Doubutsu no Mori

Nintendo 64 · 2001 · JP

Also known as: Doubutsu No Mori

Nintendo Nintendo Role-playing (RPG) Animal Crossing

Publisher: Nintendo · Developer: Nintendo · Genre: Role-playing (RPG)

In Dōbutsu no Mori, the player arrives at a new town, which they name, and play as a singular character whose name they also choose. The game has no set goal; instead, it is more of a The Sims type of game, in which the player can do what they want, when they want, without rules, goals or time limit. When the player first arrives, they will be given a house to live in. Unfortunately, they have no money, so they must pay off their home loan by earning "bells", the game's form of currency. Bells can be earned by performing various tasks for the other citizens of the town, catching and selling fish and insects, selling items, finding money in trees, and more. In addition to paying off the loan, money can be used to buy furniture and clothing. The player's home can see further expansions once the loan is paid.