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Why?
Simple, I'm missing a game that I've never played before.
I'm actually upset about Animal Crossing not getting a European release.
It all started back in about August when I claimed Animal Crossing (Or Animal Forest + as it used to be called) for a review I won GAD for. Ever since then I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this game. Every preview, NTSC review or just new information about the game I'd read about five times over because I wanted it so, so much, and I still do today.
You see, Animal Crossing was a damn special creation. Forget Mario, dump Zelda and ditch Samus. I didn't care about any of their adventures, I wanted Animal Crossing, I want Animal Crossing. Think I'm mad? Or think that this game has gotta be pretty good to make me want it so much.
What was most promising for me was that the game looked like an old N64 game. As many of you may know, I place Gameplay way above graphics and this seemed to be the embodiment of my perfect game. It seemed to me that Nintendo said: "Forget about graphics, we want this to be the most playable game ever!" For me, this is the kind of game I want. I don't beautiful graphics to tell me a game is good.
But what is strange is that even before I got solid details of the game, only a few screenshots and the fact that you live someone's life, I wanted it bad. Normally I'd look at a game and if it looked good, I see what the gameplay was like, but it looked so simple and somehow more 'solid' than other games. Like it had substance. It wasn't just 'another' game.
I believe I was right to think this.
Now I've got even more information on this game I realise that I was right. This looks like, possibly, the greatest game of all time, and I'm upset because it's not getting a European release, understandable, right?
I still need to play this game though. Whether it's through the magic of freeloader or an American 'Cube, I'll get it.
I want to do so many things I could on other games.
One aspect of Animal Crossing that really made me want to buy my mates GameCube's and copies of Animal Crossing is the fact that you can link up memory cards.
So once you've made you're house all lovely your mate can come and visit you. You can give him a tour of the town, show him local wildlife, show him some nice shops and more, but there's something much better than that.
What's this?
I mean when you visit his village. Muahahaha! This is when the real evil of Animal Crossing shines through. You do not simply come to visit him, oh no. Stealing all of things is what's REALLY fun. SO while you're playing along to the whole: "Oh, thanks for letting me into your village." You can steal his personal belongings and, even better, his best villagers. So if you see someone who you especially like, talk to them and steal them away to your town. Ha!
I may think Laurence Lowelyn Bowen is a complete... not very nice, but that doesn't mean decorating isn't good. Making my house look as good (Or bad) as possible is what I call a game! Just giving my home a personal look seems strangely satisfying.
It got to a point where I'm planning out what I should put where even though it shall never be. A lamp in the corner, the bed near the lamp to give a cosy, welcoming, feel to the place. Everyday I turn into that Laurence bloke everyday thanks to this game that won't even come out here, it's reduced me to a babbling idiot.
But what can't be can't be. All because of Nintendo.
It seems the West increasingly hates us PAL gamers. Yes, we may be getting the hugely generous Ura-Zelda/Ocarina Of Time Extra with the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, but time and time we've had terrible decisions by them. Zelda is one example: the Wind Waker? What on earth were they thinking, he doesn't play the bagpipes and he doesn't have a fiddle, but his game is called the Wind Waker, it's terrible.
But this is like Nintendo getting a dagger, stabbing me clean in the heart and twisting it around for hours.
Surely Nintendo could have released it over here, one second the PAL version is being tested, the next it's been scrapped. I was so sure I'd play this game on a PAL 'Cube, but it seems not.
If Nintendo want to become more popular, they really do need to think about us PAL gamers, many a time we've been second fiddle to Japan and America. SEGA gave us extras that NTSC gamers didn't get, why can't you, Nintendo?
But I can see why they didn't sell it over here. The fact of the matter is, there are so many Casual Gamers in Europe who look and graphics and judge a game on them alone, it's doesn't matter about the gameplay to them. So Nintendo could have lost a lot of money.
Not really much of an excuse for making us gamers pay, but sadly, this is how industries work, and I hate it.
Well, it seems that I'll have to sit tight until Animal Crossing 2. Although I see problems with this, maybe it's because I hate online games, maybe it's because I don't want Animal Crossing to change.
If I don't get a free AC with AC2, I'll be having words with Nintendo.
Thanks for reading.
RiCkOsS
The Q comes all reigon 1-6 WITH RCE as standard.
In your face.
Animal Crossing was a bit of an experiment, and if you think how much text there is and how much translating would need to be done (having said that, translating shouldn't be THAT much of an issue, especially as it's no voice acting - just text) and the fact that the mass market wouldn't appreciate it, you sort of see where Nintendo are coming from.
The other reason was that the Sequel was so far into devellopment, and it's supposed to be online too.
Now imagine how many villages you'll be able to steal from... ;-D
I am getting an Action Replay just for this game.
That and it's a bloody amazing console!
*dances*
> Datel will get themselves sorted one day...
I certainly hope so! It's been ages since I've heard anything about the freeloader. Any idea how much it will cost?
> Animal Crossing was a bit of an experiment
If that's so, I don't see why NoJ (Nintendo of Japan) would release it in America but not Europe. If it was an experiment, surely they wouldn't release it outside of Japan.
Furthermore, if they were just testing to see if gamers outside of Japan liked it for the sequal, surely if it was a success in America it would be released in Europe and if it wasn't, Animal Crossing online wouldn't be.
So, does that mean we won't see Animal Crossing Online (Or 2) in Europe either?
It may have been a bit of hassle translating but that shouldn't result in the would-be imminent European release, I think that Nintendo don't have the time for us, in the near future I wouldn't be surprised if you could ONLY import Nintendo Consoles, hardware and software.
It seems we're getting closer and closer to a dead end.
> Strafex wrote:
> Animal Crossing was a bit of an experiment
>
> If that's so, I don't see why NoJ (Nintendo of Japan) would release it
> in America but not Europe. If it was an experiment, surely they
> wouldn't release it outside of Japan.
it was an experiment: we got Doshin and the US didn't
> If that's so, I don't see why NoJ (Nintendo of Japan) would release it
> in America but not Europe. If it was an experiment, surely they
> wouldn't release it outside of Japan.
Translating it into one language is one thing...
Translating it into ALL of the European Languages is another kettle of fish altogether.
One of the reasons that Nintendo gave was that the sequel was so far into devellopment...
1: The e-reader has yet to come out over here and due to poor sales might not despite being part of the game.
2: They would have to remove thanks givings and independance day etc... and to do it right they would have to include our holidays like st. george's day etc... for all european countries and so a different version for each country... ouch.
3: Translation would take a LONG while.
4: By the time that is done in a few months the sequel could be released.
5: So better graphics, online options and maybe even more GBA-GC link up stuff. It is a shame I don't get AC now but really i'm not dying for it straight away with the amount of games already playing or still to come. Although my very first gameaday win 2 years ago was about an N64 game called Animal Forest.