# What's Your Favorite Animal Crossing Game?



## due (Dec 18, 2020)

What did you vote for? What would you have definitely not voted for? What makes this game your favorite? Is there a feature that is in this game that you wish wasn't in it? Is there a feature in another game that you wish was in it? What's your favorite feature in the game? What's your least favorite feature in this game? Is there a feature in this game that makes this game unique? When did you start playing this game? Was/is this your first Animal Crossing game?


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## Jam86 (Dec 18, 2020)

i love new horizons for the ability to decorate outside and new leaf for it's furniture however happy home designer has both and that's what makes it the most superior animal crossing game ♡

new leaf is a close second though because the music is cute ^-^
pocket camp is the worst for me because it's pretty basic tbh

edit: i didn't know there was one on the gamecube, was it good?


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## due (Dec 18, 2020)

Jam86 said:


> edit: i didn't know there was one on the gamecube, was it good?


I don't know, I didn't play, but it looks fun!


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## saphiraaeragon (Dec 18, 2020)

City Folk! It was my first ever Animal Crossing game. I don't remember how/where/when I got it, but I remember that I had Stitches and Nan, who stuck around to be my favorites! I also had Robin, who always made me reaaaally mad. Gosh, snooty villagers got me so riled up! They seemed to have calmed down quite a bit in newer games though, and they're pretty cute in Pocket Camp imo!


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## LadyDestani (Dec 18, 2020)

There are still quite a few games in the series that I haven't played, but I voted for the GameCube. It was my introduction to Animal Crossing so it has the nostalgia factor, but the main reason it's my favorite is for the villager interactions. They felt more alive back then and I loved that you could gradually notice a change in their friendship as it grew. The game was so quirky and unique. Even though it was lacking a lot of the customization and quality of life improvements that came in later games, I would still love to go back and play the GameCube version again.


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## LoyalDragonfly (Dec 19, 2020)

I've only played two Animal Crossing games, but my favorite is definitely New Leaf. I want to someday play the original ACGC, though... I desperately want to see just how 'mean' the OG cranky and snooty villagers were.


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## mermaidshelf (Dec 19, 2020)

My first game was the GameCube version. I've played every game in the series that was available in the U.S. While there are certain aspects I liked and disliked of each game, the one I played the most and has a special place in my heart is New Leaf. Also, a bit controversial but I actually like Pocket Camp. It had a rough start for sure but the ease-of-use updates have made it vastly more playable and it has some of the cutest items of ANY Animal Crossing game. Diana's and Julian's cookies are so beautiful and magical and Tia's and Brie's cookies are basically my aesthetic. I play on the bus during my commute to and from work which I think helps my opinion (I don't play as much when I don't have work lol). The RNG aspect does suck but honestly NH's RNG is much more frustrating to me, as I have to play hours a day to get 1 or maybeeee 2 seasonal DIYs. I like New Horizons but I thought I would finally be able to quit Pocket Camp when it dropped and boy was I wrong.


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## xara (Dec 20, 2020)

i’ve only played wild world, new leaf, pocket camp and new horizons but my favourite is definitely new horizons thus far! while it has its fair share of flaws, i’m absolutely _obsessed_ with how gorgeous the quality is and how much freedom this game has granted us. i love being able to place furniture outside and having a say in where most buildings will be. i love being able to hang wreaths on our door. i love island hopping. there’ll probably always be features that i want or ones that i could do without but so far, new horizons has been incredible and i’m in love with it. :’^)

new horizons with wild world’s soundtrack, though?? that would be _so sexy_,,


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## ~Kilza~ (Dec 20, 2020)

I've played all the main series games, and I'd have to go with New Horizons. It's the one I've poured the most time into (been playing it daily since it came out, lol) and the one that I've enjoyed playing the most.


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## Ghibli (Dec 20, 2020)

ACNL (to start) it was my introduction into the animal crossing world, between the soundtracks I adored during certain times.. to the sound of the cicada locust in the summer time.. to having your own shopping center and a gigantic upstairs in the nooks it's got so much to offer ! I use to look at playthroughs of the others and was lack-luster to me.

Of course, animal crossing: pocket camp has some of thee BEST furniture items (pay2wincutethings amirite) I wish were in animal crossing new horizons by far </3 my least favorite part about any of the animal crossing games is the lack of improvement of quality-of-life features D:


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## Livia (Dec 20, 2020)

I voted for new horizons because it’s the only one I’ve played daily and put the most hours into. I even bought a second switch and second copy of the game because I love it so much and wanted to have another island.

I played wild world as a kid and loved it, but I never stuck with it for very long and was very upset when my favorite villagers would randomly move away. I’m so glad that villagers don’t randomly leave in NH. I also played city folk, but I don’t like games on the tv, so couldn’t really get into it. I’m currently playing pocket camp alongside NH, but it frustrates me sometimes because of the fortune cookies. I also don’t enjoy games that have events going on all the time.


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## Your Local Wild Child (Dec 20, 2020)

I’ve played all the main series games released to the US at some point. NH is probably my favorite because it’s kept my attention the longest out of all of them (although I have heavy nostalgia for the others in some way or another-NL is a close second).


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## Bird_9 (Dec 20, 2020)

I have a biesed opinon on this topic
My fav game is new leaf
But i consider new horizon a suoerior game in almost every aspect
Tbe problem is that new leaf holda strong emotions with me and tbe nostalgic wave is always pointing to him as the best one
But acnh is aclose match


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## Stalfos (Dec 21, 2020)

It's not easy to pick one. I love Animal Crossing on the Gamecube, New Leaf and New Horizons equally but for different reasons. But I'd ultimately have to go with New Horizons since it's the one I'm currently enjoying.


