Not so wild afer all
By Swith

Is time spent just pottering about in a videogame more of a waste of time than time spent aiming for completion? You get plenty of time for such ponderings in Animal Crossing Wild World, because in general, there isn’t actually anything that you particularly need to do. And you can do it with one hand if you use the stylus! There’s no overall goal, more a series of smaller, easily obtainable goals. People may baulk at the idea of a game with no objective, but do you listen to music so you can hear the final note?

Food of the gods

There’s mortgages you’ll need to eventually pay off, but ways of earning money are varied and engrossing, while remaining simple enough not to ruin the laid back vibe. There are a generous scattering of different seasonal celebrations and peculiar festivals that occur on certain days in the village, none of which you need to go to.

There are about ten or so villagers in the little sandbox town in which you live, each of which you can engage with or ignore as you please. It’s more fun when you do develop a relationship with the characters, as this’ll lead to doing simple errands for cash, getting letters, freebies and disarmingly sweet but surreal banter. If they get the whim or you give them a reason though, they might just up sticks and leave. I was glad when one cat moved away, I had done my best to get on with him, but his face didn’t please me. Perhaps he knew?

It’s a game of tolerance. It’s a game where, for how ever often you decide to pick it up, you can become the helpful, productive and sociable person you’d like to be in real life if you could be arsed.

Swith as seen in-game

It’s amazing how captivating this little world of yours becomes, helped mostly by the level of emotional interaction with the characters. I bumped into my mate Teddy who was also enjoying a stroll in the orchard one afternoon, and he asked if he could visit me at my abode and hang out.

Who was I to decline? I duly agreed, wrote 20h00 on my hand to remind myself and went back to picking up apples.

Later on that evening, eight o’clock arrived along with Teddy. I’d got there 15 minutes early, just in case. He gave me a hearty greeting, was very diplomatic about my taste in interior design, then left. I was so chuffed he’d asked to visit; I didn’t want to let this little fella down. Luckily I didn’t, but I’m afraid it was a different story when Cube the penguin decided he’d like to visit.

Cube has been my best pal from the day I arrived at the village. We’ve been through a lot together, Cube and I. He’d always call me D-d-dude, the little scamp, and was always up to something aimless and bizarre. He seemed to be the friendliest of all the villagers, and was an all round good egg. Well, penguin.

On one of his moonlight jaunts he happened upon me fishing on the bridge at three in the morning. Not a good time to ask me to remember something important.

He asked if he could pop over mine to chill, to which I of course obliged. After some friendly banter, we agreed on a midday meet over at my modest pad. Much to Cube’s misfortune however, this time a pen wasn’t nearby to write this on my hand (even if I had been in a fit state to write), and midday was a whole sleep away. Stupidly, I assumed that waking up with the DS in my face would remind me to take it to work in the morning..

When I woke up the next day the previous nights’ antics had faded into the memory void, and I left my DS at home. It was only later, over my al-desko Sausage and Egg Mc.Muffin, that I realised my mistake.

Cube. Sweet, happy-go-lucky Cube, left knocking fruitlessly at my door. His regard for me depleting with every knock.

I’ve not turned it on since. It’s been 3 days now.

Life’s good indeed

I honestly can’t bring myself to face his wrath. I’m seriously considering starting again. I’ve lost Cube, he’ll move out now. And if he stays he’ll hold it against me, I know he will. I’ve seen his mean streak that time he got pissed off for no reason around by the clothes shop. I might as well start afresh.

But all those hours I’d lose, hours spent just with it sat on my desk at work, me occasionally digging up a fossil or chatting to a grumpy frog in camouflage gear. Even though he was a bit uppity I’d miss him, and in his own way I think he was fond of me too. I’ve almost paid off my second mortgage, and I’ve got some lovely trees growing out in the north field. I know they’re going to look gorgeous in the spring.

Life’s good in Animal Crossing at the moment, I’d best just take it on the chin, go back and apologise to Cube later tonight. Maybe I’ll get him a little something to say sorry.

What’s happened to me?

April 2006

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