Sunday, December 09, 2012

Mimi's Adventures in Miminton (or, yes, I'm obsessed with Animal Crossing once again)

So, I'm playing Animal Crossing again. No, not the Japanese version of New Leaf (I wish!). And, no, not City Folk or Wild World, either. Instead, I'm playing the original one--or, rather, the first one to make its way to North America--for the first time in many, many years.

I'm having such a blast with it that, well, I thought I'd snap some photos of my playthrough and share them here. Consider yourself warned, though, that the images shared in this and subsequent posts were made from photos taken of my TV. You heard that right--no fancy-shmancy screen-capturing technology at work here, no sirree. As such, some (all) of them are sure to look a little funky. Sorry in advance.

With that said, why don't I introduce you to my main Animal Crossing character? (Yes, that means I have more than one.) Her name's Mimi and here's a glimpse of her in her Harvest Festival-themed home on her birthday--which took place just after Thanksgiving, by the way:


Note the three NESes sitting around. Mimi actually obtained one of them (Donkey Kong) from a neighbor on her birthday, while the others (Balloon Fight and Pinball) were acquired via the village's black market. (Shhhhh!)

This next shot shows Mimi interacting with one of her Miminton (named in honor of the fabulous Japan-only Wii title, Captain Rainbow) neighbors--almost all of whom are bitchy, it has to be said.


At least the follicley freaky Freckles, above, has a nice thing to say once in a while. The same can't be said of Vladimir, below, who surely has never met someone with whom he couldn't find fault. Still, Mimi can't help but like the ol' sourpuss.


OK, so I caught Tangy in an off moment in the photo below. Thankfully, she's pretty darn peppy most of the time--or maybe I should say "she used to be pretty darn peppy," as she and her orange noggin are now sweetly harassing the fine folk of some other Animal Crossing burgh.


This here zebra is my, er, Mimi's favorite neigh-bor (cue rimshot) in Miminton. She's as sweet as a slice of apple pie doused in honey and then topped with a dollop of whipped cream--or something like that.


Cousteau, below, isn't as sweet, but he sure is stylish. Get a load of that 'stache! Mimi especially likes his obsession with saying "oui oui" at the end of practically every sentence. Yes, his lack of shopping prowess bugged Mimi at first, but she's since come to terms with it.


To say Cookie, below, isn't the brightest bulb on the bush would be an understatement of epic proportions. Also, when she isn't being dumb, she's being s snob. Sigh. Is it wrong that Mimi keeps her around (i.e., she doesn't regularly chase her with an axe or club her with a net) simply because she looks so darn cute?


Mimi's actually run into Gulliver, below, so many times now that they're practically best buds. Sadly, the latter's impeccable fashion sense has yet to rub off on the former.


Mimi's first run-in with fortune teller extraordinaire Katrina was ... interesting, as you can see in the image below. All I know is that Mimi had a good run of luck following this rather odd exchange, so I doubt you'll hear her complain anytime soon.


Speaking of Mimi's run of good luck, here (below) she is picking up the second of two prizes she won later that same day as part of Tom Nook's end-of-month raffle. Is it me, or does she not look all that thrilled to be receiving an NES system and a Donkey Kong Jr. Math cartridge? Hey, Mimi, it could have been far worse; the NES could have come with a copy of Urban Champion. Ack!


Well, folks, that's it for this edition of "Mimi's Adventures in Miminton." Expect to see another installment--which will focus on Mimi's trio of human neighbors and their exploits--in a week or so.

32 comments:

Justin Difazzio said...

I love this. Seriously. If more people would keep diaries of their Animal Crossing towns and inhabitants, I'd be obsessed! Cookie was a stalwart in my City Folk town from day one. My favorite, though, is Kody, a blue bear who is kinda dumb but tons of fun. He's my Animal Crossing crush. :-P

thegaygamer.com said...

Thanks, Justin :) I was worried everyone would think it was lame. Also, I've never even seen Kody--or at least he's never been one of my neighbors. He sounds adorable, though. I can't think right now if I've ever had an Animal Crossing crush. If I did, though, it likely would've been one of the big brutes :P

Lizzi said...

Oh, Mimis home looks so cute! I think I'll take some photos of my town too :) Would you like to see them when they're made? :D

thegaygamer.com said...