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## under the tide (Dec 21, 2020)

Even though I've poured the most hours into New Horizons, I'm constantly nostalgic for Happy Home Designer and still crave a sequel for it. I had New Leaf before it but couldn't really get into AC until I got HHD. It really helped me get familiarised and attached to all the villagers, and the variety of furniture items were just the best out of all the AC games I've played. I think its biggest shortcoming was just how short the main quest was. :x


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## daringred_ (Dec 21, 2020)

i've played every animal crossing game to date sans GC because i was 2 lmao, and i voted NL. no contest, honestly. i played my first copy of the game *every day* for 7 years up until the release of NH, and did the same with a second copy for 5 of those years. PC might've come second for the furniture/clothing items alone, and there are so many clothing items especially that i wish had made the journey over to NH. CF probably would've been third largely for the city and serena, even though i never actually saw her in-game lmao.


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## Katzenjammer (Dec 21, 2020)

I've enjoyed all of the Animal Crossing titles since they first came out, but I voted for New Leaf as overall, I think it was my favorite, though there are a lot of things I really love about New Horizons and some things I don't, but overall I have really enjoyed all of them!


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## Lightspring (Dec 21, 2020)

New Leaf. Hands down. I think the only reasons why some may be iffy about it being the best AC game is the quality of the graphics and crafting. I know that New Horizons is a big step up in terms of graphics and color, I think that New Leaf still has this quaint charm of being in charge of a budding town as the mayor. I’m personally not a fan of crafting though I get its perks. Plus, New Leaf has Club Tortimer which I think is awesome.


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## Meysuhr (Dec 24, 2020)

I like that all the games have their own uniqueness. 

I voted for Gamecube for its nostalgia and happy memories. I had a lot of fun playing it with my friend.

I spent a lot of time playing New Leaf and I think it is probably the best game in the series. New Horizons is a good competitor. I think they're both great games. The rewards from balloons in NH is much better than NL. 

I enjoyed City Folk but it is my least favorite of the games that I've played in the series. The city part lacked a lot but it was cool to see other characters roam around.

I never owned Wild World but I remember watching my friend play it.

I briefly played Pocket Camp but didn't invest time into it (only 1 day).

I never played Happy Home Designer.


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## -Lumi- (Dec 24, 2020)

Maybe I shouldn't answer since I haven't really played that many games, lol. But! I really love New Leaf. It was my first Animal Crossing game and it definitely holds a special place in my heart. Sure, New Horizons has better graphics and some elements _are_ better (character customization being a huge one) but overall my experience with New Leaf was more enjoyable. 

My dad bought me the game when we moved to a new town and it was my _thing _for so long, lol. I wasn't the best at making friends and we moved during the summer so I didn't have school to push me to make any. I'd play my 3DS a lot and Animal Crossing was my favourite game, and it still is. I still play it from time to time all these years later and it's just so sweet and charming. I love how low stress it is (save for villagers randomly moving in and out lol) and that there isn't a way to lose because I'm really not a skilled gamer at all. Hands down my favourite Animal Crossing game and probably just my favourite game as a whole.


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## bleached (Dec 28, 2020)

I try to like New Horizons more than New Leaf but I just can't. Everything in New Leaf is so nostalgic TT I especially love the hourly music. It feels so bland in New Horizons. Annoying, even. But the hourly music in New Leaf is so calming and nice. 
The characters just generally feel more alive in New Leaf.


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## Jhine7 (Dec 29, 2020)

I'd say the order for me goes:

NH, NL, PG, CF, WW (never played this one)

Edit: Oh and the others definitely don't count.


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## Ginkgo (Dec 29, 2020)

I'm the sole vote for Wild World  I guess it's the nostalgia, it was the game I spent the most time with out of all entries (or maybe that was CF, can't remember). Also, the charm it had. Can't forget that. There was something about the crusty but homely graphics, weird special characters and the very lively villager dialogue that just couldn't be replicated by the later entries.


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## Mr_Persona (Dec 30, 2020)

New Leaf is best! I also say WW is too but WW feels more sad in game than New Leaf. I own a lot of towns in NL and they keep me active 3 weeks in a month.

	Post automatically merged: Dec 30, 2020



Ginkgo said:


> I'm the sole vote for Wild World  I guess it's the nostalgia, it was the game I spent the most time with out of all entries (or maybe that was CF, can't remember). Also, the charm it had. Can't forget that. There was something about the crusty but homely graphics, weird special characters and the very lively villager dialogue that just couldn't be replicated by the later entries.


Thats why l liked WW because you feel more interactive with the villagers.

	Post automatically merged: Dec 30, 2020



Jam86 said:


> i love new horizons for the ability to decorate outside and new leaf for it's furniture however happy home designer has both and that's what makes it the most superior animal crossing game ♡
> 
> new leaf is a close second though because the music is cute ^-^
> pocket camp is the worst for me because it's pretty basic tbh
> ...


I only played gamecube a couple of times but l didn't own the town. The game was pretty good and fun.


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## due (Jan 1, 2021)

Jhine7 said:


> I'd say the order for me goes:
> 
> NH, NL, PG, CF, WW (never played this one)
> 
> Edit: Oh and the others definitely don't count.


