The popular Nintendo video game Animal Crossing, which has sold more than 30 million copies across multiple Nintendo platforms, is coming to your mobile phone. In a teaser trailer released on October 25th, Nintendo shared some new details about their upcoming mobile game Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.
Unlike the first Animal Crossing, which originated as a GameCube video game back in 2002, Nintendo’s new mobile version will change the setting from a small village to a campsite, having the gamers act as the manager. The players are tasked with taking an old, deserted campsite and making it look presentable to attract campers by making new furniture and adorning the campsite to match their own style. Besides the campsite, players will also get to decorate their own camper van, inside and out.
Just like all other Animal Crossing video games, the purpose to Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is to build and expand your own establishment, this time a campsite, that will bring assorted fuzzy friends to your door. Instead of assisting the villagers by gathering fruit or fish, as the manager of the camp, gamers will take care of the campers that come to visit as they leave and return over time.
The game essentially maintains the same focus of providing assistance to campers instead of centering on selling goods to gain money in return. Once gamers have gone out and scavenged for items, the campers will pay them for one of those goods with bells or other items, which will allow their friendship level to grow.
As in the original, players can customize their characters to give them their own individual flare using the Animal Crossing currency of bells. There are two types of currencies in Animal Crossing: bells, which are only accessible through gameplay, and Leaf Tickets, which can be attained through gameplay or by microtransactions. Since Animal Crossing is a free application, players are given the option of buying Leaf Tickets with their own real money if they want to purchase furniture or access events that would otherwise take time to access. Leaf Tickets will also be awarded once you’re character has completed certain goals.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp offers new features including amenities, which expands off of the concept from the original Animal Crossing game of constructing new buildings for your village. Another way to diversify your camp and bring more friends to your campsite is by adding more amenities, such as half-pipes, swimming pools, or merry-go-rounds. Providing additional, fun activities for your campers will not only bring more animals and human characters to your campsite, but will diversify the types of characters that pop by to say hello.
Another added feature allows players to jump into the camper van to visit and explore other locations to find more resources. Gamers can take a trip either to Saltwater Shores, the forest, the river, or to Sunburst Island where your character can meet new friends besides their campers.
The mobile game also added more options for players to connect with each other through friend codes and friends requests, which will allow the players to visit their friend’s campsite whenever they want. In addition, the game will operate around a 24-hour cycle, which means the scenery will match whatever time it is in the real world. Depending on what time you choose to play the game, a variety of different animals will visit your campsite according to the time of day.
Similar to previous versions, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will also have seasonal updates and activities. Since the release is expected to be close to the holidays, players can expect to see an autumn landscape, as well as some Thanksgiving and Christmas themed festivities.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp doesn’t have an official release date yet, but it will be available for iOS and Android sometime in late November. The official trailer can be seen below.