Thanks, Lizzi! And, yes, take some photos of your town and send them to me. Which version are you playing right now, by the way--the original, WW or City Folk?

apricotsushi said...

Oh, you're obsessed all right! :P Love that you're keeping an Animal Crossing diary now, too. I also love that there are so many different villagers that we can have totally different inhabitants in our towns! That's pretty amazing.

Lizzi said...

I just checked my NGC-town today. When I saw your post I just felt like playing it again :) Afterwards I also checked my Wild World-town and I really have to say, I noticed the bad graphics now that I had the comparison. I still love WW because it was my first AC-game but it makes my eyes hurt now... :( One of my NGC-citizens told me that I didn't played the first Animal Crossing game for more than 24 months °o° I cleaned my town and had some chats with my neighbors. City Folks was the Animal Crossing-game I played for the longes period of time. Oh I need New Leaf so bad ;______;

Lizzi said...

BTW: I registered my Pikachu 3DS XL on Club Nintendo and now I got the chance to get a full version of one of the following games for free:

– Super Mario 3D Land
– New Style Boutique
– New Art Academy
– Freakyforms Deluxe
– Professor Layton und die Maske der Wunder (and the Miracle Mask)


I think I will take Mario 3D Land or Prof. Layton MM. Which one would you recommend to me?
:)

thegaygamer.com said...

So glad to hear you're playing the GC version, too. Too bad we can't visit each other in the GC version--via wifi, I mean.


As for WW looking a bit rough: Yeah, that's my problem with it, too. Well, that and the stuttering frame rate. Oh, well.


Did it take you love to clean up your towns, BTW? It took me quite a while to clean up my GC town, but my City Folk one didn't take long at all!


Anyway, here's hoping we both get to experience New Leaf sooner rather than later :)

thegaygamer.com said...

That's great! I'm envious :) As for my recommendation: Although I own Prof. Layton, I've yet to play it. So, I can't really say anything about it. Still, I'd suggest you get Super Mario 3D Land. Every 3DS owner should have that game, I think.

Lizzi said...

Yeah the cleaning was a pain in the ass and it took a while but now my town is clean again :) Today I noticed that the NGC-version has no snow in winter.

thegaygamer.com said...

Oh, yes, Anne, I'm obsessed with a capital 'O' :) And, yes, it's awesome that there's such a diverse cast of villagers in these games. I mean, I've played the GC game about three times now, WW once and CF twice, and there's still a huge number of animal villagers I've never seen.


Anyway, speaking of us both keeping an AC journal, I look forward to reading your next installment :)

Lizzi said...

Oh I wanted to buy both games anyway. Now I have to decide which one I can buy digital without crying afterwards about the missing box and manual. :)

thegaygamer.com said...

Oh, no, your GC town will become covered in snow in time. In fact, it should happen very soon. My town billboard (or whatever it's called) just announced that a snow storm was on the way, which means the ground will be covered in a blanket of white in a few days. Ahhh!

Lizzi said...

Oh ok :9
That's great! I love how the weather changes with the seasons. But I miss the upper screen which shows the sky all the time when I play the NGC-version :(

thegaygamer.com said...

Yeah, I liked that feature, too. I think you can look up into the sky pretty freely in New Leaf, though, so at least there's that, right?

thegaygamer.com said...

Not sure if this will help you make up your mind, but I don't think 3D Land comes with a real manual. If memory serves, it's just a piece of paper folded into fourths that gives the most basic of instructions (controls) and points you to the digital manual. That said, Layton 's likely in the same boat...

Francis Gordon said...

Man Animal Crossing was the reason I'd ever wake up. I'd be like '7AM! The store is open! Sell all the apples in town and get back to sleep before work. Phew'. I'd be so into the idea of getting the new 3DS one if I wasn't so terrified of it consuming every facet of my existence for the next few months. Bryan I'm sure yr already familiar with this via Tumblr but, Animal Crossing has one of the best fandoms I've come across. In that, it's all hilarious, and goes to show that these games really attract the best sorta' people. Maybe.

Kaze said...

Awesome!! Love your town and character! She's so cute! ^^ My favorite neighbors are Snake the pink ninja rabbit and Gaston the mustached mad scientist rabbit! lol You're making me want to track down the Game Cube version!

Reggie White Jr. said...