What is PG? did you mean PC as in Pocket Camp? sorry just confused


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## LadyDestani (Jan 1, 2021)

due said:


> What is PG? did you mean PC as in Pocket Camp? sorry just confused


Animal Crossing for the GameCube is also sometimes called Population Growing or PG for short.


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## RoyalTea (Jan 1, 2021)

I’ve played Animal Crossing since Game Cube. I have to say that New Horizons is by far my favorite. I’m having so much fun decorating my island and the graphics are absolutely lovely. I’m honestly surprised the game is so good. There’s plenty of room for improvement, but that can be said of most games.


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## JemAC (Jan 5, 2021)

I voted for New Horizons as it has really bought back my love for the Animal Crossing series and its a game that I really enjoy playing. Plus I much prefer playing with the clearer, more defined graphics you get with NH and playing on a bigger screen then you get with either of the DS versions. 
For nostalgia reasons a close second would be WW as it was the first one I had and I spent many hours playing it with friends when I was very young so it will always have a special place in my heart, but I feel compared to some of the later games that it hasn't aged that well. I own City Folk but I just couldn't seem to take to it the same, maybe because I am so used to playing the game in handheld mode. I do have NL, but actually can't remember ever playing it, think it must've been when I was in high school so didn't have the time to really sit down and focus on playing and enjoying it. If I could find my charger for my DS I'd definitely like to give NL another go though as I know it gets a lot of love from the community


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## oranje (Jan 7, 2021)

New Leaf has my vote. I loved the music, the updates from previous titles (like the clothes), the villager dialogue, the town area, and being the mayor!


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## moonlights (Jan 8, 2021)

new horizons! I've also played WW, NL and PC and there are elements of all three of those games I'd love to be added to NH but the freedom to decorate we're given in NH and the graphics makes it my fav in the series.


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## CasualWheezer (Jan 10, 2021)

New Leaf is the only one I've played so I guess that makes it my favorite game. But I feel there's so much to do with all the events, so much variety of furniture, and great music.


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## AmericanCat26 (Jan 10, 2021)

1. New Leaf

New Leaf is the closest we've gotten to a perfect Animal Crossing game. It re-introduced old faces in new and exciting ways, like Rover greeting you on the train ride and Tortimer becoming the host of an island. It felt like a love letter to the original Animal Crossing game and everything that made it so unique, while also acknowledging that some quality of life updates and new features were sorely needed. It breathed new life into the series.

2. New Horizons

I very nearly placed this first, but in the end, I just couldn't do it. New Horizons might be a good game on its own, but it feels nothing like an Animal Crossing game. I would've placed this lower if not for the fact it brought terraforming and the ability to place furniture outdoors, things that have greatly improved the franchise, in my opinion. Everything else feels like a step back though. From tools breaking, to villagers feeling like little dolls instead of your friends, and NPCs being cut from the game entirely or placed into boring, unsatisfying roles, New Horizons has lost the charm that made Animal Crossing so special.

3. City Folk

City Folk gets a lot of undeserved hate in my opinion. I enjoyed the city setting. And I liked having houses separated from each other. While things like reusing Wild World's soundtrack and the weak villager dialogue prevents it from being higher on this list, I think it's a solid game.

4. Wild World

I know people love this game, I do too, but I feel like the biggest thing carrying it is the DS. It was groundbreaking being able to carry my little town with me everywhere I went! I also enjoyed being able to finally look up at the stars and being able to interact with flowers in more ways. That being said, having no real life holidays and being forced to share a house annoyed me A LOT. I like this game for what it is, but I would much rather play the other games on this list.

5. Population Growing

People ranking this one higher REALLY should revisit it. I used to wax poetic about how wonderful this game was, how full of life it was, even ranking it above other entries like Wild World and City Folk. I played it again a couple of years ago and...wow. My nostalgia glasses had been on BIG TIME! The game still has a lot of charm. I would still recommend it to those that have already played other entries in the series. But man, does it feel archaic now. With incredibly limited storage place, limited camera, and little to no character/town customization, it's hard to find things to do. I still love the game. It's what got me into the franchise and I feel so much love and gratitude towards it. But...seriously, guys, revisit it before you start ranking it above other entries!


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## cornimer (Jan 11, 2021)

I've played every game in the series and Wild World remains my favourite. I might be biased because it was my first one and I played it daily for YEARS of my childhood, but ultimately I look at it this way: in each installment, as the number of customization features goes up, the charm goes down. Eg. Gamecube is the most charming in my opinion but the lack of customization options (and even basic features like storage space) can be frustrating. New Horizons has the most useful features but feels empty. Wild World has the perfect balance of charm and usability for me. New Leaf was good too and definitely has way more features than Wild World, but villager relationships are the #1 priority for me in the game and villagers were more interesting in Wild World than New Leaf.

(Oh....and I'm not even really considering City Folk in this analysis because I didn't like it and barely played it )


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## Plainbluetees (Jan 11, 2021)

If you asked me this right after New Horizons came out, I’d most likely say New Leaf. But after playing the game forever, and really getting to appreciate the amazing graphics and outdoor design capabilities, I have to vote for New Horizons. Even though it’s not the same as New Leaf, and even though I personally think the dialogue was better in New Leaf, technology has advanced since 2012 and New Horizons is really just technologically 1000x better.


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## SmoochsPLH (Jan 11, 2021)

i can't really say much since i've only ever played new leaf, hhd, and new horizons, but i think the latter is my favorite.


