Last year, when Animal Crossing: City Folk was released the gaming intelligentsia all balked at it for the game being just an evolution, regurgitation, rerelease of the original game released back on the GameCube.  While City Folk didn't make a large leap with the Wii, the game does add more things for people to do if they are fans of the Animal Crossing game play. I think a lot of the community missed what people enjoy about the game.

Animal Crossing is a franchise that someone can play 15 or 20 minutes a day and do everything that has to be done while still being able to devote as much time to the franchise as they want. With my current project at work, it is very common for me not to get home prior to midnight and at that time I really do not want to be playing an active experience that is just going to jack me up that I'm unable to sleep. What's nice about Animal Crossing is that I can hop on, see what's new, collect a few things, and get off. I'm still staying involved in the world and playing a game, which is a pastime I enjoy far more than just watching a little television before bed.

The game is all about pace. Even the Vince Guaraldi inspired soundtrack is about slowing people down and letting them relax while they play a game. If the game would have tried to broaden its scope to be Nintendo's version of Playstation Home, or gone the MMOG route, the game would have fundamentally changed. That change may not have been a bad thing, but I think for people who really enjoy the core experience, it is about playing in their world and interacting with their friends. I think too often we as gamers try to go to Mars before we've reached the moon. I think Nintendo has the ability to produce content that is perfect for an MMOG, but just taking a franchise there because we've experienced it already, doesn't always need to be done.

Sometimes, I just want to log into Bywater and catch a few bugs and fish before heading off to bed.