In the wake of Nintendo announcing the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch, many longtime players of the franchise have redownloaded the Animal Crossing mobile game, Pocket Camp. Pocket Camp was released on October 25th, 2017, and it is now making a comeback because of the excitement surrounding the release of New Horizons. So what’s Animal Crossing all about? The primary objective in each game of the franchise is to go around helping different animal characters. Whether it’s at your campsite or in your town, your overall goal is to accomplish and accommodate the needs of the animal villagers. Like all the Animal Crossing games, Pocket Camp has a form of currency called “bells”. In Pocket Camp, however, they have a second unique premium currency called “Leaf Tickets”, which you can obtain by doing quests or by buying them with real money. Animal Crossing has drawn the attention of teenagers and young adults because of its sweet animation style and joy-inducing gameplay. Pocket Camp specifically appeals to older youth because of its accessibility. In an age of social stress, a simple, calming game like Pocket Camp can relax stressed teens. 

 At the beginning of the game, you are given a choice to design and customize your character. You are presented with a wide variety of features to select from, such as hairstyle, hair color, and eyes. Later in the game, you can collect different clothing items to equip your character with. The game’s appeal comes from building friendships with new animals and in turn being able to craft more things to add to your camp aesthetic. In Pocket Camp, players are able to connect with their friends and visit each other’s campsites. There are a variety of characters players can interact with. Pocket Camp players Laura Younge and Kate Laughlin make it clear that there are a few fan favorites. For example, Apollo is an eagle with a cranky personality, but many players find him endearing because the more you talk with him the sweeter he becomes. Goldie is another character that is widely loved because of her charming personality and cute character design. However, compared to the other Animal Crossing games Pocket Camp has received criticism for having a smaller map and lacking the ability to expand campsites. Overall, many agree that Pocket Camp is a good intro to the Animal Crossing Franchise. 

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is a great social simulation game that can take the player’s minds off a stressful day through the completion of simple tasks. Perhaps all the game does is help players practice their small talk and interior design skills. In sum, the franchise highlights the small joys of life and may bring players some fulfillment. I would highly recommend Pocket Camp to anyone.