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## due (Jan 21, 2021)

My personal favorite is pocket camp- lately 2-3 hours of my day has been going into the game. I've been playing for probably around 35 days and I'm already level 55.


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## Cosmic_Crossfade (Jan 25, 2021)

Personally? I would have to say the very first Animal Crossing for GameCube or AC: Wild World for the DS. 

While New Leaf still remains, for me, the best AC game yet, those specific titles are very nostalgic in nature, especially the first AC. I hold very fond memories of enjoying those titles, and the fun times it brought were more than enough for a small child whose introvertism left her with more than enough time to enjoy the magic this series had given. I still clearly remember begging my mom and dad to go to Blockbuster to rent it. 

Ahh, when the times were much simpler.


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## Felix Felicis (Jan 29, 2021)

New Leaf for me because I have good memories with this one and all the activities we could do. Special mention for the island and the Aika village I loved to visit. After that, I loved Happy Home designer for all the items and my imagination exploding: first time we could place items outside, that's nice! And the pseudo-village with school and restaurant was nice and lovely!

New Horizons comes thirdly. Infortunately, some features are missing and we lost in my opinion the most important thing: dialogues with our villagers (real ones) and the impress they were living creatures. That's too bad.


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## skogkyst (Feb 1, 2021)

New Leaf > Population Growing > New Horizons > City Folk, I used to own Wild World but it was supremely dated by the time I got to it (after New Leaf) so I hardly played it. I haven't played much of Pocket Camp or Happy Home Designer.

I think, if you were to adjust for technology and get HD re-releases of all of them with modern features like online, etc., I would switch Population Growing and New Leaf.


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## Mink777 (Feb 2, 2021)

If I had to rank every game I’ve played-

1. New Leaf
2. New Horizons
3. City Folk
4. Happy Home Designer
5. Wild World
6. Pocket Camp

New Leaf is undeniably my favorite game in the series as I’ve spent more time on it than all the other titles listed combined. New Horizons is closer to City Folk than it should be. If it weren’t for some notorious issues and a bit more features, City Folk would probably beat out New Horizons. I enjoyed playing Happy Home Designer for a month or two, but then I got bored. I could never get into Wild World and have started multiple towns, never being able to play consistently for a few days before I put the game down for another year. I played Pocket Camp for about 15 minutes and then deleted it.


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## nudgenudge (Feb 4, 2021)

Its a hard decision to make. There are strengths to each game. PG's atmosphere and music and dialogue is incredibly unique and charming. WW has the best villager interactions and systems in the franchise. NL has a good balance between player expression and town life. NH just lets you go crazy with customization at the expense of the villager dialogue and systems. 

They're all great. 


CF? NOT YOU


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## Farfle_Productions (Feb 13, 2021)

I never played NL but so many people seem to love it it makes me wonder whether I should buy a copy. Do you think it would be worth it after playing NH?


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## PoppyPumpkin (Feb 13, 2021)

Farfle_Productions said:


> I never played NL but so many people seem to love it it makes me wonder whether I should buy a copy. Do you think it would be worth it after playing NH?



ACNL and ACNH are very different. I love both of them. You have people who feel like NL is better, but I've always felt like they were just to different to view one as better than the other - if that makes sense. NL is a little more grindy, I think. But there's a lot to do that makes playing pretty fun. All in all, I'd say YES. It's def worth it to buy a copy and play it on the 3ds if you have the system. You can love/enjoy both games. =D 

	Post automatically merged: Feb 13, 2021



nudgenudge said:


> Its a hard decision to make. There are strengths to each game. PG's atmosphere and music and dialogue is incredibly unique and charming. WW has the best villager interactions and systems in the franchise. NL has a good balance between player expression and town life. NH just lets you go crazy with customization at the expense of the villager dialogue and systems.
> 
> They're all great.
> 
> ...




To be honest it makes no sense to me. Why does it have to be at the expense of villager dialogue and games? Like, they could add that stuff back in so easily and ACNH would be a REALLY strong game, I think


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## Cirice (Feb 13, 2021)

I'm struggling to decide between New Leaf and New Horizons.


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## ForgottenT (Feb 13, 2021)

New Leaf by far.


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## xhyloh (Mar 7, 2021)

i love new leaf so much but i had to say new horizons solely for the fact that you can put furniture outside... terraforming might feel too "out there" for an animal crossing game but i just like that it's all optional and you can play it any way you want!


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## Chris (Mar 8, 2021)

Played all except the Gamecube game and _New Horizons_ is definitely my favourite.


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## Holla (Mar 8, 2021)

New Leaf seems to be a fan favourite and while I liked it it’s definitely not my fave. The lack of outdoor customizing really hurts it for me and the fact that villagers can just randomly move out on you is the worst. I’ve been playing since the Wild World days and I’m so glad villagers always ask you to move out now.

Despite lacking several features New Horizons has definitely been my fave as it has the most options when customizing which has made having a themed island a blast. If it ends up getting a major update at some point to fix a bunch of its issues, then it will be miles ahead of the other games in my opinion. Right now it’s only ahead by a little bit due to its shortcomings.


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## juneau (Mar 8, 2021)

Although New Horizons is missing a lot of features from previous games (that I still hope they'll give us at some point!), I have to say it's my favourite so far. It's missing a lot, but they also added a lot, with the terraforming and outdoor furniture options, the ability to move villager homes wherever you want - as someone who's really into the customization aspect of these games, those features alone I think have made me put way more hours in the year NH has been out than I did in the time I played the other games.


