17T16:58:00.001-05:00

Today, we got a look at the English Animal Crossing City Folk website. It's got a really cool design, and even features a new video.

Check out the awesome site here.

Shoe Shining in the City

2008-10-17T16:56:00.001-05:00

One of the newest characters for City Folk is Kicks the skunk, who hangs out in the city, and will change the color of the shoes for you if you want. Here's a video of Kicks in action.

Scans of Nintendo Power Feature

2008-10-16T17:45:00.004-05:00

Well, I promised you that once I got my hands on the latest issue of Nintendo Power, I would have the scans for you to look at. And I hate to disappoint, so here they are (I'll post the links instead of thumbnails):

Cover

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Page 5

Page 6

They've done a really cool way of previewing the game by showing what they did during the first four days that they got to play, and then there's also an interview with the localizers for the game. Ch-ch-check it out.

Target Reservation Cards For City Folk

2008-10-16T17:35:00.001-05:00

Target has a cool way of letting you reserve games: you buy a "gift" card and then trade it in once the game comes out. They've used them for Wii's, Rock Band 2, and many other games in the past. Now here's their City Folk card.

Thanks to GoNintendo for this.

Tons and Tons of City Folk Info

2008-10-12T19:53:00.000-05:00

Here's a HUGE (and I do mean huge) page full of City Folk details. Here's some of the new stuff we haven't heard before.

-Mii masks change your skin color
-Picture grabber takes pictures of the interface
-Katrina owns a shop in the corner of town
-The new beaver is named Valentino, he is a balloon vendor
-A mysterious Peacock is shown, but the holiday that they represent is unknown at this time
-A kappa hat is shown as well

Check out the page here.

Huge Collection of City Folk Screens

2008-10-09T16:31:00.001-05:00

Here's a Flickr page with tons of Japanese screenshots of City Folk for the Wii.

Check it out here.

City Folk Videos

2008-10-09T16:29:00.001-05:00

Here's two new videos showing gardening and bug catching in the game (nothing we haven't seen before in other games...).

NWR City Folk Impressions

2008-10-07T16:03:00.001-05:00

NWR has their AC City Folk impressions up as well.

I was hoping to see demonstrations of the chat feature, which enables you to talk to your friends over the Wi-Fi Connection, as well as a visit to the theater, where the characters learn emotions. Since those were unavailable, the game seemed strikingly similar to the others in the series.

Read the rest here.

IGN Animal Crossing City Folk Hands-On

2008-10-07T16:02:00.000-05:00

IGN has their review of City Folk up.

The power got a little overloaded in the demo room of the Nintendo summit -- all the Wii systems, including the two that were playing Animal Crossing, reset. And the version of the game at the Summit didn't have any way to save the game, so any progress the staff made to get us past the beginning portion was lost. So, I got a chance to experience Animal Crossing right from a fresh start.

Read it here.

Animal Crossing In Europe on December 5th

2008-10-07T15:59:00.000-05:00

Socialising and communicating with friends and family has just got easier – and more fun – as the new Wii Speak accessory and Wii Speak Channel are launched for Wii across Europe on 5 December 2008.

Wii Speak enables people to connect to and communicate with friends using the free-to-use Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection* in a way that is very socially inclusive. Wii Speak can be connected directly to the console and pick up the conversations from an entire room of people, meaning friends and families can all get involved in conversations, sharing gaming and social experiences together. It’s just like using a phone to make a call and chat with other Wii-friends: but with Wii Speak, everyone in the room can get involved in the conversation.

The new Wii Speak Channel, accessed from the Wii’s main menu, allows up to four console users – who can be anywhere in the world – to connect together to chat, or to share pictures and text messages at no extra cost. Once connected, the Wii Speak Channel brings user’s Miis to life: as users’ Miis represent them on-screen during their conversations. When players are talking to each other, their Miis also ‘talk’ to match the sound that is being picked up by the Wii Speak accessory.

Users have to share their private Friend Codes to be able to communicate with each other, which makes the experience safe and fun.

As well as enabling people to connect together through the Wii Speak Channel, Wii Speak also opens up a new world of social gameplay. The first game to use the full capabilities of Wii Speak is Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City, in which players can create and share their personalized worlds.

For the first time, friends can chat in the game and, as the action happens in real time and creates a world in which players celebrate real festivals and events, sharing the gaming experience over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection on Christmas Day will be a uniquely magical experience, with characters and other players in the game all joining in the festive fun! Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City and the Wii Speak microphone will be offered as a bundle at launch, making a perfect gift for friends and family this Christmas.

