Animal Crossing: Wild World & New Leaf

[LibraryOgre]

So, my 6 year old saw his 13 year old cousin playing New Horizons yesterday and, of course, he wants to play Animal Crossing. However, I don't want to pay $80 for a game and put my 6 year old in an on-line setting.

Wild World, originally for the WiiU, is available from the Nintendo Store for $10. New Leaf is $20. Anyone have experience with them, especially on the Switch? He's a good reader, but I wanted some opinions.

[Ortho]

So, my 6 year old saw his 13 year old cousin playing New Horizons yesterday and, of course, he wants to play Animal Crossing. However, I don't want to pay $80 for a game and put my 6 year old in an on-line setting.

Wild World, originally for the WiiU, is available from the Nintendo Store for $10. New Leaf is $20. Anyone have experience with them, especially on the Switch? He's a good reader, but I wanted some opinions.

Quick question: what system do you plan to have your kid play on? It sounds like you want a Switch game, but neither Wild World or New Leaf are available on the Switch.

Also, New Horizons doesn't require a Nintendo Online subscription (I assume you think the game needs one, as you listed the price as $80?). Having one will enable visits to other islands, but it sounds like you don't want your kid to do that anyways.

[LibraryOgre]

Quick question: what system do you plan to have your kid play on? It sounds like you want a Switch game, but neither Wild World or New Leaf are available on the Switch.

Also, New Horizons doesn't require a Nintendo Online subscription (I assume you think the game needs one, as you listed the price as $80?). Having one will enable visits to other islands, but it sounds like you don't want your kid to do that anyways.

He'll need to play it on the Switch (my only other console is a Game Cube), but both Wild World and New Leaf are available.

As for playing it On-line, everything I've read says it is required? Can anyone confirm? The idea of a shared island for all four of us is a neat one.

[Zevox]

I haven't played these games - I'm not interested in Animal Crossing - but from some googling around and checking on the Switch e-shop, everything I'm seeing says the opposite of what you're saying, Mark. Wild World and New Leaf are DS and 3DS games respectively, and not available on the Switch in any way. And everything I'm seeing says online is only required for New Horizons' (or any other Animal Crossing game's) online multiplayer features, not to play it at all. And I'd be rather shocked if the online were required like that, that would be extremely odd for a Nintendo game. (Honestly, it would be very odd for almost any game outside of mobile ones, but especially for Nintendo.)

[LibraryOgre]

I haven't played these games - I'm not interested in Animal Crossing - but from some googling around and checking on the Switch e-shop, everything I'm seeing says the opposite of what you're saying, Mark. Wild World and New Leaf are DS and 3DS games respectively, and not available on the Switch in any way. And everything I'm seeing says online is only required for New Horizons' (or any other Animal Crossing game's) online multiplayer features, not to play it at all. And I'd be rather shocked if the online were required like that, that would be extremely odd for a Nintendo game. (Honestly, it would be very odd for almost any game outside of mobile ones, but especially for Nintendo.)

Glad I checked with y'all. I misread stuff, and it looks like it won't work.

[Zevox]

Glad I checked with y'all. I misread stuff, and it looks like it won't work.

What looks like it won't work? My impression is that the answer to your situation would simply be "get New Horizons, play it offline only."

[LibraryOgre]

What looks like it won't work? My impression is that the answer to your situation would simply be "get New Horizons, play it offline only."

Sorry. "Wild World and New Leaf look like they will not work. I will need to get New Horizons."

[Zevox]

Sorry. "Wild World and New Leaf look like they will not work. I will need to get New Horizons."

Ah, gotcha.

[OracleofWuffing]

While the theme of developing a region with travelling animal friends is always the same, New Horizons mixed gameplay up a bit by having you collect different resources and recipes to build different things. There's also a lot more outdoor customization options that aren't in the other titles. Granted, the other titles have their own pieces that didn't make it to New Horizons, but maybe the distinction is irrelevant if you're looking for a Switch title.

He'll need to play it on the Switch (my only other console is a Game Cube),

You might want to keep an eye out in secondhand stores for the GameCube title, called... Animal Crossing. It's not technically the original Animal Crossing game, because that was only in Japan on the N64. Be aware that the game doesn't increment the year past 2030, it still plays after that time, just that the year will perpetually be 2030. Save data takes up a lot of space for a GameCube game, though.

Don't know how you feel about your kid having a smartphone at that age, but there is Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp for iOS and Android. It's... Not for everyone. One of those "Free but microtransactions save time" things, and that's the one that requires a persistent internet connection.

Just reiterating the point, the $60 New Horizons title does not need the $20 Nintendo Switch Online subscription. You miss out on like one specific house carpet, the ability to travel to other peoples' islands, the ability to have other people travel to your island, and the ability to easily share custom designs for furniture and clothes relatively speaking, this is Nintendo online, it's still kind of convoluted. Travelling to islands is part of a decent way to earn money and resources, but the game does have its own "Mystery Islands" you can visit that are kind of like visiting another person's island, just without human interaction. Even though the game uses the internet to update for holidays, you get those updates without needing the Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Only thing I've found for New Horizons getting a sale price is $50 back in October, that's roughly what you'd see it for used.

While we're on the matter, "Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival" (WiiU) is not a traditional Animal Crossing game and most of the vocal Animal Crossing fanbase would advise you not to pick it up. This is not to be confused with "Welcome Amiibo" (3DS) which is a free upgrade to Animal Crossing New Leaf. Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS) is also not a traditional Animal Crossing game but you still get to arrange furniture for various houses so it is much better-received than Amiibo Festival but that's not saying much.

[137beth]

I would second the suggestion of looking for the Gamecube Animal Crossing, if you can get it at a reasonable price.

Don't know how you feel about your kid having a smartphone at that age, but there is Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp for iOS and Android. It's... Not for everyone. One of those "Free but microtransactions save time" things, and that's the one that requires a persistent internet connection.

Also, while I haven't played AC:Pocket Camp since 2017, so it may be different now, I seem to recall there being some feature where you got items only by doing something with people on your friends list. So (unless I'm misremembering or it's changed), it may not be a great choice if you don't want your kid to interact with lots of other people online.

[LibraryOgre]

Don't know how you feel about your kid having a smartphone at that age, but there is Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp for iOS and Android. It's... Not for everyone. One of those "Free but microtransactions save time" things, and that's the one that requires a persistent internet connection.

We had been using old smart phones as mini-tablets... only work on the home wi-fi, let the kids watch some things and play some games. But one got lost and the other stopped charging, so we haven't had one in a while.

[OracleofWuffing]

Ah, rough... Is there a specific gameplay element that caught your six year old's attention? I'm not aware of any quality Animal Crossing-like games, but maybe there would be something in a different title that would appeal.

[LibraryOgre]

Ah, rough... Is there a specific gameplay element that caught your six year old's attention? I'm not aware of any quality Animal Crossing-like games, but maybe there would be something in a different title that would appeal.

He just kinda likes the idea of going around and doing quests... and his cousin was playing it.

I'm also kind of enthused because it will be more reading than Minecraft.

[Glimbur]

I have avoided introducing my six year old to Animal Crossing because it encourages you to play every day and I can see struggles with him over that. Sometimes he loses screen time as a consequence, sometimes there just is not time in the day for it.

He mostly plays games on my old DS, Lego Star Wars was his old jam but right now it is Kirby Mass Attack. If you want to practice reading a JRPG might work. Try to pick one with pretty easy access to saving though. I remember telling my parents I just had to get to a save point in the middle of a boss fight or other long sequence. Though just leaving the game running might be an option there.