Should I get Animal Crossing New Leaf?

Seri · Sep 20, 2018

Okay so, hear me out. I love the Animal Crossing phone game, but its the only animal crossing game that I've played. I'm tempted to try New Leaf, to get a handle for a "real" animal crossing game before the Switch one comes out next year. I love Story of Seasons/Stardew Valley/Rune Factory type games. Should I grab New Leaf or just try to wait for the Switch version next year? Do you think I'd enjoy it? I've heard that it follows (Like the camp one) the actual real time. I mostly only have time to play in the late evenings and early mornings, would this hinder my enjoyment? (I.E. stores being closed? Things only being able to be done during the day?) Any advice is appreciated!

leverpastej · Sep 20, 2018

Yes you should, i bought it to my daugters 3ds, and i play i to, its awsome.

I am in some kind of gaming farique after 30 years of gaming, but a session with this game feels relaxing in some akward way.

Get it.

Edit; you can charge time whenever you want, i didnt know that first so everything was closed when i played, but just charge the clock when you talk with Isabelle when you start the game.

aiswyda · Sep 20, 2018

It's a fun game and is really charming. It's not really like story of seasons/stardew valley, but there does tend to be overlap between people who like casual farm sims and AC, and it keeps that casual, light hearted loop that I personally love in the casual farm sims.

The only reason not to try it out is if you don't foresee yourself giving it much time or not having time to invest in it nearly every day. Animal Crossing is easily a 100+ investment if you get into it, and you'll likely end up playing for at least 30 mins - 1 hour a day.

If you want to keep the time of day (which I do recommend) new leaf has a feature where you pay a small fee (w/ bells, not real money if unclear) to change the hours of a store slightly (earlier or later).

JustJavi · Sep 20, 2018

Absolutely

MDSVeritas · Sep 20, 2018

I heavily suggest it! You've probably got more than enough time to dig in majorly before the Switch AC is out. As for your time table I think you'll be totally fine. When I first played New Leaf I had the exact same problem: I'd be up super early and wouldn't be home until pretty darn late, but still managed to get a bunch of stuff done and honestly found that the game really excels when you sneak a few minutes in just before heading out for the day or right after you get back.

Also, New Leaf has some special Mayor powers you can use to choose to keep shops open later too!

Seri · Sep 20, 2018

aiswyda said:
It's a fun game and is really charming. It's not really like story of seasons/stardew valley, but there does tend to be overlap between people who like casual farm sims and AC, and it keeps that casual, light hearted loop that I personally love in the casual farm sims.

The only reason not to try it out is if you don't foresee yourself giving it much time or not having time to invest in it nearly every day. Animal Crossing is easily a 100+ investment if you get into it, and you'll likely end up playing for at least 30 mins - 1 hour a day.

If you want to keep the time of day (which I do recommend) new leaf has a feature where you pay a small fee (w/ bells, not real money if unclear) to change the hours of a store slightly (earlier or later).

Okay. Yeah I mean, I've spent 100+ hours in games before so that's awesome to hear it can suck you in like that. And Awesome to hear you can change the time the stores close. I was really worried about that. ^^ Hmmm.. Can you only adjust the time they close? Not make them 24/7? (Also I love your Yuffie Avatar...at least i think that's Yuffie? )

leverpastej said:
Edit; you can charge time whenever you want, i didnt know that first so everything was closed when i played, but just charge the clock when you talk with Isabelle when you start the game.

Ah I'd prob keep the time of day the same so its not like...weirdly day time there. I do like that it changes with you.

Dark Knight · Sep 20, 2018

My GF is forever-addicted to New Leaf. She has been playing it in some capacity since its release. It's a great game.

TemplaerDude · Sep 20, 2018

New Leaf is one of my favourite 3DS games, you'd be a straight fool to not pick it up if you're at all interested. You'll be hooked, guaranteed.

aiswyda · Sep 20, 2018

Seri said:
Okay. Yeah I mean, I've spent 100+ hours in games before so that's awesome to hear it can suck you in like that. And Awesome to hear you can change the time the stores close. I was really worried about that. ^^ Hmmm.. Can you only adjust the time they close? Not make them 24/7? (Also I love your Yuffie Avatar...at least i think that's Yuffie? )

Oh yeah, it absolutely can--I've played every AC that's gotten localized and have put at least 150 hours into all of them except City Folk.

