Animal Crossing (universe)

Animal Crossing (universe)
File:AnimalCrossingSymbol.png
Developer(s)	Nintendo
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Genre(s)	Life Simulation
Console/platform of origin	Nintendo 64
First installment	Animal Forest (2001)
Latest installment	Photo Together with Animal Crossing (2013)
Article on Nookipedia	Animal Crossing (universe)

The Animal Crossing universe refers to the Smash Bros. series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from the popular Animal Crossing series of colorful life-simulation games for recent Nintendo systems. The series received limited representation in the Smash Bros. games up until the inclusion of the main human villager as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4.

Franchise description

April 2001 saw the Japan-exclusive release of a game called Animal Forest (どうぶつの森, Dōbutsu no Mori), a life-simulation title for the Nintendo 64 that received an enhanced remake for the Nintendo Gamecube eight months later. Nintendo of America decided to localize this version of the game for release in the United States, and during the immense translation process many more new features were added, resulting in the final product, Animal Crossing, released on September 2002. The game, which had more-or-less already been "promoted to" western audiences via cameo appearances from some of its characters in 2001's Super Smash Bros. Melee, was a breakout hit and received high marks for its quirky and charming approach to the social simulation genre, and Nintendo of Japan was impressed enough with NOA's version that it was translated back and released for essentially the third time in that country.

Animal Crossing was established as one of Nintendo's regular franchises following the GameCube release, and every sequel in the Animal Crossing series had since been released worldwide. From a Western perspective, the second game was Animal Crossing: Wild World for the Nintendo DS late 2005, and introduced an online play component. The third game, Animal Crossing: City Folk (or Let's Go To The City in PAL regions) for the Wii in late 2008, added a city outside of the main town as a new area that could be visited. And the fourth and most recent game, Animal Crossing: New Leaf for the Nintendo 3DS on June 2013, allows the player-character to become the mayor of the town and obtain new customization options for it. The franchise had also spawned an anime film that was released only in Japan, and Animal Crossing properties steadily grew in representation in the Super Smash Bros. games until a character representing a typical Animal Crossing player-character was included as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. 4 as "Villager".

In a given Animal Crossing game, the player's avatar, a human boy or girl, moves into a randomly-generated village in a forest that is populated by anthropomorphic, talking animals that are all roughly his or her size (despite the large range of animal species the villagers encompass). Once the avatar is settled into their living quarters, they may interact with and perform errands for the amiable residents on a day-to-day basis, amassing wealth (in the form of a type of currency called "bells") and a variety of decorative paraphernalia for their own house. The game is open-ended in that there are no objectives to complete and no way to "beat" the game per se, though one may pursue goals such as collecting all available types of bugs and fish in the game world. The only "long term" goal for players to meet in order to access an unrestricted play experience is that they must amass enough wealth to regularly pay off their house's mortgage whenever the town shopkeeper and real-estate agent, Tom Nook the tanuki, upgrades the floor space of their house. Each game released in the U.S. tracks the real-world passage of time through the platform's internal calendar and affects the status of the player's village appropriately even when that village is not being played, and a player's avatar is able to visit the village of another player's copy of the game.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

The Animal Crossing franchise was anonymously introduced to Western gamers through Super Smash Bros. Melee, a full year before Animal Crossing's actual release, but not as an established universe.

Full Trophy List

The only appearances of the franchise in the fighting game are as three collectible trophies, each depicting one of Animal Crossing's staple characters.

• K.K. Slider
• Tom Nook
• Mr. Resetti

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Animal Crossing is recognized as its own universe by Super Smash Bros. Brawl. There are no playable characters to hail from it.

Stage

• 
  Smashville: This stage is essentially a woodland town in the style of towns generated by Animal Crossing games in general and given a name undoubtedly appropriate to a Smash Bros. game. It takes place on a simply-laid-out pair of platforms that may be floating around above town, with several characters standing and walking around in the background of the lower platform. In homage to the Animal Crossing tradition of environmental effects based on time of the day, the stage will display its background based on the time of the day it is when a match is fought on it, such as battles at night looking dark. If the stage is played at 8:00 Saturday night, a concert-style performance by K.K. Slider will be playing in the background while the brawl is on.

