Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Quick Review

Disclaimer: I’m in no way represented by Nintendo. I just really love Animal Crossing and want to write about it!

Way back in 2007, I received a copy of Animal Crossing: City Folk for Wii as a Christmas gift. Ever since then, I’ve been an avid fan of the franchise. The relaxing gameplay, the cute atmosphere, I could go on and on about my undying love for Animal Crossing. When Nintendo announced an Animal Crossing app, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, I was head over heals. I couldn’t wait for it to release in my country, so I took the plunge and made an Australian iTunes account so I could play the game ahead of time (because Pocket Camp is only available in Australia at the moment).

Today I wanted to share some of my thoughts about the game as I’ve been playing it a lot recently!

1. It feels like an Animal Crossing game.

This was something I believe people were worried about with it being a mobile game. But fear not, this game feels just like home! You have your own customizable character, a lot of favorite animals come back for appearances, and you still have the fun of fishing fish, catching bugs, and collecting fruit. Of course, you have a chance to pay off debt too, but instead of expanding a home, you have your own camper to customize as your own. This game is also great for people new to the franchise, because it’s a little easier to play, in my opinion. I’ll touch on that in a later point.

2. The gameplay is slightly different, but not in a bad way.

The idea of this game is that instead of a house, you are hosting a campsite for animal friends to come and visit. You have a player level that increases as you become better friends with your animal travelers. As you up your level, you unlock new bonuses that improve the quality of the game. Plus, it’s not too hard! To increase your level, you perform tasks for animals. This could be collecting fruit, fish, shells, or bugs for them in varying quantities. They have their own friend level, and when they reach a certain level and you have their preferred furniture, they can come visit your campsite! This is the general idea for the game. Albeit different from regular Animal Crossing, it's a refreshing change.

3. The new additions are fun!

When you perform tasks for animals, they give you building materials as a thank you. This allows you to build furniture that attracts animals to your campsite. The idea behind bringing animals to your campsite is that you can increase your friendship level with them. This unlocks better materials and more activities you can do on your campground. The idea of having a level and unlocking certain things may seem off putting to an Animal Crossing veteran, but I really like the motivation it gives me. While it’s different than a regular Animal Crossing game, it doesn’t feel so foreign that I’m playing a brand new franchise.

4. You can play with one hand!

The game play is so simple I often find myself playing with just one hand. Catching bugs and fish is easier than ever: you just tap the screen when it tells you to do so to catch what you need. You can tap the screen where you want to walk and it gets you there in no time. This is great for people like me who often find themselves playing games while laying on one side or on the go!

5. Of course, there are some drawbacks.

I miss the larger shops that are featured in older Animal Crossing games. In Pocket Camp, the clothing shop, the accessory shop, and the shoe shop are on a rotating basis and only feature three items at a time. Making my character cute with new clothes is something I love to do, and while I think my character is super adorable, I wish there was a better shopping system for this new game.

Also, this game features micro-transactions. The game is free to play but they do offer an in-game currency called Leaf Tickets. These allow you to speed up projects and buy specialty items. You get an ample amount just by playing the game and completing goals, but some people are still upset by it or need more than that. I don’t personally have a problem with this feature, but it is definitely something to consider going into this game.

Overall, I’m very impressed with Pocket Camp! I’m excited to see it grow and expand as more and more people have the chance to play it. Kudos, Nintendo!