In the future, Wii Speak will be incorporated into other Wii games, meaning that new opportunities can be created for social gameplay amongst the console’s fans.

Enjoy a whole new use for your Wii with Wii Speak and enjoy the chance to create – and talk about – the perfect world that you create in Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City on 5th December 2008, when they launch across Europe both as a bundle and sold separately.

* there are no fees or subscriptions to pay (Usual broadband line rental and Internet Service Provider costs apply when accessing the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection at home)

GoNintendo's City Folk Impression

2008-10-06T17:29:00.002-05:00

Awesome guy Rawmeat over at awesome website GoNintendo.com has his impressions of City Folk from the recent Nintendo conference.

Animal Crossing: City Folk is a weird game to demo. It’s not really a title that you sit down with for 5 minutes, play through a bit, and get the experience. As with any Animal Crossing game, you have to sit down with it for a few weeks before you can really get a feeling for what the game has to offer. That opportunity will come up soon, but until then, all we have are some quick impressions.

Read the rest here.

Joystiq's AC City Folk Impressions

2008-10-06T17:09:00.001-05:00

Joystiq has their impressions of City Folk from the recent Nintendo conference. Let's just say that they're not impressed at the lack of innovation, and I can kind of agree with that.

Animal Crossing is a one-hit-wonder. You might like it and play it forever, hate it and avoid it completely, or think it was catchy and then just get tired of the tune. Animal Crossing: City Folk does little to change our perception. This is Animal Crossing, again; go fishing, pull weeds, repeat. Some love it, some hate it, and some just want something new.

Read the rest here.

City Folk Video - Hairstyles

2008-10-05T13:48:00.001-05:00

Check out Harriet's hairstyle process.

More City Folk Screens

2008-10-04T09:38:00.001-05:00

Kotaku's got some great new screens of City Folk for the Wii.

They've got some cool ones of the various holidays that will be appearing in the game, plus others. Check them out here.

AC/WiiSpeak Bundle to Be $60

2008-10-03T16:08:00.002-05:00

Coming out of the Nintendo conference yesterday, we have a portion of an IGN interview with Cammie Dunaway.

IGN: Sounds good, but you’re also packing WiiSpeak with Animal Crossing, right?
Cammie Dunaway: We are going to do a limited edition bundle with Animal Crossing that will run for $59.99 and will come out on the 16th as well.

This does come from Cammie Dunaway, who has been known to make a few verbal blunders (like saying the Conduit was a first-party game while meaning to say is was a first-person shooter), so take this with a grain of salt. But if this is true, then it's a fantastic bargain.

Read the rest of the interview here.

New City Folk Trailer

2008-10-02T16:39:00.001-05:00

Not sure where this trailer comes from, but check it out anyways!

USA City Folk Date Confirmed

2008-10-02T16:38:00.001-05:00

Coming out of the Nintendo conference today, we have a confirmed release date for Animal Crossing City Folk in America for the Wii.

Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii) - November 16

Thanks to Nintendo Everything for the find.

Animal Crossing City Folk JP Website Up

2008-10-02T16:36:00.002-05:00

Ok guys, since Nintendo had a huge (I mean HUGE!!!) conference today, there is a lot of news. So here's the first bit. We have the Japanese website for City Folk up and running, so check it out for some videos and stuff.

Also, it confirms that Japan will get the game on November 20th of this year. See the site here.

Guess What? More Japanese Scans!

2008-10-01T16:13:00.001-05:00

That's right, I've got some more scans. These come from Japanese magazine Famitsu. Of course, I have no idea what they say. I should get a translator or something...

Thanks to GoNintendo for the images.

Background of AC Producer Katsuya Eguchi

2008-09-29T14:51:00.002-05:00

ONM in Europe has posted a new interview/background info page on their website today where they offer up some info on Katsuya Eguchi, the producer of the Animal Crossing games. In the piece, he talks about some of Nintendo's plans for the future of their games.

"There are things that I’d like to say but I don’t think I can reveal anything right now." - Eguchi referring to future projects

Read it here.

Lot's More AC Wii Scans

2008-09-26T20:36:00.005-05:00

Wow, we have a TON of new scans for Animal Crossing for the Wii (Let's Go To The City, I believe). Some interesting stuff in there, if only I could read Japanese...

