Happy 15th anniversary, Animal Crossing!

Excuse me for sharing this story again, but Animal Crossing first hit North American store shelves 15 years ago today, so I think it bears repeating.

Which story? The one that goes something like this:

Before Animal Crossing was released in my neck of the woods on Sept. 15, 2002, I was only mildly curious about the GameCube. I found early titles like Luigi's Mansion, Pikmin, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Monkey Ball awfully appealing, but not appealing enough to purchase the disc-based successor to the Nintendo 64.

Even Animal Crossing's initial release didn't prompt me to pick up a GameCube--despite my keen interest in the game.

No, it wasn't until a year later, when Nintendo dropped the GameCube's price to $99 and published a "Player's Choice" version of this adorable life sim that I jumped in with both feet. The rest, as they say, is history.

I still fondly remember my gaming setup in those days. My husband and I lived in a tiny apartment (just 450 square feet, at most) in Madison, Wisconsin, at the time, so I after my silver GameCube and a copy of this game arrived on our doorstep I promptly tucked both of them and a similarly tiny TV into one of the corners of our bedroom.

I played Animal Crossing whenever I could from that moment forward. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I quickly became obsessed with it--checking in on my big-headed, stubby limbed avatar (a pink-haired girl, if I'm remembering correctly) at least once, and often a couple of times, a day.

At some point, many months down the road (maybe eight, but definitely not 12), it all became a bit much and I walked away from my first Animal Crossing town and all of its anthropomorphic inhabitants cold turkey.

That's actually become a tradition for me with this long-running series. Every Animal Crossing game I've tackled since this GameCube iteration has fascinated me to the point that I played them daily until I felt I either had to walk away without a backward glance or risk my sanity.

As much as I've enjoyed all of those subsequent titles--New Leaf, especially--none has matched the original. Yes, the first Animal Crossing (at least as far as folks outside of Japan are concerned) is by far the most antiquated, but I also think it's the most focused.

My affinity for this Animal Crossing's simplicity probably explains why it's the only entry in the series I've ever returned to--and not just once, but multiple times.

I'm sure that will remain true even after the inevitable Switch title drops next year or the year after, no matter how great the latest sequel is.

How about you? Do you return to Animal Crossing for the GameCube now and then? Or do you have particularly fond memories of your only playthrough of this one-of-a-kind experience? If so, share some of them in the comments section below.

Square Enix's Project Octopath Traveler looks like a love child of Bravely Default and Romancing SaGa, and that thrills me

Although it had its flaws and was far from perfect, I really enjoyed playing through Bravely Default a few years back.

Combine that with my nearly life-long interest in Square Enix's old (and on-going) SaGa series and, well, it should be easy enough to understand why I'm thoroughly intrigued by the company's upcoming Switch RPG, Project Octopath Traveler.

After all, Project Octopath Traveler looks like a thrilling mashup of the above-mentioned titles in its latest trailer (below), wouldn't you agree?



Sadly, I can't say for myself whether or not this 2018 release lives up to that pedigree, as I don't yet own a Switch and so can't play the Project Octopath Traveler demo that was made available via that system's eShop following yesterday's Nintendo Direct broadcasts.

I can guarantee you, though, that I'll play that demo for all it's worth once I finally get my hands on a Switch--assuming that happens before the retail version of Project Octopath Traveler hits the streets, of course.

In the meantime, what do all of you think of this "HD 2D" RPG? Does it thrill you, too, or does it make you shrug your shoulders in disinterest?

Nintendo's doing its darndest to get me to buy not just one New 2DS XL, but two

I don't know about you, but I thought there was a lot to like about today's Nintendo Direct broadcasts.

After all, Japan's Nintendo Direct revealed that a fourth Style Savvy game--known there as Girls Mode--will be released in that country on Nov. 12.

The Japanese broadcast also prompted reactions of shock and awe by unveiling a 2018 sequel--or is it more of a spinoff?--to Dillon's Rolling Western that's being called (across the pond, at least) The Dead Heat Breakers.



Oddly, neither of these games were shown off or even mentioned during the North American Nintendo Direct. Still, I have a feeling they'll eventually see the light of day here, too.

All three of the Nintendo Directs also shared new details about and even in-depth looks at previously unveiled 3DS and Switch titles like Kirby: Battle Royale, Kirby: Star Allies and Square Enix's intriguing Project Octopath Traveler, which looks to be equal parts Bravely Default and SaGa. They also let it slip that the first Dragon Quest Builders is being ported to Switch and will release this coming spring.

Still, as much as all of the above brought a smile to my face (and kept it there through the duration of these 45- and 50-minute videos), none of it thrilled me as much as the news that the white-and-orange New 2DS XL, previously a Japan-only product, will hit North American store shelves on Oct. 6.

To be completely honest, I need another 3DS like I need a hole in my head, but I've been considering replacing my old "flame red" system for some time now, so why not do so with this smartly colored redesign?



