Ok folks, this countdown is getting serious.  From here on out, as best as I can, I will be providing a discussion promopt along with the days remaining until launch.  We have plenty of time 'til release, so let's try to keep the responses focused on the prompt so we have plenty to discuss over the next 25 DAYS?!?!?!

Today's Prompt:

What was the first Animal Crossing game you played?  If this will be your first time experiencing the game, make sure to let us know that as well.  Let us know what year it was, what system it was on, and how you enjoyed your experience.

Original on gamecube I believe, in 2001 iirc.

My first Animal Crossing was definitely the Gamecube as well. I'm not sure why I decided to give the game a go, but I think it was because I thought it would be something that would appeal to my girlfriend at the time. We had just started dating (and living together) and I thought it would be fun to have a game to play together. I definitely wasn't wrong. And I also remember the main highlight being that you could unlock old NES games. I played so much Baloon Fight, a game I had never even heard of until Animal Crossing. I doubt they'll ever bring them back, but I think it would be so awesome if they faked it and released ficticious NES games in the game.

First one I played was the GameCube one. A bunch of us lived in one apartment, and the game was literally on for days with a bunch of people just goofing around in it at all hours of the day while high as f***.

Anyone who has actually followed my posts know I’m no fan of GameCube (in fact, I downright hated it for certain things it did so very very wrong, in my opinion). But Animal Crossing was brilliant, the diamond in the rough.

On the other hand, its longevity was considerably less than later games due to it being shallow outside of the character communication. The main attraction was the NES games after that initial push. In the end, the game ended up being one of the greatest proof of concept titles ever.

The DS one introduced a ton of new stuff, like tile creation and such, it began to feel more like a sandbox than the previous game. The latest one seems like it comes close to fully realizing AC as a sandbox game. Landscaping and house placing will be a ton of fun.

Today's Prompt

In light of the fact that there are just 24 days left to go until Animal Crossing: New Horizons releases I thought we'd have a discussion on one of the most iconic aspects of this series, and that is the real time day/night cycle.

While day/night cycles are nothing new in video games, the concept of a game that plays out according to the exact time of day in the real world is still very unique, which brings us to our question of the day:  What series or IP could benefit greatly from this same system? Are there any other games you'd like to see employ such a real world overlay?  If so, which ones and in what ways would it change the gameplay of that game.  And finally, do you think it could actually make that game better in the end.

Today's Prompt

While Animal Crossing may employ a realistic day/night cycle, one place it completely shies away from realism is in terms of food/beverage consumption.  Is this a good thing?  Could you imagine an Animal Crossing future that involved cooking, eating, and drinking as a gameplay element?  Or should Animal Crossing continue to keep the series low stress and light on survival elements?

I suppose it could play a part in the future, like in harvest moon/rune factory. I know you could drink Brewsters' coffee in NL but it didn't really do anything.

I like the way that Stardew Valley uses some foods to enhance your skills, like espresso to increase your speed. I think some food that could increase your ability to catch rare fish or to have better speed when catching bugs could be a nice addition. But I would never want to have a health bar of course.

Today's Prompt

Just 22 days to go, folks!  Today I thought I'd ask what you guys would feel about having a little animal friend running around with you. Would you like the ability to catch a critter, give him (or her) a name, and hang out together fishing, going to see the neighbors, visiting distant locales, and just generally being best friends?

If so, what would be your take on this system?  Would you use you pet to dig for fossils?  Could you play frisbee together?  Maybe use him to reach distant mini islands?  Would you limit the pet to dogs and cats, or could you imagine other types of animals or creatures?

If not, what about having a little companion pet would break the game for you or just scream, "That's not Animal Crossing!"

Thanks again for following along in our countdown. We're getting super close to the date and are just mere weeks away!  

They could add cannabis and alcohol to the game as well. It is an island paradise after all.

Realism =)