Thanks to Gamekyo.com for these!

Nintendo of Europe Animal Crossing Wii Press Release

2008-09-26T16:21:00.001-05:00

Here's a press release from Nintendo of Europe regarding the release of Animal Crossing Let's Go To The City (still hate that name...) in Europe. Post any interesting bits you find in the comments.

Pack your bags and take a trip to the city as Animal Crossing comes to Wii! In a new instalment to the hugely popular series, Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City not only allows players to create their own perfect life in the country but also introduces an exciting new city area to explore! With many new features such as the new Wii Speak accessory which enables you to chat to other players in the game, Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City is the perfect place for you to create your ideal world when it launches across Europe in December 2008.

Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City is a fun and engaging life simulation where you can take control and shape the world around you from decorating your house to creating constellations in the heavens. Start the game in your own quiet town and meet many enriching animal characters along the way as you collect new furniture, wallpaper and carpets to make your house a home. Alternatively, simply while away the hours with a spot of fishing or gardening - there are no pressures in the world of Animal Crossing, you can live the life you wish to lead.

The city environment introduces a thrilling new area with exciting shops and entertainment opportunities to experience. Simply jump on the bus from your town and take a trip to visit the theatre to watch a show or even visit Gracie Grace, the large and exclusive department store that sells special items and furniture with which you can customise your home. You can even change the appearance of your own character at the hair salon, giving him or her your favourite Mii look, and compete with other players by selling and bidding for items at the auction house.

Adding to the fun, Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City operates in real-time. If 24 hours has passed in the real world, the same amount of time will also have passed in your town. This feature allows you to experience seasons and special days like Halloween and national holidays as they happen in real life.

Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City is a title the whole family can enjoy together as it introduces a number of great ways for all to share their Animal Crossing lives with others around the globe. Using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, you can send friends letters and items from the post office located in each town. Why not even visit them yourself? Travel to a friend’s town to explore their unique Animal Crossing environment or invite them to visit you, regardless of where they live in the world!

For the first time on Wii, get ready to chat with friends as Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City introduces the new Wii Speak accessory, which allows players to talk to each other in the game. This exciting new accessory sits above the Wii sensor bar on your television set and enables anyone in the room to speak with friends in another location. Use Wii Speak when visiting a friend’s town or being visited to explore, chat and enjoy Animal Crossing together via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

For players who have a personal attachment to their character in Animal Crossing: Wild World on the Nintendo DS, this new title will allow the transfer of some character data to Wii. The Nintendo DS can also be used as a ‘suitcase’, allowing players to take their character to and from a friend’s Wii console to explore their Animal Crossing world.

Get ready for a slice of country and city life as Animal Crossing: Let’s Go to the City launches across Europe on Wii in December 2008.

[via GoNintendo]

AC Wii Dated For Europe, Plus European Boxart

2008-09-25T16:01:00.003-05:00

Remember the horrible name that City Folk is getting in Australia? Well, that's the name that will be used in Europe as well. Animal Crossing: Let's Go To The City will be hitting the Europes in December of this year.

Also, here's the European boxart. It's the same as the American one, just with the name change.

More City Folk Scans

2008-09-22T15:53:00.001-05:00

GoNintendo has some more Animal Crossing City Folk scans from a Japanese gaming magazine. There is an interesting part, showing possible motion game play that will be integrated into the game.

Check out the scans here.

Nintendo Power Tease City Folk Feature

2008-09-19T19:17:00.003-05:00

Oh, Nintendo Power, you big tease! The latest issue of Nintendo Power has, at the end, a promise to deliver an in-depth look at Animal Crossing City Folk for the Wii.

So, we'll have to wait a month to see what new info we can get. And you know where you can find scans of the feature first: right here at the Animal Crossing Observer!

Happy Anniversary, Animal Crossing!

2008-09-16T15:59:00.002-05:00

Wow, did you know that yesterday was the anniversary of Animal Crossing? Well, it is. 6 years ago, people in America got to play for the first time ever Animal Crossing for the Nintendo Gamecube.

Of course, the game was released a bit earlier than that in Japan, titled Dobutso no Mori for the Nintendo 64. Since then, we've seen this addicting game advance, culminating in the most recent addition to the series, City Folk.

Anyways, give it a read here, you might learn something.

