Play Doubutsu no Mori Online

Versions

Game Info

Cover art of Doubutsu no Mori
Platform
Nintendo 64
Genres
Simulation
Player Perspective
Top-down
Developers
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development
Publishers
Nintendo
Release date
April 14, 2001

Summary

Doubutsu no Mori, the original Japanese entry that later became known worldwide as Animal Crossing, is a quirky social simulation that lets you settle into a village of talking animals. The game runs on a Nintendo 64 cartridge and even takes advantage of the Expansion Pak, bumping the display up to a crisp 640×480 resolution. It uses the console’s real‑time clock and a Controller Pak to track your daily life, where the core loop revolves around earning enough money to pay off your house mortgage by gathering and selling natural resources. Interestingly, the project started as a role‑playing adventure for the ill‑fated 64DD before being reshaped into the laid‑back life‑sim we know, emphasizing family, friendship, and community. It also holds the distinction of being the final title Nintendo released for the N64.

Storyline

Animal Crossing (Doubutsu no Mori) begins with the player boarding a train to a quiet village populated by talking animal villagers. A chat with the cat Rover determines the character’s gender and appearance, and the youngster arrives with only the clothes on their back and 1,000 Bells. Rover contacts Tom Nook, the tanuki shopkeeper, who greets the new resident and hands over a modest house tied to a 19,800‑Bell mortgage.
After the debt is cleared, the player can request expansions, each adding new rooms and a fresh loan. The core loop of the game revolves around paying off these mortgages while befriending the village’s quirky animal inhabitants.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Videos

Game Screenshots

  • Screenshot 1 of Doubutsu no Mori
  • Screenshot 2 of Doubutsu no Mori
  • Screenshot 3 of Doubutsu no Mori
  • Screenshot 4 of Doubutsu no Mori

Game Artworks

  • Artwork 1 of Doubutsu no Mori
  • Artwork 2 of Doubutsu no Mori

Multiplayer

Game modes
Single

Alternative Titles

  • DĹŤbutsu no Mori Alternative