The First Animal Crossing Aged Like Fine Wine, I Should Know After 1 Year

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Animal Crossing is one of Nintendo’s most popular video game series. It began in 2001 as Animal Forest for the Nintendo 64, and gained international success after being released on the GameCube a year later.

The Animal Crossing series has come a long way, especially with Animal Crossing: New Horizons introducing things like seasonal events tied to your location, crafting, and building up your town. While the original Animal Crossing doesn’t have as many features, I’ve found that after a year of playing, it still holds up surprisingly well.

The First Animal Crossing Is Still Very Customizable

I’m really excited about this game! The basic idea is simple – you move into a new town and immediately owe a bunch of money to Tom Nook, the shop owner – but it seems like it’ll give me a good challenge for at least the first few months as I get settled in. It’s cool that you can actually name the town yourself, too!

Once you get settled, you basically help out the animal villagers who live in town. It’s a lot of little tasks – like delivering packages, finding lost items, or even just running messages and collecting fruit for them. And they’re really grateful! They’ll give you stuff in return – furniture to decorate your house, cool clothes, stationery… and of course, bells, which is the money you use in the game. It’s how you get everything!

Once players have collected furniture, clothes, and stationery, they can decorate their homes, wear the clothes, or write letters. However, a more useful option is to sell these items to Tom Nook, who will give them money. Players can then use this money to pay back the loan they owe to Tom Nook.

Once players have finished paying off their loans to Tom Nook, they’ll have much more freedom to spend money decorating their homes. This is when they’ll truly discover just how customizable Animal Crossing has become after 25 years.

I’m really hoping this game gets as much customization as the newer ones, but even now, you can still do a lot with decorating your player’s house! There are tons of choices for things like wallpaper, carpets, and furniture, so you can really make it your own.

My house in Animal Crossing is as big as it can get, with two stories and a basement. When you walk in, you’ll find Christmas trees, a TV, and a grandfather clock. Upstairs, I have three working NES consoles, each with a different game, and a really loud stereo.

Animal Crossing’s Villagers Are Surprisingly Diverse in Their Personalities

Even though older versions of Animal Crossing don’t have as many customization features as newer games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, players can still express their creativity. Similarly, the animal villagers you interact with have surprisingly charming and well-developed personalities.

Roald is a good example of a ‘jock’ villager, and he’s been that type since the very first Animal Crossing game. While his basic personality hasn’t changed in New Horizons, he’s been given a bit more depth – he now has a specific hobby that makes him stand out from other villagers.

Although Roald’s personality is a little more complex in New Horizons, his conversations with you feel more charming. This is true for all the villagers in Animal Crossing – they initially seem to repeat the same few lines based on their personality type.

Spending time talking to the villagers actually makes you feel more connected to them. What’s great is that the villagers in Animal Crossing have distinct personalities – they can be kind one moment and a little feisty the next – which makes every conversation feel more meaningful.

I’ve actually become quite fond of Roald, even though he seems to have the same personality as Tad, another athletic villager. I recently discovered there’s a friendship system in the game where you can build relationships with villagers. This became clear on my birthday when Roald stopped by to wish me a happy birthday!

Things Are Always Happening in Animal Crossing

I bought Animal Crossing and a few other GameCube games in January 2025, and while it didn’t have the online features of New Horizons, it was still a really engaging game.

There’s always something going on in Animal Crossing, from visits by special characters like Gracie, Crazy Redd, and Saharah, to a variety of events happening throughout the year.

New Year’s Day is a popular celebration in my village, bringing everyone together to welcome the new year. During one celebration, I noticed elements that are still used in modern games, as well as some characters that haven’t been seen in a while.

Okay, so the original Animal Crossing doesn’t have everything the newer New Horizons does, but honestly, it’s still a really charming game. It’s a bit old-school being offline, but there’s still so much to do, even now. For me, I’m still trying to finish up the museum – I’ve got all the fossils, but I’m missing four paintings, four bugs, and just one last fish! It’s a fun little goal to keep me playing.

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2026-01-17 04:44