Animal Crossing (universe)



The Animal Crossing universe refers to the Smash Bros. series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from the popular Animal Crossing series of colorful life-simulation games for recent Nintendo systems. Currently, this is the only universe recognized as one by Super Smash Bros. Brawl regardless of the fact that there have been no playable fighter characters from this universe revealed; it's only appearances thus far are as some trophies in Super Smash Bros. Melee and as a stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Franchise description
April 2001 saw the Japanese-exclusive release of a game called Animal Forest (どうぶつの森, Dōbutsu no Mori) for the Nintendo 64. It is life-simulation software classified by Nintendo as a "communication game". Eight months later in December, an enhanced version called Dōbutsu no Mori Plus (Animal Forest Plus) was released in Japan on GameCube. Nintendo of America decided to translate it for a Western release, and in undergoing the immense translation job of the game's text, the American version was also given a lot of new content. This further-enhanced version was titled Animal Crossing and it was a breakout hit with American audiences and critics in December 2002, and Nintendo of Japan was impressed enough by the new version that it was translated back into Japanese and released for essentially the third time in that country (as Dōbutsu no Mori e-Plus).

Animal Crossing, like its eventual two sequels for the Nintendo DS (Animal Crossing: Wild World) and Wii (Currently untitled and in development), is an open-ended social simulator game where the player's little avatar moves to a randomly generated woodland town that he or she provides the name to, and the town is inhabited by all manner of anthropomorphic, cartoony animals. There is minimal plot; the player's general goals include taking part in all sorts of activities such as planting, collecting fish and insects, shopping, running errands for townspeople, and decorating and furnishing the player's personal house. The most tangible overall goal is to pay off the mortgage of your house (with currency called "Bells") as it gets routinely expanded in size by prominent businessman and real-estate agent Tom Nook, a racoon who is one of the more recognizable characters in the series. Play the first Animal Crossing long enough and you may acquire one of the main reasons for the series' popularity: perfectly emulated ports of classic NES titles such as Donkey Kong Jr., Ice Climber, Excitebike, and Balloon Fight.

Parts of what helps define Animal Crossing as its own notable franchise are its various staple characters and emphasis on structuring events based on the internal clock of the system the game's being played on. Characters that can be easily associated with Animal Crossing, like Tom Nook, include K.K. Slider (aka Totakeke), a canine guitarist that performs music for the town every Saturday night, so that playing the game at that time will allow your avatar to see the event, and Mr. Resetti, a short-tempered mole who will actually punish and yell at you if you turn off or reset the game without saving first. The games observe the four seasons as well as various holidays, so that when the game is turned on and the system's internal clock and calendar register certain times, the environment of the town will reflect that time; snow will be shown covering the town white if the calendar is in the Winter period, and townspeople will adopt a Halloween aesthetic if the internal clock registers October 31st.

Animal Crossing games also encourage various unique forms of multiplayer. In the GameCube game, your avatar from your memory card can book a train trip to the town of another player's Animal Crossing memory card inserted into the system, and you can explore the other town and do much of what you can do in your own town, such as shop around and pick that town's native fruit. Your avatar's visit may prompt the animal townspeople of the other town to decide to move over to your town. Also, it is possible for two players to share the same memory card and live in houses side-by-side, though only one player can act at a time. Lastly, two players can play Animal Crossing's NES games together on the GameCube (depending on the game). There are no emulated games in Wild World for DS, however.

It is likely that part of what contributed to Animal Crossing 's success was its cameoing promotion in the Super Smash Bros. series; Super Smash Bros. Melee was released a year before Animal Crossing, but featured collectible trophies depicting some of the characters. More recently, Animal Crossing-series properties were confirmed to make appearances in 2007's Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It remains one of Nintendo's "cutest" franchises.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee
The Animal Crossing franchise was anonymously introduced to Western gamers through this game a full year before Animal Crossing's actual release. There are no playable characters, stages, or items that come from this universe, however.

Full Trophy List
The only appearances of the franchise in the fighting game are as three collectible trophies, each depicting one of Animal Crossing's staple characters.


 * Totakeke
 * Tom Nook
 * Mr. Resetti

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Animal Crossing is recognized as its own universe by this game, but as of now there are no playable characters that have been revealed to hail from it, currently making this the only universe without a character serving as a fighter.

What has been revealed is a new stage titled Smashville, which is essentially a woodland town in the style of towns generated by Animal Crossing games in general and given a name undoubtedly appropriate to a Smash Bros. game. It takes place on a simply-laid-out pair of platforms that may be floating around above town, with several characters standing and walking around in the background of the lower platform. In homage to the Animal Crossing tradition of environmental effects based on time of the day, the stage will display its background based on the time of the day it is when a match is fought on it, such as battles at night looking dark. If the stage is played at 8:00 Saturday night, a concert-style performance by K.K. Slider will be playing in the background while the brawl is on.