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## NeonGunner (Mar 19, 2021)

due said:


> What did you vote for? What would you have definitely not voted for? What makes this game your favorite? Is there a feature that is in this game that you wish wasn't in it? Is there a feature in another game that you wish was in it? What's your favorite feature in the game? What's your least favorite feature in this game? Is there a feature in this game that makes this game unique? When did you start playing this game? Was/is this your first Animal Crossing game?



Animal crossing: new horizons was and is to this day my favourite, but new leaf was my first introduction to crossing and has a special place in my heart tbh. I love both games but can't help but love the latest introduction being my favourite, by a hair.


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## mocha. (Mar 19, 2021)

ACWW has always been my favourite just due to the memories and nostalgia I have associated with the game. It also has my favourite AC soundtrack which I still enjoy listening to c:
Although I wouldn’t replay the game now (it’s amazing how old those games look compared to ACNH) it was my introduction to AC and will always be #1 in my eyes!


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## maaango (Mar 20, 2021)

ACNH that's the only AC I've played lol


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## Beanz (Apr 1, 2021)

my favorite is new leaf even though i don’t play it anymore. i don’t really play it anymore because once i started playing new horizons, i feel like i couldn’t go back. The graphics are horrible (but i  i expect that from a 2012 3DS game) and compared to new horizons there’s less to do. But new leaf is my favorite because it’s nostalgic to me. i love new horizons but i have so many memories of new leaf, i know i will make lots of memories with nh but i began playing new leaf as a young child and it reminds me of all the happy times i made when i was younger. i also like it because of froggy chair.


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## uwuzumakii (Apr 1, 2021)

I'd say New Leaf is my favorite, but the one for GameCube is a close second. I've played those two the longest and they just seem like the best games to me. New Leaf made up a decent chunk of my life for a few years and playing the GameCube one really just feels like you're living a second life to me.


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## Halloqueen (Apr 10, 2021)

My favorite Animal Crossing game is still Animal Crossing: New Leaf. There's so much about it that still makes it more appealing than the rest of the series:

- A major factor for me is the layout of the homes. The room sizes are all really well sized and fit plenty, something I cannot say for the rooms in New Horizons. I also prefer the customization options for the exteriors of the homes available in this game.

- Main Street adds some life to the town with its various shops and the NPCs who operate them, there's a ton of furniture and the series standard furniture sets are all still there, there's a bunch of nice clothes.

- Club Tortimer offers plenty to do between catching beetles and sharks or playing the mini-game tours, and to be honest I prefer the wet suit colors present in New Leaf.

- Perfect fruits are cool and that the perfect fruit trees can die after being harvested a set number of times is a nice touch that can even add a nice layer of atmosphere to your town if you so desire (which is perfect for my main, horror-themed town).

- You can set appointments to visit your villagers' homes and buy items from their home if you don't like how it makes their house look.

- You can play two other minigames, Puzzle League and Desert Island Escape, on the in-game 3DS and Wii U items respectively, a sort of feature that the Switch in New Horizons lacks.

- Working for Brewster at The Roost café was fun and even rewarded you with, among other things, a special line of gyroids, another aspect of Animal Crossing games that I like.

- Golden Tools are actually worth the effort to obtain since they don't break.

- Even the darn tree stumps had care put into them; cutting down a tree with a silver axe had a good chance of causing the remaining tree stump to have a special pattern like a Triforce, a heart, a flower, a musical note, or even other things.

- Oh, and we can't forget Reese and Cyrus over at Re-Tail, especially Cyrus since he could customize lots of furniture and can even make special things for you like miniature models of complete fossils you brought to him or music boxes made out of giant clams.

---

New Horizons has its own benefits, like the long overdue ability to choose skin color, the ability to destroy rocks if you want or need to so they can spawn somewhere else on the island instead, being able to decorate the island itself. It's a good game, but to me it feels comparatively barren and less interesting. It gets second place.

---

I almost wanted to rate the GameCube game second because of the villager dialogue and certain aspects that didn't return, like bebebese, morning aerobics, Farley the gnome, and the Sports Fair. Nostalgia's playing a part here, but I ranked it below New Horizons because of modern conveniences and the increased inclusivity. I will say, though, that I find the town and the world of the GameCube game more interesting than that found on New Horizon's island.


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## Croconaw (Apr 12, 2021)

I voted for New Horizons. I hated Pocket Camp. Animal Crossing doesn’t seem like a game meant for a mobile device. I also don’t like the spin-off games, Happy Home Design and Amiibo Festival. The main series games are much better.


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## Sarah3 (Apr 15, 2021)

It's tough to choose just one favorite AC game! The original brings back a lot of memories, but the newest one brings the terraforming which changes everything.


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## Porxelain (Apr 15, 2021)

There’s nothing quite like the GameCube, that soft comfy blanket called nostalgia tyvm


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## BluebearL (Apr 17, 2021)

Tough pick between Wild World and New Leaf for me! I would love to play the OG AC as well but I don't have a Gamecube so I doubt that will be happening any time soon. I have played every game from Wild World onwards though.