City Folk Dated, Renamed for Australia

2008-09-12T16:10:00.002-05:00

Animal Crossing City Folk finally has release date for those Aussie Nintendo fans. They can expect it this year. However, the more intriguing thing is that the game got renamed to Animal Crossing Let's Go To the City.

I think I like City Folk better. Thanks to Vooks for the find.

Better Famitsu Scans of City Folk

2008-09-11T19:54:00.003-05:00

Remember those scans from Famitsu that got posted a while ago? Well, I still don't know what they say, but at least now we have them scanned decently.

There's some cool screenshots, so definately check it out here!

[via GoNintendo]

More City Folk Screens

2008-09-10T15:54:00.002-05:00

Today, we have a couple of screens from Italian site Nintendomain.it. They're taken off screen, so the quality isn't very good. But at least we get to see some of the menu in action, plus some talking with the town animals.

View the rest here.

City Folk and Wii Speak Bundle Announced

2008-09-08T16:00:00.003-05:00

Over at GameStop manager's conference in Las Vegas, Nintendo announced that there will be a bundle of both the Animal Crossing City Folk game for the Wii and the Wii Speak peripheral. Coming from Destructoid.com:

According to Nintendo's presentation, City Folk and Wii Speak will be bundled together for $69.99 when it ships this November. Unfortunately, this is the real world, and you can't sell apples to a raccoon until you have enough money. If life was like Animal Crossing, things would be much easier. Although I'd then have to deal with pink chipmunks calling me Sparkles.

Read the rest here.

Update - It seems there was a bit of confusion about whether you would have to get the bundle. I believe that you will be able to buy each item separately, so don't worry too much!

Animal Magic

2008-09-08T15:57:00.001-05:00

Over at the website for Official Nintendo Magazine, there's a bit of a preview for the new Animal Crossing for the Wii, plus a few new screenshots.

Check it out here.

USA City Folk Boxart Revealed

2008-09-04T16:13:00.003-05:00

Coming from Gamefly, it looks like we have an Animal Crossing City Folk boxart for the USA version of the game already. Maybe we will be seeing this game soon...

City Folk Scan from Famitsu

2008-09-03T16:19:00.002-05:00

Here have a page out of the latest issue of Famitsu. In it, there could be some new info. Or there could only be old info. Who knows. I don't speak Japanese.

[via GoNintendo]

City Folk Coverage from PAX 2008

2008-09-01T10:00:00.003-05:00

PAX seems like one of the coolest video game conventions. It's run by gamers for gamers. I will have to go one day. But this year, a demo of Animal Crossing City Folk was on the floor, so there's some new footage. Check them out!

Also, check it out, Digg is now integrated into this blog! Under each post, to the right, you should see a Digg submission link. Try it out, and let's some posts hit the front page of Digg!

Interview with Katsuya Eguchi from Edge Online

2008-08-29T20:18:00.004-05:00

Another interview with the creator and director of Animal Crossing has a new interview out today. In it, he talks about where his idea for Animal Crossing came from and even some more City Folk talk. Check it out!

Animal Crossing features three themes: family, friendship and community. But the reason I wanted to investigate them was a result of being so lonely when I arrived in Kyoto! Chiba is east of Tokyo and quite a distance from Kyoto, and when I moved there I left my family and friends behind. In doing so, I realized that being close to them – being able to spend time with them, talk to them, play with them – was such a great, important thing. I wondered for a long time if there would be a way to recreate that feeling, and that was the impetus behind the original Animal Crossing.

You’ll also be able to do more than ever together when you play online. You’ll be able to experience events or see concerts together, for example. And while in the DS version we discarded a lot of events that were popular in the GameCube version, we’re bringing them back. We’re including Halloween, we’re bringing back Jingle, the reindeer that visits during the holiday event, and we’ve got some new events, too. For example, during spring we’ve got a special visitor who brings paint and eggs so you can have an egg hunt, and we also have a carnival that’ll introduces another new character to the Animal Crossing world.

[via GoNintendo]

Nintendo Power AC Interview Scans

2008-08-23T10:12:00.002-05:00

Alright, here they are, as promised. The scans from the latest issue of Nintendo Power, which contains an interview with the producer of Animal Crossing City Folk for the Wii.

*Coming soon - Digg integration!*

Nintendo Power Gives City Folk Details

2008-08-22T15:59:00.002-05:00

The latest issue of Nintendo Power magazine in the USA has an interview with the creator of the latest Animal Crossing game to hit the Wii. In the interview, there's a couple of snippets of new info.