Item

• Pitfall: In all Animal Crossing games to date (Called Pitfall Seed in Animal Crossing: Wild World), villagers would occasionally dig a trap called the Pitfall with a shovel. If they took the Pitfall and buried it, neighbors that walked over that part of the ground would fall into a hole and be temporarily trapped. This item has the same effect in Brawl, and translates to the Smash Bros. universe as a combination of Donkey Kong's Headbutt attack and the Motion-sensor Bomb from Melee.

Assist Trophy

• Mr. Resetti: Seems to be the Assist Trophy parallel to the Poké Ball's Goldeen. He lectures the players endlessly, much like his role in the Animal Crossing series, but otherwise has no effect on the battle whatsoever (aside from blowing up occasionally and covering about half the screen).

Music

• Title (Animal Crossing) - A complete redoing of the title screen music from the DS title Animal Crossing: Wild World. It is the theme of the Smashville stage.
• Go K.K. Rider! - A rocking remix of the song of the same name from both Animal Crossing titles. It is used on the Smashville stage.
• 2:00 a.m. - A remix of the song of the same name from the original Animal Crossing. It is used on the Smashville stage.
• Town Hall and Tom Nook's Store - A medley of both the Town Hall background music as well as the music that plays in any of the variations of Tom Nook's store, both from both Animal Crossing titles. It is used on the Smashville stage.
• The Roost - A soothing remix of the music track heard in The Roost in Animal Crossing: Wild World. It is used on the Smashville stage.
• K.K. Cruisin' - One of K.K. Slider's songs taken directly from the Animal Crossing games, it only plays during one of his Saturday night concerts on the Smashville stage.
• K.K. Condor - One of K.K. Slider's songs taken directly from the Animal Crossing games, it only plays during one of his Saturday night concerts on the Smashville stage.
• K.K. Western - One of K.K. Slider's songs taken directly from the Animal Crossing games, it only plays during one of his Saturday night concerts on the Smashville stage.
• K.K. Gumbo - One of K.K. Slider's songs taken directly from the Animal Crossing games, it only plays during one of his Saturday night concerts on the Smashville stage.
• Rockin' K.K. - One of K.K. Slider's songs taken directly from the Animal Crossing games, it only plays during one of his Saturday night concerts on the Smashville stage.
• DJ K.K. - One of K.K. Slider's songs taken directly from the Animal Crossing games, it only plays during one of his Saturday night concerts on the Smashville stage.

Trophies

• Animal Crossing Boy
• Sable & Mabel
• Tom Nook
• Tortimer
• Blathers & Celeste
• Pelly & Phyllis
• Pascal
• Brewster
• Dr. Shrunk
• Katrina
• Blanca
• Copper & Booker
• Joan
• Saharah
• K.K. Slider
• Crazy Redd
• Tommy & Timmy Nook
• Katie & Kaitlin
• Wendell
• Kapp'n
• Gulliver
• Mr. Resetti (Feet)
• Pitfall
• Mr. Resetti

Stickers

• K.K. Slider
• Dr. Shrunk
• Boy
• Girl
• Wendell
• Crazy Redd
• Saharah
• Tom Nook
• Blathers
• Brewster
• Celeste
• Copper
• Gracie
• Harriet
• Katrina
• Lyle
• Mabel
• Mr. Resetti
• Pete
• Pascal
• Pelly
• Rosie
• Rover
• Sable
• Tortimer
• Cornimer
• Phyllis
• Joan

In Super Smash Bros. 4

The Animal Crossing series has been given a lot of new content, not least of which is a playable character in the form of the Villager.

Characters

• 
  Villager: The playable character from Animal Crossing, Villager, appears as a new starter character in the game, taking his design from the cover of Animal Crossing: City Folk. The Villager uses various tools from the Animal Crossing series, such as a shovel and umbrella, to assist him in battle. Villager's signature Pocket allows him to catch various ranged attacks and items to store for later use. His Side Special, Lloid Rocket, allows Villager to either shoot Lloid as a rocket, or ride him as an effective horizontal recovery. His Up Special is Balloon Trip, which allows Villager to fly around with balloons. Timber is his Down Special, which is a three state move. First he plants a seed, then waters the plant, which then a tree grows out with massive knockback. The Villager's Final Smash, the Dream Home, involves Tom Nook and his nephews, Timmy and Tommy, trapping the opponent in a house being built, which then blows up. All eight of his costumes are based off of other possible appearances from Animal Crossing: City Folk, four of which are female.