Wild World was my first Animal Crossing game and boy did I love it! I remember working a shift at Nook's, making star constellations, having long and engaging conversations with my villagers, enjoying the silly little events (Acorn festival was one of my favourites), going to each villager house for the flea market, unlocking the shop upgrades, the best looking house exteriors in the series (IMO) etc- the list goes on. It was my favourite game as a kid on my DSI. CF was very similar, I only played it on a friends console semi-regularly but I found that it did not hold the same charm. The wii remotes were really frustrating with it and it wasn't worth a lot of time given how similar it was to WW.

Then came New Leaf, the villagers were a little less interesting in dialogue but the new features were extremely exciting! I loved being a mayor of my own town and using ordinances, working hard to unlock PWP's, working shifts at Brewster's, unlocking Mainstreet upgrades, spending countless hours playing at Tortimers island + mini-games with friends,  playing hide n seek, swimming, the expanded catalogue plus new villagers etc. It was the best game for playing with friends both local and online imo and had a great balance of things- it wasn't purely designed for those who loved customisation like NH is, but was also designed to enjoy the relaxing, day-to-day relational aspect of ac as well. There was so much more to do in comparison to Wild World and I loved every minute of it. I would argue that New Leaf has just as many features and detail, if not more than New Horizons. As someone mentioned above, thought was put into everything- even tree stumps and appointments for villager visits!

I still play both New leaf and Wild World to this day, they are great games with a lot to offer. Wild World has a charm that I haven't found in Animal Crossing since and is very relaxing, New Leaf is just loads of fun and I have grown very attached to my town over the years.

As for New Horizons, I like it, I enjoy it and I think that some of the new features are just fantastic- BUT, I wish that it wasn't solely focused on customisation, that has never been my thing. If I wanted a game full of customisation I would be playing Minecraft or something of that description, I feel a lot of pressure to mark my style all over my island as that is its purpose- to look good. Without any chores for villagers, lacking dialogue, items, mini-games, expansive shops with working options etc... there just isn't much to do in the way of relaxing, daily activity. I don't get the same charm from it I do from the older games. I still play it but I take big breaks. I play maybe 5-10 sessions over the course of a week (all maybe an hour each) and then stop playing for a couple of months. However, I have much less time on my hands these days than I did when WW and NL were released so perhaps when I have more time next year I might properly get into the game and love it the way that others do. *For now, my vote goes to New Leaf for being a wonderful balance of content and charm*, I love this game to death.

I haven't addressed PC or HHD as I do not consider them part of the main series but I will say this- I still enjoy both and think that they are great for what they are despite the criticism. Amiibo Festival though? Nope.


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## Dunquixote (Apr 22, 2021)

This was a tough pick. I like NL, HHD and NH. I voted HHD just because I had so much fun decorating and still may eventually go back to playing it. I did wish the requests were more challenging but at the same time I had fun making whatever I wanted. I just loved all the furniture options. 

NL and NH have their own charms and were memorable to me in different and many ways (unfortunately my memory about NL is not there anymore, but I know I enjoyed it). I never had a chance to hang out with anyone in NL but I did trade. In NH, I’ve been having a blast hanging out with people and I still trade . Decorating outside is great but i am out of ideas; I have run out of inspiration with the current selection of furniture. Nl had such wonderful furniture and clothing and we could customize items with clothing (i think with qr code designs as well).  But we couldn’t decorate outside. But we had the museum extra rooms to decorate which was fun. I definitely enjoying interacting with my villagers more in NL. I love being able to buy items from them in their house and them visiting my house and commenting on my decorations.


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## MapleSilver (Apr 29, 2021)

I have to go with Gamecube. Yes there aren't as many features as the newer games, but it's always the one that keeps me playing the longest. Ironically having less customization makes it more relaxing to me since I'm not trying to figure out what I want my town to look like, which makes it great to play when I'm stressed.


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## Moonlight. (May 4, 2021)

going to go with new leaf, i just love the general vibe and i have a lot of good memories associated with it. 

graphics-wise, i love how city folk looks but i can't stand using the wii remote


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## Sarah3 (May 5, 2021)

My favorite AC game is either NL Or the GC version. I really miss the oldest one, brings back a lot of great memories!


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## Stikki (Jul 5, 2021)

I voted new leaf. It was my first AC game and there was so much to do. New horizons feels like an unfinished game in comparison.


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## Alyx (Aug 20, 2021)

I have an unpopular opinion. I strongly prefer New Horizons over New Leaf, and even though we do not have all the NPCs, all the items/all the furniture sets that we had in New Leaf, it's fine for me. The updates are small, but they are doing the best that they can during a global pandemic. I love anything that updates will give me, even if it's only small items.

New Horizons is my favorite in the series.

I can place furniture outside; crafting items and terraforming has added new life to the series. I can make my island look however I want it to and if I don't like where a rock is, I can destroy it. I can easily move furniture (where you could not move the public works projects in New Leaf).

If I don't like where a villager is located, I can move them. I have full control over where my villagers move into, so they are not destroying my work. Placing paths is easier now than ever.

I love fences. I love making yards for my villagers or placing fences along the river or cliff. 

There's a lot more in the Able Sister's shop to choose from with enough color variations to satisfy everyone. I can choose where my shops go.

Scammers can't steal our flowers/use a shovel nor can they cut down our trees.

The custom design portal makes it easier for me to find and save patterns.

If I don't like something, I can destroy it, and I don't have to reset my whole game to make my face look different. I can change my hair and eyes hundreds of times a day if I want, instead of being limited to once a day by Harriet. I can change my skin color now. There's no tanning and if there was ever tanning, I could undo it in the mirror instead of having to stay inside or carry around an umbrella and wait for it to disappear.