- City area does not show players that are online.
- Auction house lets you bid on items posted by other users.
- Happy Room Academy shows rooms from houses that are decorated especially well.
- The city "is a place for people who you have registered as Wii Friends."
- DS to Wii linkup: "you can actually take your travel data and download it to your DS."
- Take photos, transfer them to SD, email, or Wii friends.
- Jingle the Reindeer is back for Toy Day.
- Zipper T. Bunny is a new character for Bunny Day.
- DLC: "We're thinking of a service where you download new furniture, new wallpaper designs… that sort of thing."
- All free.
- No mention on more motion controls.
- Once again, Wii Speak is not bundled with the game.

So there is some interesting facts mentioned there. I'll probably have some scans up in the next couple of days.

[via GoNintendo and Aeropause]

Games Radar AC Wii Preview

2008-08-20T15:57:00.002-05:00

*The site's not dead, I promise! Just not a lot of news...*

GameRadar.com has posted a preview of Animal Crossing City folk for the Wii. In this preview, there's nothing new that we haven't already known about, but I'll post it anyways. It doesn't sound like they've played it, but just got their details from the videos like we did.

You can read it here, but you won't get any new info.

August 2008 Update

2008-08-02T12:04:00.002-05:00

Alright, this is the first of the monthly updates that I will be posting that has info relating to this fabulous new site that I've created.

First off, I'd like to say how impressed I am that this site is actually getting bigger every day. I'm getting better traffic than most of the other sites I've been involved with have ever gotten. Some of the comments are from people who say that this is the site where they get their AC news. And that's fantastic, because that was my purpose in making this site.

So, let's keep the growth going! I want to see more comments on the posts, let's see what you guys think of the news. Tell your friends about the site, put links in the comments of other websites, get some stories on Digg (integration coming soon). Let's make this site the number one place for people to get Animal Crossing news.

Also, on the side bar, you'll notice a "Submit News" link. If you find anything relating to Animal Crossing, be sure to send it my way. Help me do my job.

Also, you'll also see links to ACFriends forum, be sure to visit there to get all your discussion needs. And be sure to listen to the ACFriends podcast, especially the latest episode where hosts Gemini and Phoenix have plenty to discuss about the latest Animal Crossing announcements for the Wii.

So yeah, that's it. I'll keep reporting, you keep reading and posting some comments. Let's make the Animal Crossing Observer the biggest thing in video-game news since sliced bread.

Voice Chat Podcast City Folk Impressions

2008-08-01T09:17:00.002-05:00

In episode 16 of IGN's Nintendo Voice Chat podcast, the hosts give their impressions of Animal Crossing City Folk. Basically, they're not very impressed.

They say the graphics are comparable to the Gamecube and even the DS. They're disappointed that there are no motion controls built in. They don't see anything new with the game, and thing that the city is gimped because it only has four stores.

The problem they're having is that it's just not a deep enough experience. You can listen to the podcast here.

[via GoNintendo]

Details From ONM UK Released

2008-07-31T15:33:00.003-05:00

The Official Nintendo magazine from the UK promised a large story on Animal Crossing City Folk in the next issue of their magazine. The issue is set to launch tomorrow, but already some details are being released

“We’re always sharing information with the hardware group and all the teams within Nintendo so we can keep track of things. But in this case we were talking and they told me that they had this microphone in development and I said, ‘Really, that would work well with Animal Crossing."

“Yeah, it’s near the shoe-shine guy. It’s just a boarded up door, I’m afraid – there’s actually nothing there. However, there are other areas that haven’t been revealed yet!”

These quotes are all from Katsuya Eguchi, the lead producer of Animal Crossing for the Wii. More details should come to light soon.

[via GoNintendo]

Interview with AC Producer Katsuya Eguchi

2008-07-30T13:44:00.001-05:00

IGN has posted an interview that they had with Katsuya Eguchi, the lead producer and project manager behind Animal Crossing City Folk.

