Nintendo Launching 'Animal Crossing' and 'Fire Emblem' on Smartphones This Fall

[XTheLancerX]

This, exactly. Can you imagine how awesome it would be if it fully integrated some kind of asynchronous online multiplayer? Add friends, and then pop into their town even when they're away (limit destruction possibilities, but let me chat with their neighbors, leave notes, etc). Not only that but push notifications for the insane amount of special events, like fishing tourneys or even your favorite neighbor's birthday. Or better yet, when you set a time for a neighbor to come over which I would ALWAYS forget on GameCube/DS versions.

Honestly, there are too many sweet ideas for this franchise to work beautifully on iOS for Nintendo to leave it all on the table for some disappointing remix of Happy Home Designer. I see a lot of complaining about IAPs, but I'm gonna compare it to The Simpsons: Tapped Out. That game has TONS of buildings, characters, quests, etc, that are blocked behind IAPs, but it doesn't hinder the main game in any way. In three years, I've spent no money in that game, and I think my Springfield is pretty awesome.

There's a way Nintendo could fish for those players who will spend money, but leave everyone else with an enjoyable experience, and the Animal Crossing series has far and away enough random crap to lock some behind a paywall and leave the rest for the normal game.

Oh yeah! Notifications! Something that simple would be a godsend for that game.

I feel like Nintendo would put something in that automatically raises bells or something, and you have to spend money to get that upgraded or else it would take atrociously long to get it upgraded otherwise. Something like that. Also Nintendo would likely offer every collectable in the game for a small price if you don't feel like waiting around for it to show up in Nook's store. Also house upgrades, store upgrades, anything that can be obtained with bells I can see them tempting players to just buy it now with real money rather than work for the bells.

I don't see Nintendo putting up a full-fledged animal crossing game for free with IAPs. It would likely be $9.99 at least and STILL have IAPs, which would make people mad, but anyway. That's the world we live in with mobile games.

 

[earthTOmitchel]

In any of these scenarios, I'd be happy. It's just the wording of it being connected to a console game that so makes me fear the iPhone game will be a mini-game like off-shoot of the series or something, whose only purpose is to generate bells for the real game. Please no, Nintendo!

 

[Michael Goff]

Heck yeah! I'm 16, so Animal Crossing was a huge part of my childhood, started playing the GameCube version when I was four and I still love the series! I don't play them much anymore but I occasionally get addicted here and there. I would be much more addicted and willing to buy if it was a full animal crossing game on my phone or iPad... Even the ATV4 would be really cool. Fire Emblem was pretty good too, that would be epic. I can see how they'd turn that into a card-based freemium game like clash royale though...

It probably will be like those stupid animal crossing spinoffs, "Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival" or something or other. I HATE that. Bring me an actual game. Nintendo needs to suck it up and realize their console sales are down. Just start making games for other people's consoles. The games will stil sell like crazy. Have a full fledged animal crossing game or Pokemon game or fire emblem etc right on iOS, or Apple TV.

Absolutely. I feel the game would really benefit from the iOS ecosystem, and like everybody has an iOS device, multiplayer would benefit a ton. It's a huge area of potential for the franchise but it kinda has been thrown by nintendo's weird way of doing things and small market share.

That idea has done amazing for Sega ...

 

[countryside]

Heck yeah! I'm 16, so Animal Crossing was a huge part of my childhood, started playing the GameCube version when I was four and I still love the series! I don't play them much anymore but I occasionally get addicted here and there. I would be much more addicted and willing to buy if it was a full animal crossing game on my phone or iPad... Even the ATV4 would be really cool. Fire Emblem was pretty good too, that would be epic. I can see how they'd turn that into a card-based freemium game like clash royale though...

Yes! It was my childhood as well. I too occasionally pop out the Ol' DS (Wii version was not too good).

I agree, just the notification system alone would be an amazing feature. I can remember countless times where I would stay up late for a birthday part, and fall asleep right before (in my noob times before I learned to change date & time on my DS), or forgetting a fishing tournament!

I also agree that 9.99 is the lowest I see this going for (if it is to be an actual game). Heck, I would be willing to spend up to $20 if this was a quality game. Lastly, I too see them having options to buy "items" in game (very cheap). Possibly with a SECOND currency only obtainable by paying money, then buying the "items" with that.