Assist Trophy

• Isabelle: The assistant from Animal Crossing: New Leaf throws random fruit out onto the stage to heal players, not just the summoner.

Stages

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

• Tortimer Island: A stage based off a location of the same name in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The layout changes every time the game loads it. Fruit can fall off trees to act as healing items for the fighters, and a large shark has been shown to act as a stage element.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

• Town and City: A stage, similar in appearance to Smashville. The main platform travels to a town and the city from Animal Crossing: City Folk. During each stop, a background platform with various villagers watching will hover behind the main stage.
• Smashville: An unlockable returning stage from Brawl. It will play almost entirely the same as before.

Items

• Pitfall: A returning item from Brawl, that can bury and meteor smash opponents when hit.
• Beehive: If thrown at an opponent, a horde of bees starts attacking that opponent. Otherwise, it attacks the thrower if it hits the ground.

Music

• Tortimer Island Medley: This track is a combination of two music pieces from Animal Crossing: New Leaf: the music that plays on the main island, and the music that plays during an island tour in the daytime. This track plays on the Tortimer Island stage in 3DS version and Smashville in the Wii U version.
• Kapp'n's Song: This piece is a remix of the songs Kapp'n would sing to the player when ferrying them to and from Tortimer Island in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. This song is the alternative music for the Tortimer Island stage in the 3DS version and also plays on Town and City in the Wii U version.
• Victory! Villager: This track is a remix of the first few notes of the original Animal Crossing theme.

Trophies

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Villager Villager (Alt.) Lloid Tom Nook Timmy & Tommy Pitfall Beehive Isabelle Tortimer Kapp'n Leilani Leila Grams Tortimer Island

D.J. K.K Mr. Resetti Rover Pete Porter Copper & Booker Gulliver Redd Chip Jack Able Sisters Blanca Franklin

Dr. Shrunk Kicks Nat Zipper Pavé Isabelle (Winter Outfit) Digby Reese & Cyrus Leif Luna Snowpeople

Games with elements in or from the Super Smash Bros. series

Animal Crossing

Mr. Resetti, who debuts in this game, appears as a Assist Trophy in Brawl. 3 trophies in Melee (Tom Nook, Totakeke / K.K. Slider, and Mr. Resetti) also originate from this game, as does the Pitfall Seed.

Animal Crossing: Wild World

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Smashville stage draws primarily from Wild World. The overall aesthetic of the stage's background, the flat village, and elements such as Kapp'n's taxi, the Roost cafe, and some of the background villagers, originated in this game. The stage is simple; its biggest gimmick likely being how the stage changes depending on the time of day. Similar to both Animal Crossing and Wild World, K.K. Slider, also known as Totakeke, will appear on the stage at 8:00 PM on Saturdays for four hours.

Animal Crossing: City Folk

The Villager's appearance and alternate colours in SSB4 are based on the player designs from this game.

As well, the Town and City stage in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is directly inspired by City Folk (or Let's Go To The City in PAL regions). The town backdrop is large and has multiple cliffs, hills, and levels just like in that game, and also includes some of its original landmarks such as the fountain and bus stop. It is also the only Animal Crossing game in which the player could visit the big city (hence the name). The portions of the stage in which the central platform "travels" to the city's central plaza are a direct homage to this aspect of the game.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS has a stage based on Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Tortimer Island. The stage changes layout every time it is loaded. Isabelle, who also appears as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. 4, made her debut in this game.

Trivia

• The Animal Crossing universe is the only universe in Brawl to have its own section in the Sound Test and Trophy Gallery that doesn't have a playable character.
• The Animal Crossing universe is the only universe with a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series to have a stage before a character.

External Links

• Nookipedia