Addressing the connectivity between the DS and the Wii, if you have Animal Crossing on DS, we're assuming you spent lots of time with that character and might be attached to him -- his name, outfits, look -- so you'll be able to load that character into the Wii version and use that same character as you did in the DS game. Another thing we can do is use the DS as a means to help people who maybe don't have Wi-Fi. We've talked about Wi-Fi and how neat it is to travel from town to town and interact with friends, but if you don't have an internet connection you can take your character data and send it to your DS, bring your DS to a friend's house, and upload your character to play around in his town and interact in the same way you would if you had a direct connection t them in Wi-Fi. The third thing we've done is add the ability to download new content as they become available online -- which will help expand the universe with new furniture and things like that. Now if you don't have Wi-Fi, you can take your DS to -- at this point it's still being determined exactly how -- but an out of house destination where you can download the new content, and then bring it back to your home town and upload it. That way everyone can stay connected to the Animal Crossing world.

Read this very interesting interview here.

New City Folk Footage

2008-07-29T14:54:00.002-05:00

The website for the Official Nintendo magazine from the UK has some new footage of the newest Animal Crossing game. The first video has nothing really new that hasn't been in the older AC games, but still shows the upgraded graphics and the return of many beloved features. It demonstrates fishing and then selling to Nook.

The second video, while shorter, is much more interesting. It shows how to get to the city from your town. It seems that instead of a train station, there is now a bus stop, where Kapp'n will come and pick you up in his yellow bus.

Anyways, check out these videos here. And be sure to pick up the latest issue if you like in the UK, where we are promised that they have "got a huge eight page feature and an interview with Katsuya Eguchi (the game's producer) in the new issue of Official Nintendo Magazine".

More Info On Wiispeak in AC City Folk

2008-07-24T20:12:00.001-05:00

Animal Crossing: City Folk producer Katsuya Eguchi recently gave an interview in which he gives some info on the newly announced Wiispeak.

"There's some noise filtering going on. It's designed to pick up stuff other than what's coming out of the TV. If you put this on your TV, if this was a regular microphone, you'd get your TV sound going in. But this is a USB plug-in. So the sound coming out of your TV is going into the Wii Speak, and when it goes back into the Wii, it throws that sound away."

"However, with Animal Crossing, you're going to be chatting with your friends. There's no Animal Crossing "rivals" or any sort of open gameplay like that. So we figured that as long as people have registered each other as their friends and they're comfortable with that, then we're fine giving them the ability to chat with each other."

[via Wired]

DS Compatibility With AC City Folk

2008-07-23T13:21:00.002-05:00

The guys over at CrispyGamer have written up some of their impressions of Animal Crossing City Folk. They, along with tons of other bloggers, got to spend some time with the game at E3 in LA. Here are some of the more interesting points.

If you were addicted to Animal Crossing: Wild World, you can transfer your character over to City Folk. Sadly, your items and bells (money) will not transfer, so once again you'll have to pay off Tom Nook to keep getting better housing.

While digging for treasures, bug collecting, and fishing are some of the normal tasks in Animal Crossing, it's surprising that Nintendo has decided to forgo using motion controls. Have they forgotten that this is on the Wii? C'mon guys, we know this is a glorified port, but put a little more effort into it. Geez.

Hmm... interesting... Anyways, you can read more here.

1up.com's City Folk Impressions

2008-07-16T14:26:00.002-05:00

1up.com has posted their impressions from their demo time of Animal Crossing City Folk for the Wii. An interesting thing that they picked up on is an option called DS Suitcase.

One menu option we spotted was titled "DS Suitcase." The Nintendo representatives on hand were tight-lipped on its function but hinted that City Folk may include the ability to transfer items from one's DS town into the Wii game...or maybe not.

Go read their impressions here.

More Details on AC City Folk

2008-07-16T10:15:00.004-05:00

This is taken from a thread on 4chan, and the author has used the screenshots and videos to learn more about the newest Animal Crossing to grace the Wii.

Good holidays are back, including Christmas, Halloween, etc.
Multiplayer is easier, allows microphone (and apparently, a USB keyboard).
Visit people's towns even when they're not playing.
You can directly mail and send items to friends in other villages without having to visit them.
Take a bus, driven by Kapp'n, to the new city area with fashion boutique (owned by Gracie and employing a new Able Sister), auction house, salon, theater, Happy Room Academy, and more.
Pointer controls and vastly improved user interface including features like a quick-switch for items without having to go into inventory.
Animals are no longer stuck inside when you have friends visiting, they'll now wander outside freely.
All four players can be in a house at once, and you can move furniture even when you have people visiting in your house.
New giant furniture pieces -- a wrestling mat about 5x5 squares was demonstrated.
Much higher texture res, faces are no longer blurry masses.
Camera can be zoomed in and out even while outdoors, and you can switch between ACGC and WW camera styles.
Camera icon may imply screenshots/photography feature.
Varied topography, ACGC cliffs are back.
Fish are in 3D.
Improved animations, details, effects, etc. Less immediate but still noticeable visual changes. Characters animate more fluidly, ears bounce on villagers as they move, other small touches.
More furniture, items, villagers, conversations, etc., more of all the basics.