The Animal Crossing series is one of the most addictive ones on the planet! I spent so much time on the first game and did my best to play City Folk everyday, but I got the dreaded disc read error with my copy so I may have to buy a new one. Looking forward to the 3DS version.

thegaygamer.com said...

Ha! Sounds like your experience w/ Animal Crossing is very similar to mine, Francis :) I don't obsess about it first thing in the morning, but I do obsess about it at other times of day--or on specific days of the week. For instance, last night I was a bit bummed that we'd be out from, like, 6 pm to midnight because that meant I'd miss getting a song from ol' KK. Sigh.

As for avoiding New Leaf because you're worried it'll take over your life: I understand that, too! I'm feeling similarly apprehensive about it, but I'm going to buy and play it anyway. 'Real life' be damned!



Oh, and I believe I've witnessed a bit of the Animal Crossing fandom of which you speak, but only a bit. Based on that smidge that I've seen, though, I have to say I agree with you. Maybe ;)

thegaygamer.com said...

Thanks, Marty! Your comment reminds me of what I both love and hate about Animal Crossing, by the way--that being that there are so many animal villagers that in all my experiences with the GC, DS and Wii games I've only gotten to interact with a small percentage of them. I mean, I've NEVER had Gaston or Snake in one of my towns/villages! Sigh :(


Oh, and go out and get the GC version PRONTO! I really think it should be experienced by anyone who considers themselves an AC fan--even if the graphics are a bit rough compared to the Wii and 3DS sequels. Hell, it's worth experiencing for the 15 neighbors/villagers alone, if you ask me!

thegaygamer.com said...

Oh, I agree that the AC games are like polygonal crack, Reggie! I played City Folk every day for about nine months before walking away from it cold turkey. I just couldn't put up with it any longer :| As such, I'm actually planning to walk away from the GC version, too, after 2013 starts, but we'll see if that actually happens. Anyway, looking forward to meeting up w/ you and others via the 3DS--whenever it finally materializes...

Simon Lethbridge said...

Being obsessed with Animal Crossing can never be a bad thing! :P If I ever did get a Wii, it would be mainly for the AC game on it (City Folk or whatever it's called) :)

Lizzi said...

Hey Bryan I got 2 questions:

1.Where do you keep all your items in the NGC-version? The closet-space is always so small.

and

2. Would you prefer to get a lighthouse or a windmill in City Folks?

Because I already payed the fountain off and now I have to choose what I want to get when I donate 1000.000 Bells. :)

Lizzi said...

Hey, maybe you've already seen this but heres a introduction-video of Animal Crossing New Leaf with englisch subs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEG6h4li-mU


Does this remind you of something? Seems familiar right? ^^

thegaygamer.com said...

Hello! As for your first question: I always make my second house upgrade be the basement, and then I throw all of my extra crap in there. Also, I make good use of the ground around my house. Just dig a hole and bury stuff! I only use that as a temporary solution, though.


Also, I think I tend to go with the lighthouse in City Folk, although I honestly can't remember! Either option probably is nice, if you ask me :)

thegaygamer.com said...

I don't think I've seen it in its entirely, Lizzi, so thanks for letting me know about it :)

thegaygamer.com said...

Is this the first I'm hearing of your interest in Animal Crossing, Simon? I swear I don't remember you ever writing/saying anything about it before. Anyway, I'm glad to hear it now :)


And, yes, should you ever get a Wii, definitely give City Folk a try. I think you'd like it--especially since you've yet to try Wild World (the DS version), which seems to ruin people for City Folk, for some strange reason.


You also may want to pick up a 3DS and a copy of New Leaf eventually, as that looks to be better than both Wild World and City Folk, although it's yet to be said if it's better than the GC original :)

Lizzi said...

Yeah I upgraded my room so I have to pay this one first. :(
I don't really like to throw my stuff on the ground outside to be honest. But I guess I have no choice D:

thegaygamer.com said...

I don't just throw stuff on the ground, Lizzi, I bury it! Another option: Just fill up your house with crap until you can afford the basement expansion. Or sell stuff to Tom Nook and buy it back after you have a basement :)

Lizzi said...

Yes I know that you bury them but the woul are those cracks everywhere on the ground! °o° Waaaaaah! But I guess you're right. I got to leave the stuff somewhere.

thegaygamer.com said...

Well, if you don't like the little cracks everywhere, just keep the things that can't be re-bought in your house and sell the rest. It's not like you can't buy it back later!