I Thought I Was Done With Animal Crossing, And Then I Played New Leaf

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The franchise has always held an important place in my heart, with on the Nintendo DS being my introduction to it. The idea of life sims has always appealed to me, largely because it's fun to escape from my own life, and, up until dropped, was the poster child for the genre. It absolutely embodies that cozy feeling players have been chasing, that warm welcome that no other game really gives, that peaceful complacency that makes everything feel like if only for a moment, it'll be okay.

As I've gotten older, my relationship with video games has changed. Importantly, I used to love settling down and whiling away the hours in The Roost in, but now it has begun to feel like cozy games have lost their effect on me. This became more true when I first played, which, despite being touted as one of the best games, never gripped me. I had thought my love of both and cozy games had all but disappeared. That was, of course, until I played .

I remember the day I got like it was yesterday. It was my birthday, and I was eager to get all the celebrations out of the way, so I could sneak off with my thick-as-a-brick DS and play some. I climbed up my rickety bunk bed ladder, got cozy under my covers, and began playing. Immediately, I was drawn in by the music, the 4 PM jingle ushering me into my new village as I was greeted by the various villagers I'd spend the next few months with.

Every day I'd check my village, hang out with my newfound friends, and try desperately to catch a K.K. Slider show. Some nights, I would sneak my DS into bed, hide under the covers and play, wandering around the mostly lifeless village as the other villagers slept before heading to The Roost for a coffee. There was something so peaceful, so quiet and beautiful about playing at night that the memory of it has become ingrained into my mind.

Now, there's a good chance that nostalgia plays a role in my love for, but it is unquestioningly a beloved entry in the series. While it lacks the bells and whistles of