First AC City Folk Impressions

2008-07-16T09:38:00.003-05:00

The new Animal Crossing City Folk for Wii, which was announced yesterday, has been demoed on the floor of E3. Rawmeat of GoNintendo got to play and has offered his impressions on this game.

Basically he says that Animal Crossing fans will enjoy this game a lot, the game supports keyboards, and the voice chat works really well.

Read his impressions here.

Animal Crossing City Folk Release Date

2008-07-16T09:34:00.004-05:00

Gamespot has the word on when to expect the newest Animal Crossing to be released.

Animal Crossing: City Folk is set for release November 16.

So, not long to wait. Also, they announced that the Wii Speak peripheral will be priced at $29.99. That's a pretty solid price point.

More AC City Folk Details

2008-07-15T16:09:00.003-05:00

Here's some details on the game taken from the screenshots and movie shown at E3.

Using the video from the E3 conference, I will try to give some more discussed details.

Ax is another returning tool, along with shovel

Custom clothes available during holidays

Options to talk and other things like that come from a toolbar that pops up from the bottom of the screen

Camera is a new option, probably used to take screenshots and send to friends.

Capp'n can take you to the city in a bright yellow bus

Happy Room Academy is back, and you can compare with friends in the city with Lyle, who seems to be into less shady work

Harriet can make you look like your Mii

Town hall hasn't changed, but you can send messages to other players and attach pictures to towns or Wii messageboards, even cellphones and computers

Wii Speak allows rooms of players to talk to other people, Nintendo's version of voice chat (more social)

Fishing is back!

Using the screenshots provided, I will try to give all the details that weren't discussed.

Gamecube style of going screen-to-screen is gone, now it more like the DS version of a smooth, round world.

Fishing is back!

Shell collecting is back!

Old furniture from the other game make an appearance in this version too, along with sets.

Fish collecting and fossil collecting is back!

Capp'n drives a bus, what happened to the cab?

Flags are used, don't know if they are customizable yet.

Make your own constellation with the stars is back!

Visiting the city/other towns still done by going through the gate.

Flowers are back, probably hybrids and stuff like that, watering can is back.

Floating presents on balloons is back, so slingshot will probably be another tool.

Animal Crossing City Folk for Wii Announced

2008-07-15T15:45:00.005-05:00

The rumors are true, a new Animal Crossing is on the way to the Wii. Announced during Nintendo's E3 conference, many details have been released. Here's the press release -

Format: Wii™
Launch Date: Holiday 2008
ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)
Game Type: Community Simulation
Accessories: WiiSpeak microphone (sold separately)
Players: 1-4 alternating, 2-4 simultaneous via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection
Developer: Nintendo

If life were an endless vacation, what would you do? Go fishing, collect shells or watch fireworks with friends? Build a snowman, exchange presents with family or decorate your house for the holidays? Take a trip to the city, go on a shopping spree or visit friends from all over the globe? In Animal Crossing: City Folk, life moves at a relaxed pace, but the world brims with endless possibilities.

• There’s always something new to do. In the living, breathing world of Animal Crossing: City Folk, days and seasons pass in real time, so there’s always something to discover. Catch fireflies in the summer, go trick-or-treating on Halloween or hunt for eggs on Bunny Day. If you’re in the mood for something a little faster paced, take a bus to a new urban city area that’s unique to Animal Crossing: City Folk. There you can catch a show at the theater or check out the sales at Gracie’s boutique. But if you don’t show your face back home for too long, your neighbors will miss you.

• Up to four people from your household can live and work together to build the perfect town. Design clothes and patterns, write letters and post messages on the bulletin board for each other, or invite up to three friends to visit your town using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. With the new WiiSpeak microphone, it’s like you’re all in the same room. The microphone sits atop the sensor bar and picks up the conversation of everyone in the room to encourage a more inclusive experience.

• Get to know your neighbors. The heart of Animal Crossing: City Folk is building relationships with the animals in your town as well as with other players. Befriend your animal neighbors by exchanging letters, gifts and favors. Animals can also move from town to town, bringing their memories and stories from their old towns with them. And since animals are notoriously loose-lipped, they spill all the juicy details.