IIRC you can either make them close later or open earlier. The closing later was great for me personally as I played it a lot the summer before college when I had no morning obligations, while my current SO swears by the early bird option as he's up by like 6 am everyday. Unfortunately there's no 24/7, so if you're only available like...12 AM - 5 AM to play you might need to change your in game time to access stores.

And yes! It's yuffie my fav ff character, thank you :)

Deleted member 2618 · Sep 20, 2018

I'm playing it now and I can feel myself actively failing my classes. Its so addictive.

I got issues with some of the progression requirements though. Like needing Gracie, an RNG event character, 4 different times to get the max store is a pain.

Deleted member 21709 · Sep 20, 2018

If you like camp? Yes. It is amazing, and I'm sure the Switch version is at least six months away.

パンダさん · Sep 20, 2018

I've just ordered it yesterday, so I'd say yes ;)

KtSlime · Sep 20, 2018

The answer to getting Animal Crossing is always Yes.

HotHamBoy · Sep 20, 2018

Uh, yes. You will love it. It's really cheap.

Menitta said:
I'm playing it now and I can feel myself actively failing my classes. Its so addictive.

I got issues with some of the progression requirements though. Like needing Gracie, an RNG event character, 4 different times to get the max store is a pain.

You're playing the game wrong

Aprikurt · Sep 20, 2018

Good sweet lord only the phone game?!?! That's not AC. Buy New Leaf now!

abrack · Sep 20, 2018

I have only played a little bit of New Leaf, maybe 10 hours, but I'd worry about being burned out by the time the Switch version comes out. From what I understand the fish/fossils/fruit/etc you collect in each game is largely the same. Feels like it'd be a bummer to really build a great town and fill out the museum and stuff, then basically start doing the same stuff over again next year.

fieldafar · Sep 20, 2018

Barn · Sep 20, 2018

Personally, I'd say wait for the Switch version, or at least wait and see how it looks. New Leaf is absolutely fantastic -- it's content-rich, and far and away the definitive version of Animal Crossing thus far. But AC as a series is mostly iterative; each game expands on the last, and you may not want to go back and play less content-rich, less user-friendly older entries once you've played the most recent.

With the way Nintendo has been approaching most of its heavy hitters on Switch, there's a good chance the next game will top New Leaf. And maybe you'll love New Leaf so much that you can't wait to jump into the Switch version, but you might also be a little burnt out by then (warning: Animal Crossing is highly addictive). Also -- and this is just me -- there's so much to play nowadays, I'd rather use the time in between to take in some other games since you're just about guaranteed to have a better iteration of AC on the horizon.

ChrisD · Sep 20, 2018

abrack said:
I have only played a little bit of New Leaf, maybe 10 hours, but I'd worry about being burned out by the time the Switch version comes out. From what I understand the fish/fossils/fruit/etc you collect in each game is largely the same. Feels like it'd be a bummer to really build a great town and fill out the museum and stuff, then basically start doing the same stuff over again next year.

I want to say "heck yes!" to OP, but I'm thinking this as well. Even if SwitchLeaf comes out in... June, that's honestly not a whole lot of time between two AC titles.

Though, New Leaf is a cheap, fantastic entry and entrance to the series. So perhaps it'd be best to get a taste for it before spending a large chunk on Switch and not knowing what you're going into.

Seri · Sep 20, 2018

abrack said:
I have only played a little bit of New Leaf, maybe 10 hours, but I'd worry about being burned out by the time the Switch version comes out. From what I understand the fish/fossils/fruit/etc you collect in each game is largely the same. Feels like it'd be a bummer to really build a great town and fill out the museum and stuff, then basically start doing the same stuff over again next year.

I'm a little worried about that, but at the same time I could just put off getting the switch version for a while, also we don't know its exsact release date yet right? So it could be late 2019 and by that point i might be ready to have a new town and adventure.

Seri · Sep 20, 2018

ChrisD said:
I want to say "heck yes!" to OP, but I'm thinking this as well. Even if SwitchLeaf comes out in... June, that's honestly not a whole lot of time between two AC titles.

