You choose either a boy or girl character and join a town full of animals. You buy a house and can have it expanded but you'll have to pay 'bells', the form of currency to get it. You can purchase furniture and other household items from the local store (which can expand by buying lots). Your house will be rated in points depending on how stylish it is. Every Saturday you can visit K.K. the local guitarist to get songs for your pad. More animals will move in over time and you can chat with them, run errands, or write them letters. Another goal is to hunt down fossils, fish, bugs, and paintings to put in your town's museum or sell them for extra cash.
Special guests will also visit your town every once in a while.