"Animal Crossing: Wild World," a new life simulation for the Nintendo DS, is a lot like TV's "Seinfeld": it's a game about nothing.
In "Animal Crossing," there's no fighting and no enemies. There is only one town to explore. There is no way to win, per se, unless one considers "living well" to be the best kind of victory.
Players begin the game by moving into a town. From there, they must work off their mortgage by fishing, selling objects and doing chores for animal neighbors. Once the mortgage is paid off, it's possible to expand the house, buy better furniture and maybe pick up a couple of new shirts from the store. There's also the matter of a museum whose curator would very much appreciate it if players would donate interesting bugs, fish, fossils and other things they come upon.
Gamers will find themselves doing astoundingly mundane tasks for hours. And they'll likely enjoy it, too. Beats homework, anyway.
The remarkable thing about "Animal Crossing" is how alive the town can feel. The game follows the Nintendo DS's internal clock and calendar. This means it snows in the winter, the neighbors celebrate Christmas and it's impossible to get into one of the town stores at 1:30 a.m. Moreso, one's neighbors always seem to have something new and interesting to say.
Through Nintendo's free wireless Internet network, gamers can take "Wild World" online and visit the towns of friends across the country. Since each town is randomly generated at the start of play and therefore unique, players are likely to find objects in a friend's town that don't appear in their own. For example, if there are no cherry trees in one's village, a player might visit a friend who has one, take a cherry and plant it back home.
As addictive and innovative as "Animal Crossing" can be, it lacks the highs and intense fun found in more action-oriented games. It's a great game for people looking for a leisurely experience, but may disappoint those desiring instant gratification.
