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!
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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