Today is a big day!

April 14, 2026 marks 25 years since the Animal Crossing series began. The first game launched on April 14, 2001 on N64 in Japan.

To commemorate two-and-a-half decades of Animal Crossing, Nintendo has sent a leaf statue to everyone playing New Horizons. Once you update to version 3.0.2, you'll find it in your mailbox.

What has Animal Crossing meant to you over the past 25 years? What's your favorite installment? What do you want to see the franchise tackle next?

Unironically, Pocket Camp is my favorite. I poured hours everyday into that game for like a six month period back in 2019.

Hoping for something that really expands upon the AC formula! I didn’t care all too much for NH… hoping the next installment can keep my attention.

Ack! I was this close to adding Pocket Camp to the poll options. I should have gone with my gut :P 

Nintendo recently added some Pocket Camp items to New Horizons, if you’re interested. The campsite sign is a must :)

the original GC title was something so different, new, & charming to me. It just had that Nintendo charm to it that hits different. I played after school every day for an hour for months straight.

That charm hasn't been there for me since. I enjoyed Wild World, but there's only so many times I can do the same thing over and over.

Yeah, the first game is really special. I played it every day for a year. It was hard to say goodbye.

I still feel the magic in the series, but I'm unsure any future installment can capture the newness and inventive energy of the original.

The first game will always be my favorite. What it lacks in features, it more than makes up for in charm. Also, being able to play all those actual NES games from within my house? Simply amazing.

While I cannot call the GCN game my favorite (New Leaf and New Horizons are better) its exact vibe was simply never replicated in the later games. That has to do with the art style, camera perspective, mandatory hats, etc.

It was my original Animal Crossing, and I still come back about every 5 years or so.

I've played all the main games but played City Folk the least. I don't think I've played it since 2009 (disc wouldn't read anymore on my Wii or even Wii U) and just haven't bothered to buy a new copy. But if Wii comes to Expansion Pack and it's on there, I will play it. 

And I hate to encourage Nintendo's greed, but I would buy ports of Animal Crossing games if they don't come to NSO.