My name is Sophie Kruse, and I’m addicted to Animal Crossing: New Leaf.
It’s actually a little embarrassing how addicted I am to this game geared toward little kids. But just like Miley Cyrus taught me this summer, I can’t stop and I won’t stop (loving Animal Crossing).
It all started this summer when I splurged and bought my Nintendo 3DS — the first handheld console I’ve had since the rectangle Game Boy Advanced back in the day.
I had been wanting the 3DS for quite a while. Even though I hate to admit it, Animal Crossing might have played into my decision to seal the deal and buy it. Years ago, I was obsessed with The Sims series. It would consume numerous days of my summers as I labored over creating the perfect family, house and life for my character.
In a way, Animal Crossing is a lot like that. After I heard other people talking about the game, I knew that I needed it myself.
In it, you play as the mayor of a town, where you can build new stores, establish city ordinances and take advice from your citizens to make your town better.
You don’t have a typical day job. Instead, to make “bells,” the games currency, you have to catch small bugs or fish, as well as sell the fruits that your trees grow.
Along with that, you can upgrade your house, where you keep all the things in the game you buy or are given from other villagers.
You can also play wirelessly with your friends by visiting their towns and picking up different pieces of their native fruits.
To make the game extra adorable, all of your town’s citizens are animals.
From the moment I started playing Animal Crossing, I was instantly obsessed. I thought about it all day, thinking of all the things I would do when I got the time in my real life to play my second life in Animal Crossing. A few nights, I even had Animal Crossing dreams.
Like I said, it’s pretty embarrassing how much I love this game.
I have always been a firm believer that video games are the perfect stress reliever, and Animal Crossing is no exception.
Usually when I needed a break through a video game, it would be something to really get my frustrations out — my favorite has always been Call of Duty.
Animal Crossing is so different from that. Instead of immersing myself in an aggressive game focused on harming other characters, I can run around and make my town more beautiful. I can enter bug-catching tournaments or travel to an exotic island and try to catch a few sharks.
It’s just something about that game that is so addicting. Maybe it’s the simplicity of it. Maybe it’s the fact that it made my summer feel like one from my childhood. Or maybe it’s the fact that everyone can enjoy a simple game geared at a younger generation once in a while.
Whatever the fact is, I’m hooked. I can’t stop playing Animal Crossing and I won’t stop!
Sophie Kruse is a sophomore studying journalism and a columnist for The Post. What video game are you addicted to? Email her at sk139011@ohiou.edu.
