A sewing machine in the Able Sisters shop allows players to create QR codes of their designs, which other players can download using the Nintendo 3DS's camera. The Happy Home Showcase allows players to view the homes of other players encountered on StreetPass, as well as order some of the furniture their house contains. A Dream Suite feature allows players to download dream versions of other people's towns to freely explore. Players can visit other players' towns via local play or online with up to four friends (an optional club membership on Tortimer Island allows players to explore the island with other online players). New Leaf makes various uses of the Nintendo 3DS's features, some of which are made available as time passes. Only the first person to register a save file on each copy of the game will be able to become mayor, as subsequent save files will only be able to become villagers. Ordinances gives players the ability to customize the way their town functions by passing laws, such as making the town more wealthy, encouraging citizens to plant more flowers, or making the shops open earlier or later. Public Works Projects allow players to collect funds from townsfolk and other visiting players to construct new objects such as bridges, fountains, and light poles, as well as add new facilities such as campsites and cafés. While taking part in mayoral duties is not obligatory to play the game, being the head of town imparts two gameplay features new to the series: Public Works Projects and Ordinances. The game features a new game mechanic that makes the player the town mayor, allowing them to have more customization of their town than in previous games. Players are able to take snapshots at any time, which are saved to the Nintendo 3DS Camera and can be shared. Players may visit each other's towns using the Nintendo Network and can be added to a friend's list that allows them to exchange messages with one another, while up to four players at a time can travel to the tropical Tortimer Island to take part in various minigames that award medals. Another addition is the ability to swim in the ocean that borders the town using a swimsuit. Features previously only found in the Japanese Dōbutsu no Mori e+ for the GameCube, such as benches and lamp posts, have returned. The character's pants can be modified in addition to their shirt, shoes, hat, and accessory and the ability to hang furniture on walls has been added. Customization, a major part of the series, particularly in the player's ability to modify their character's appearance and decorate their house, has been enhanced. Players begin the game living in a tent before their house, which eventually can be upgraded and expanded, is built. The game is played in real-time, utilizing the Nintendo 3DS system's internal clock, with aspects such as shop opening times, species of wildlife and special events varying depending on the time of day and season.Īnimal Crossing: New Leaf introduces many new features to the series. Doing various activities or selling various items earns the player Bells, the games virtual currency, which they can use to purchase various items such as furniture or clothes, or pay loans used to renovate their house. Like the previous games in the series, the game enables the player to explore their town, talk with other residents, and participate in various activities such as fishing and bug catching. Upon arrival, the player is mistaken for the new town mayor and is given that position instead of being a standard resident.
A retail version of the update was released as Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome Amiibo in late 2016.Ī player as town mayor with their assistant IsabelleĪs in the previous installments of the Animal Crossing series, players take control of a villager who is moving into a new town.
Although the title was re-released under the Nintendo Selects banner in North America and as Happy Price Selection in Japan, an updated version with Amiibo support was released for free on the Nintendo eShop in November 2016 for owners of the original version.
The game received critical acclaim, with many citing the improvements upon prior entries in the series. With the help of the townsfolk and a secretary it is now the player's job to make the town a better place to live.
While retaining gameplay from older titles, Animal Crossing: New Leaf marks a change in the series, as the player now becomes the mayor of the town. As the fourth main title in the Animal Crossing series, it was released in Japan in November 2012, and in 2013 in international territories. In the game, the human character takes on the role of mayor in a town populated with anthropomorphic animals. Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a 2012 social simulation video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS console.