Though, New Leaf is a cheap, fantastic entry and entrance to the series. So perhaps it'd be best to get a taste for it before spending a large chunk on Switch and not knowing what you're going into.

Barn said:
Personally, I'd say wait for the Switch version, or at least wait and see how it looks. New Leaf is absolutely fantastic -- it's content-rich, and far and away the definitive version of Animal Crossing thus far. But AC as a series is mostly iterative; each game expands on the last, and you may not want to go back and play less content-rich, less user-friendly older entries once you've played the most recent.

With the way Nintendo has been approaching most of its heavy hitters on Switch, there's a good chance the next game will top New Leaf. And maybe you'll love New Leaf so much that you can't wait to jump into the Switch version, but you might also be a little burnt out by then (warning: Animal Crossing is highly addictive). Also -- and this is just me -- there's so much to play nowadays, I'd rather use the time in between to take in some other games since you're just about guaranteed to have a better iteration of AC on the horizon.

Hmmm. I feel this. I appreciate this input a lot! Its defiantly a hard decision. I wish I knew what time next year we'd get the switch version.

Karu · Sep 20, 2018

You seem to like the genre and the mobile game, so probably.

I found New Leaf to be utterly boring after a short while. But then again, it helped me define what games I certainly do not like.

Li Kao · Sep 20, 2018

I think I've got new leaf on my 3ds (it was a long time ago, hence the hesitation), but I've got a question. I think there is a newer version of it, is it worth upgrading ?

Edit. Ohhh, welcome amiibo was an update...

trugs26 · Sep 20, 2018

Animal crossing games are quite similar, so if you get New Leaf chances are you won't want to play the Switch version so soon.

If you're okay with that, then get it. Otherwise just wait for the Switch version.

Seri · Sep 22, 2018

Update , I bought it with some money a friend owed me. ^^ It gets here tuesday!

blueredandgold · Sep 22, 2018

Any excuse to tell this story:

My New Leaf town was not all that successful, but I did play it for a long time. I had a modest home and made sure the museum got everything new I found first.

Folk would come and go, and people on my 3DS Friends List would visit, pose for funny pictures or play hide the item, things like that.

I had the grand idea of making the house into an approximate replica of my grandparent's home from when I used to visit there growing up, but never could get it 'right' enough.

That's not the story.

I wasn't at all invested in the turnip trade.

I just happened to check the turnip prices one day, and they were as high as I had ever seen them, I had no turnips to trade in, and thought I couldn't let this opportunity pass.

This was in 2013, back when social media was good* so I put the word out:

543 bells for turnips!

I had a flood of people old and new come to my town to cash in.

Some took their whole winnings, some put a percentage towards my town's projects like the bridge over the river and such. Most left me a small stipend.

I was getting tweeted at from all corners of the planet and due to the nature of time zones and friend codes, it was a busy and hectic period that evening.

My tweets went semi-viral enough for a dude from developer Wayforward to enquire 'hey man about those turnips".

So many people took the train into D-Town that day and did business with the local traders. That day, I was Tom Nook.

I never really spent my turnip-related fortune, I could have upgraded my at-the-time lodgings twice or three times over with the money I earned from the kick-backs, but I kept it in the bank.

Sadly, during a mishap with a 3DS System Transfer (thoroughly my own fault I still believe, as I perhaps didn't format the larger-than-recommended SDXC card correctly) my digital copy of the game did NOT copy the save file over for Animal Crosing New Leaf, Smash Bros, or Tomodachi BUT other digital games like Pokemon were transferred ok.

D-Town, my fortune, and everybody who became involved in that affair were gone, as if it never happened.

My experience turned from Don Corleone in The Godfather to Keyser Soze in The Usual Suspects just like that.

Should I get Animal Crossing New Leaf?

Seri

leverpastej

aiswyda

JustJavi

MDSVeritas

Gameplay Programmer, Sony Santa Monica

Seri

Dark Knight

One Winged Slayer

TemplaerDude

aiswyda

Deleted member 2618

User requested account closure

Deleted member 21709

User requested account closure

パンダさん

KtSlime

HotHamBoy

Aprikurt

▲ Legend ▲

abrack

Unshakable Resolve

fieldafar

Barn

ChrisD

One Winged Slayer

Seri

Seri

Karu

Li Kao

trugs26

Seri

blueredandgold