There's no grass wear, so I can book it from one side of the island to the other all day every day if I want to without consequence. I don't know... I just really love New Horizons. I couldn't go back to New Leaf. Don't get me wrong, I'm still able to be critical of New Horizons and acknowledge that there are a lot of things missing, but I still have hope that we're going to get a lot of those missing things in future updates, so I'm not mad.


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## Moritz (Aug 20, 2021)

For me the best is new horizons by a large margin.

Older games were good and all but after a few months get very boring. All there is to them is catching fish and bugs. Outside of that? Nothing.

In new horizons since they added crafting and terraforming, and even just decent pathing tools, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want.
 If you want to play at night you can. If you want to play in the day you can. If you want to hunt a certain villager you can do that now in new horizons.

New horizons has kept nearly everything I loved about older titles and developed so much more on the creative side. And has just given us so much more freedom.

The longest I was able to play an older animal crossing game was 4 months before I was done with it.
With new horizons, it's been 1 and a half years, and I'm still far from sick of it.

This is the closest to the perfect animal crossing game they've made so far.
I'm excited to see how the next entry in the series takes us.

Edit: want to clarify older titles are far from bad games. I think any game that captures my attention for 4 months is incredible. I loved the older games so much I preordered the new horizons edition of the switch for release even though I already owned a switch.

Thats why I think new horizons is the best game in the series though. If I think the older titles are amazing for making me play for several months, then what is a game that makes me play for 4 times as much as new leaf did and still going?


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## moo_nieu (Sep 8, 2021)

its a tie between gamecube and new horizons, but i couldnt pick two so i went with gamecube


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## xSuperMario64x (Sep 8, 2021)

my favorite will always be the OG on Gamecube but New Leaf is a really close second


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## Millysaurusrexjr (Sep 9, 2021)

New Leaf has so much nostalgia for me. And New Horizons is everything I wanted in New Leaf. If I had to pick, I think I'd probably pick New Horizons, but New Leaf is very close. If Nintendo would just add the missing furniture, Tortimer Island + the mini-games, and the Café, and maybe even Katrina, then it wouldn't be so close. The NH graphics, and ability to put furniture outside and choose where villagers go and the ability to terraform are just amazing!


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## CL4P-L3K (Sep 9, 2021)

New Leaf, easily. I like NH, and I love the new mechanics, but the game itself is so so. It's just lacking in content. I like what's there, but what isn't there bothers me. If they remade NL with the mechanics of NH it might actually be the perfect game. I'd buy two copies on day one.


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## xlisapisa (Sep 9, 2021)

my favorite is definitely the GameCube animal crossing so that’s what I voted for. it was my introduction into the animal crossing world and I shared so many memories playing it with my siblings. we used to watch the real world on mtv a lot so when those live action commercials for animal crossing would come on tv it was so funny to us. I do miss my princess cone sometimes (but not a lot cause I also hated not being able to take it off lol). I think New Horizons is a very close second because all my siblings also bought this game and we played a couple times together, definitely brought back a lot of memories for us. But with all of us being adults now we don’t have as much time to play together. I think they all already stopped playing lol. I’ve played every game on the list except for City Folk and Happy Home Designer.


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## Merielle (Sep 9, 2021)

After some debating, I went with New Horizons.  I've only played New Leaf, Happy Home Designer, and New Horizons, so it was between any of those three (and honestly kind of hard to choose).  But I went with NH, even though I've only started playing it relatively recently, because in general I like the more laid-back vibe (villagers don't leave on their own, you're not punished too badly for not playing for awhile) and the increased freedom with customization.  
It has its own problems for sure, like golden tools breaking, or the one-island-per-Switch thing, and I wish we had more of the content that was in earlier titles too (though I'm still holding out hope for an eventual return of the café ). But I think there have been some definite improvements since New Leaf, too—NL did Blathers and Celeste serious injustice, and they've grown on me so much more with their expanded dialogue in New Horizons. I'm also _very_ grateful that we can see the clothes/furniture in our storage now; dressing up and decorating in New Leaf can be kind of painful when I keep going "...what does this item look like again?"

New Leaf's definitely got a lot going for it too, though, which is why I had a hard time choosing.  It's my first AC game and it got me into the series to begin with, and I'm still enjoying playing now.  There's a lot more to do, and there's so much beautiful furniture in New Leaf that I _adore_ that sadly isn't present in New Horizons at all. ;; I also like the wider variety of requests you get from your villagers.  I really like Happy Home Designer too, but it's kind of hard to compare it to the mainline games.  Still, like New Leaf, it's got an impressive amount of furniture variety (and unlike NL, it has ceiling furniture!!) that I think New Horizons could really use, especially with NH's increased focus on decorating and customization.


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## princess.looking.for.frog (Sep 10, 2021)

I voted wild world because it was any original game and I played it through to about 2018 which is when I finally got a 3ds and new leaf. wild world is my absolute favourite, I have so many sweet memories of fishing in game with my mum when I was small. I met Gladys the first time and she has stuck with me ever since, because I loved her so much and she was my best friend. she moved away randomly one day (as wild world residents sometimes did) after I didn't play for about a week. I cried. So that was a bit of a rant but wild world is so simple and has no stress (don't mention resetti though) and I recommend it to everyone to try out once.