The only thing that's keeping me from pre-ordering one of these white-and-orange handhelds right now is that Nintendo of Japan showcased an even more attractive color scheme--white and lavender (see above)--in its broadcast.

Of course, it's highly unlikely Nintendo of America will bring that model to our shores, so maybe I should just go ahead with the white-and-orange purchase.

Or maybe I should save my money so I can actually buy a Switch once Nintendo finally works out the kinks in that console's production process?

My 10 Most Influential Games: Planet's Edge (PC)

I've made no secret of the fact that I don't much care for computer gaming these days. The thing is, that's the only way I played--and enjoyed--games before my brother and I got an NES.

First, we used an Apple IIe to play classics like Apple Panic, Miner 2049er, Moon Patrol and The Oregon Trail. Then, we used a Windows PC. I don't remember the make or model, but I do remember a handful of the games I played on it: The 7th Guest, Day of the Tentacle and Planet's Edge.

Of all the above-mentioned titles, Planet's Edge is the one that has stuck with me the most over the years.

Curiously, I don't remember why we bought it. I have a feeling my brother read or heard about it somewhere--he was really into sci-fi movies, novels and games back then--and that's what pushed us to pick it up.



At any rate, I spent as much time with Planet's Edge as he did--to the point that I'd say it's as responsible as any other game for turning me on to the RPG genre. More importantly, this New World Computing release from 1992 opened my eyes to and made me aware of the joys of resource gathering and mining in a role-playing game.

Not that resource gathering and mining is the sole focus of this intergalactic adventure. As you work to retrieve Earth from some sort of "wormhole trap" (the planet disappears at the start of the game), you, controlling a four-member crew, also build and pilot spacecraft, battle other ships, investigate the surfaces of far-flung planets, fight their inhabitants and more.

(For those looking for a few more details, every playthrough of Planet's Edge begins on the moon. After outfitting a rather rudimentary spaceship, you and your cohorts lift off in search of information, ship parts and resources. Encountering alien craft along the way sometimes results in amiable chatter, while at other times it results in trade and even combat. If you successfully make it to another planet, you have to maneuver your vessel into its orbit before you can set down. Once on the ground, you move your foursome--viewed from a top-down, isometric perspective--as you do in most turn-based RPGs. Loot gathered from the mission is hauled back to the moon, where you can then upgrade your spacecraft before once again setting off for distant lands.)

To be honest, battles in Planet's Edge can be a pain, especially when it takes place in space. On-the-ground tussles are less aggravating, but only a bit. Thankfully, the annoyances associated with the latter are mostly offset by all of the intriguing loot that's made available to you as you explore the game's many alien outposts.

Plus, Planet's Edge does such a great job of fleshing out its expansive world that these missteps are easy enough to overlook--especially if sci-fi settings in RPGs tend to thrill you.



That's been the case for me ever since I first booted up Planet's Edge as a teenager, which is why I decided to declare it one of the 10 titles that most shaped my taste in video games.

Would I have become a fan of loot-heavy, planet-hopping RPGs had I not stumbled across this one decades ago? Probably, but at the moment I can't come up with a similar title that's had such an indelible impact on me.

To this day, I still regularly reminisce about about various aspects of my initial Planet's Edge playthrough. I especially enjoy recalling the excitement I felt when I first touched down on a previously unexplored world, or when I first encountered a rare or unusual resource or material.

I doubt I'll ever play this old PC game again, but that's OK with me. My fond memories of it are sure to be better than a second run-through anyway.

See also: previous '10 Most Influential Game' posts about The 7th Guest, Balloon Kid, Bubble Bobble, Final Fantasy V, Kid Icarus and Panzer Dragoon

Apropos of nothing, I'm going to give the Hobonichi Techo another try

Over two years ago, I excitedly bought my first Hobonichi Techo planner. I also bought a rather snazzy, EarthBound-themed cover for it, which can be seen below. (Additional photos of it fill this old post.)

Embarrassingly, I never used it. Not a single pen or pencil mark made its way onto my Techo's beautifully papered pages.

I can't even tell you why, though I have a feeling the fact that its arrival coincided with me starting a new job had a little something to do with it.

Given that money-down-the-drain experience, what on earth pushed me to order a 2018 Hobonichi Techo? I guess I just want to try again. Plus, I'm feeling inspired by the "Games Played Report" project Bill Sannwald, aka Mister Raroo, has so diligently chipped away at this year. (See the latest "Games Played Report" post here.)

Who knows if I'll actually be able to fill up this second Techo, or even just fill a handful of its pages, but I'll certainly give it my best.

While we wait to see how I do, you may want to head over to 1101.com to check out this year's selection of Mother-inspired covers and products. Four 2018 Techo covers feature EarthBound imagery, with my personal favorite being the red leather Mr. Saturn one.

I also really like this "Magicant Map" Weeks planner--to the point I very nearly bought one before (wisely, I think) deciding against it.