Day Two - Jan. 1, 2012 - "Moving Out, Moving In."

Some people have lived in the same town for years. Others have experienced the harsh transition from state to state, or even country to country. Many emotions flood such an event. I've certainly felt it throughout my life and I found it frustrating getting used to a new life with new people that I did not trust. School was especially terrifying. To a child, moving can be one of the most traumatizing things to happen in their short childhood.


If only the real world was as kind as Animal Crossing.


Your character is a independent, self-insured person excited about moving to a new town, ready to take life by the horns and force feed it oranges until it pukes out pears. You've apparently been planning the move for awhile now. Leaving behind what you used to know for a new life, you board a train and discover that Animal Crossing has very friendly, if not odd, inhabitants.

CRAZY IS A LIGHT DESCRIPTION FOR SOME OF THESE ANIMALS.

Okay, maybe not all of them are friendly and nice. I exaggerated. Some are downright jerks. Still, when you make your first friend in the new town, it brings an amazing sense of security knowing you can always come over and say hello to your friend and they'll always have something nice to say to you. That or they left their calculator over at Monique's place. Again.

Point is, I find that meeting your neighbors in your new home in your Animal Crossing is a very interesting if not fulfilling experience. Everyone has a distinct personality and every time you take that train ride you'll end up at a new village, with new animals, and a new face. Some villagers downright hate each other and you'll see them argue at various times during the day and leave the conversation with a storm cloud dampening their mood (I'm not joking, they literally have a storm cloud hanging over them. They're so upset that it manifests itself above them). Other times you can see them playing with each other, gossiping over whatever it is they gossip about. Some even trade with each other.

That said, I'm not ashamed to admit that last I played I got rather invested in my town. I knew who I wanted to visit every day as I went out to complete whatever chore I had set for myself that day and gladly helped out who I could if they asked nicely. 

Bill was one of these. We'll talk about Bill another day.

AHAHA. BILL. HE'S A DUCK. HEE HEE! OH HO!

Puns aside, Animal Crossing is about neighbors. It's about how they interact with each other and how you interact with them. You can make friends with just about every animal if you are persistent, but it is by no means required. Instead, you're allowed to take your own pace with developing a friendship in this game, gather your resources and buy them something nice for their birthday or for a holiday. Or just because you love the darn duck. We'll continue down the friend topic later on, but I have bigger plans for tomorrow.

Tomorrow I'll be talking about that raccoon. That Tom Nook fellow. Happy second of January!

-Fore