TL;DR: man I love wild world, now you go buy it


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## StarlitGlitch (Sep 10, 2021)

princess.looking.for.frog said:


> I voted wild world because it was any original game and I played it through to about 2018 which is when I finally got a 3ds and new leaf. wild world is my absolute favourite, I have so many sweet memories of fishing in game with my mum when I was small. I met Gladys the first time and she has stuck with me ever since, because I loved her so much and she was my best friend. she moved away randomly one day (as wild world residents sometimes did) after I didn't play for about a week. I cried. So that was a bit of a rant but wild world is so simple and has no stress (don't mention resetti though) and I recommend it to everyone to try out once.
> 
> TL;DR: man I love wild world, now you go buy it


Anyone unconvinced of WW's prowess when it comes to villager relationships should watch tama hero's video!


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## smug villager (Sep 10, 2021)

i have the fondest memories of animal crossing gamecube. i used to play it with my grandmother for hours, sometimes fall asleep on the couch watching her play it. new leaf is probably the best constructed one, but now that new horizon's out i don't foresee myself returning to it anytime soon. new leaf has my vote for now though.


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## cats_toy (Sep 12, 2021)

Though I’ve played Happy Home Designer, Pocket Camp, NH, ACNL is and will remain my favorite.


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## Ossiran (Sep 12, 2021)

It's hard to pick. I'd probably go with the GCN game, just because it was my first one and everything in the franchise felt so new. Animals had the most personality and it just felt so magical. Though I'm sure I'd think different if I had played another game first.


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## Cosmic-chan (Sep 14, 2021)

This poll is so old yet, it's here now.


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## Geoni (Sep 18, 2021)

Gamecube because the villagers had a lot more personality than the following games...as did the game overall. A close second is New Leaf however. 

I don't see why anyone would enjoy New Horizons more if you took out the island shaping and some of the customization of furniture. Truly the good only things it has that New Leaf doesn't.


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## Bilaz (Oct 4, 2021)

I picked Wild World simply because it's my favourite _Animal Crossing_ game. Yes I had a blast with New Leaf, and New Horizons is for sure my favourite Town Builder. But I believe Wild World is the best Animal Crossing game.
I've played the Gamecube game too and it's fantastic, it's also right up there, but Wild World did it _a bit_ better.

The hobby system is fantastic, it makes every single character in the town feel a lot more unique. The game is *full* of NPCs and personality. Tom Nook, Blathers, Sable, everyone opens up to you over time and tells you so much backstory. You can befried Brewster, you can talk to the NPCs in the Roost. You can learn all about the friendships between the NPCs and the love triangles, you can hear the villagers gossip about each other. The game is also overflowing with true animal crossing charm and quirkiness. Even the bulletin board is hilarious in this game. The message of the week and talking to myself messages are great. So are the random messages in a bottle, and the random letters you villagers show you. Brilliant game


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## konijntje (Oct 5, 2021)

It is so so hard for me to rank as I think each of the games have their own special charm, however I'm in the minority that voted for City Folk. I'm a tad biased in that it's the first one I ever played, but I have also played every game in the series (recently). The overall aesthetic is cooler than its counterpart Wild World and the music is just awesome. Plus, CF and NL have almost exactly the same furniture and they both have the best furniture in the mainline series bar none.

However, Wild World has the best writing and dialogue in the series and the villagers had never been more alive than in that game.


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## HappyTails (Oct 5, 2021)

I've only played New Horizons and New Leaf (played Pocket Camp for like half a minute so not enough to form an opinion on it.)

Between New Leaf and New Horizions, I'd say my favorite is Leaf. Horizons really does leave a lot to be desired. I don't think Horizons is a terrible game, otherwise I wouldn't still be playing it, but in terms of content and events, Leaf has Horizons beat in my opinion.


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## SoftCrowbar (Oct 11, 2021)

I’ve been a long time AC fan (like, since 2002 when I first got ACGC), and I’ve loved all a LOT, and I think NH has a LOT of flaws, but I’ve gotta say it’s become my favorite one the more and more I play. I just wish we could have multiple islands per switch.


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## windloft (Oct 17, 2021)

population growing is my favorite :  it was the first animal crossing game i played and it has such a unique, 'sassy' charm that the rest of the games lacked. the soundtrack's also my favorite out of all of them, although wild world / city folk comes _extremely _close. it meant so much to me as a kid and i still go back to my gc sometimes to play...


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## Mayor Jack (Oct 19, 2021)

I haven't played every AC game, only NL, HHD, and NH, and a tiny bit of WW and CF. My favourite is definitely new leaf though, it was just the perfect mix of things to do and you never got too bored playing. It also wasn't purely about town design like new horizons, but wasn't completely lacking in it like population growing was. Something about my choice might also have to do with nostalgia since it was my first game in the series.


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## DarthGohan1 (Oct 26, 2021)

I know the later games have much more to do, but the original will always be #1 for me. It was such a new, unique game and so much fun. Looking back it was pretty simple, but in the Gamecube era it was unlike any other game at the time.


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## huuussein (Oct 27, 2021)

where's the option for amiibo festival?? LOL


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## ahbramey (Nov 2, 2021)

I would rank them:

ACGC
ACNH
ACNL
ACCF
ACWW

To me, HHD and other games are spinoffs and not core to the series. I just think the original game has a charm that's unmatched by the other games, even if you can't do as much as the game has expanded for you to be able to do now. It's the one game from earlier in the series that I contemplate returning to regularly (and sometimes do when I'm at my parents' house and have access to our old GameCube!).


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