• Express your personal style. Customize your town, your house and yourself by collecting bugs, fish, fossils, art, furniture, clothes and accessories. You can also go to the salon in the city to change your hairstyle and get a Mii™ makeover. Plus, if you design clothes in the tailor’s shop, animals will wear them and maybe even bring them to other towns.

Check out this video and see some screenshots here!

AC Wii Details Pre E3

2008-07-11T09:37:00.004-05:00

E3 is soon, but some details on the elusive Animal Crossing for the Wii are slowly leaking out. All these details come from the latest issue of NGamer in Europe.

Not an MMO
Heavy use of the Wifi connection
Been done for a while

So it looks like we might see that 2008 release date. I'm a bit upset that it's not an MMO, and we will probably be seeing the return of friend-codes. Wait for E3 to see more details.

Also, we previously reported on how a ONM editor wrote about seeing Animal Crossing at E3. Well, that blog has been edited so that it doesn't confirm it, only speculates. So I guess we'll see...

[via N-Europe and GoNintendo]

AC Wii Confirmed For E3 2008

2008-07-08T20:29:00.003-05:00

As reported previously, Animal Crossing for the Wii will be shown at this year's E3. Tom East, a writer for the UK Official Nintendo Magazine had this to say in a blog entry on their site:

"It all sounds very promising and those of you who have read the new issue of Official Nintendo Magazine should already know that Animal Crossing Wii will be unveiled at the conference."

So there you have it, sounds like a confirmation to me. E3 will be coming around soon, in a little over a week. So expect a flood of info to come on this game in the coming weeks.

[link]

UK Magazine Teases Animal Crossing Wii

2008-07-02T13:52:00.001-05:00

The Official Nintendo Magazine, the Nintendo Power of Europe, has a page at the end that teases the latest Animal Crossing game. It says that in the next issue, it will discuss some new games, and one of those games could possibly be the new AC. Here's a partial scan.

Full scan here.

It's been a while! It’s time to revisit an old friend. How’s your village doing these days?

[via GoNintendo]

AC for Wii in 2009 Says EGM

2008-05-27T17:13:00.003-05:00

According to the latest Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine, the July 2008 issue, Animal Crossing for the Wii might take a while longer to come out. Under their rumors section, which has a history of being generally correct, they say that Animal Crossing for Wii is expected to drop in North America in 2009.

Just a rumor for now.

[via GoNintendo]

Reggie Says That Next Big Nintendo Game to Be Revealed at E3

2008-03-17T16:48:00.003-05:00

Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, recently game an interview to GameTrailers on SpikeTV. From the interview, he says, "We are going to have great new content maximizing all our key franchises," and promises to reveal the next big Nintendo game that will be coming out in the second quarter of 2008 at this year's E3.

Many people are assuming that the game will be the next Kid Icarus, but that's just a rumor right now. What I'm hoping will happen is that he will reveal that the new game will be Animal Crossing Wii, with MMO features as well. But it's all speculation right now. We'll have to wait for E3 to find out!

[via Joystiq]

More Confirmation of Animal Crossing Wii in 2008

2008-03-10T16:38:00.004-05:00

The next issue of the Official Nintendo Magazine, only released in the UK, has a big feature on Animal Crossing that discusses the features the OMN staff want to see in the game. Rumor has it that the very first line of the article is this:

"It’s been a long wait but Animal Crossing Wii will arrive in 2008."

This isn't official yet, but hopefully this is true. Animal Crossing fans have been waiting a while for a new game. We'll keep you updated on this story as it develops.

[via GoNintendo]

Animal Crossing Wii - Pay & Play?

2008-02-26T17:14:00.003-06:00

"During a GDC presentation, Nintendo's Takashi Aoyama announced a new expansion to Nintendo's Wi-Fi services called Wii Pay & Play. Aoyama explained that Nintendo will begin "collecting fees for some services [that] will allow us to adapt flexibly." In other words, by subsidizing additional, unnamed service and feature costs to consumers, Nintendo feels they can explore new concepts and channels."

- Kotaku

So, Nintendo is working on a pay-system for online features of the Wii. In this week's Wii-k in Review podcast, Bozon, Matt, Craig all think Animal Crossing will use the new Pay & Play system. Keep in mind that this is just speculation.

[via NintendoEverything]