Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
File:Animal crossing pocket camp art.jpg
Developer(s)	Nintendo EPD NDcube
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Kazuyoshi Sensui
Producer(s)	Hideki Konno
Series	Animal Crossing
Engine	Unity
Platforms	iOS, Android
Release date(s)	AU: October 25, 2017 WW: November 21, 2017
Genre(s)	Social simulation
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is a free-to-play social simulation mobile game in Nintendo's Animal Crossing series for iOS and Android devices. It was released in Australia in October 2017, and worldwide the following month. The game continues the series of social simulations that allow players to interact with a small campsite with various campers, performing small tasks, engaging in commerce, and decorating living spaces.

Game-play

See also: Gameplay of Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing is a series of social simulation video games in which players customize their avatars' living spaces and communities by trading materials and favors for decorative items. In Pocket Camp, the player decorates a campsite in lieu of a town, and gathers materials such as wood and cotton from the surrounding area to trade for furniture orders. The player-character befriends neighboring animal characters, who can visit the player's campsite, as can other human players both invited and at random. The player's avatar can travel to multiple locations, such as Sunburst Island or Saltwater Shores, and a marketplace that sells furniture and avatar clothing. The player's customization options extend to their avatar's gender, facial traits, and recreational vehicle abode.

Neighbors in nearby "recreation sites" reward the player with crafting materials for completing requests. A local blacksmith/carpenter turns these resources into furniture, pools, and new locations. The player can attract specific neighbors by placing their favorite furniture at the campsite. Each visit increases that relationship's experience level, in a new game mechanic for the series. Akin to previous games, the player can also fish and pay off a debt on their home.

In lieu of the villager interaction seen in previous titles, Pocket Camp takes a surprisingly complex look on the villager relationship system. Each villager has a specific relationship level that is increased by performing tasks and chatting with them each day. The player is then rewarded with furniture and clothing representative of the villager's aesthetic.

The mobile game introduces a micro-transaction currency—Leaf Tickets—which the player can use to reduce in-game timers or to craft without raw materials. The player accrues Leaf Tickets by completing in-game tasks or buying the currency outright through the real-world app store. The player can also trade Leaf Tickets for special event furniture, which attracts specific characters to the player's campsite. The game's developer plans to introduce seasonal events and furniture with limited availability.

Reoccurring Events

There are several events in the game that are repeated with similar game-play elements and different rewards. These include but are not limited to:

• Fishing Tournaments
• Garden Events
• Scavenger Hunts

These events have included original content as well as reference material from brands such as Hello Kitty, Pokémon and Mario. These events generally last about a month and feature some sort of micro-transaction element to speed up the rewards for the event. They tend to stay simple and do not stray too far from what's required to efficiently participate in each event.

Development

Nintendo planned a mobile game in its Animal Crossing series among the company's first smartphone releases, as announced in early 2016. The Animal Crossing series was selected for its wide demographic reach. The mobile game was originally scheduled for release later that year but was later delayed, as Nintendo prioritized its release of Super Mario Run. Over the next year, Nintendo experimented with micro-transactions in the mobile Fire Emblem Heroes. On October 25, 2017, Nintendo revealed Pocket Camp during a Nintendo Direct presentation as its fourth mobile app. It was immediately released in Australia the same day for iOS and Android platforms, and was released worldwide in 41 other countries on November 21, 2017. An update in December 2017 brought limited edition Christmas-themed items, such as Santa Claus outfits and Christmas trees.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic 72/100 Review scores Publication Score IGN 8/10 TouchArcade

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregate Metacritic. As of September 2018, the game has grossed $50 million.

Accolades

Less than a week before its worldwide release, the game won the award for "Studio of the Year" (Nintendo EPD) at the 2017 Golden Joystick Awards; after it was released, it was nominated for "Best Mobile Game" in IGN's Best of 2017 Awards. In Game Informer's Reader's Choice Best of 2017 Awards, it took the lead for "Best Simulation Game". It was also nominated for the A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game at the New York Game Awards 2018, for "Mobile Game of the Year" at the 2018 SXSW Gaming Awards, and for "Mobile Game of the Year" at the 2018 Golden Joystick Awards. At the Famitsu Awards, it won the Excellence Prize.