By Rebecca Grandahl
Whether you’re in need of a new relaxation tool or just a new distraction, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is the perfect type of fake getaway. I admit, it may sound very juvenile, given it’s a game clearly made for kids, but its innocence and cuteness makes it almost irresistible.
I have to be honest before we go any further — I am a little bit biased. I was a full-on Nintendo child who played the original Animal Crossing games religiously and spent days slaving away decorating my virtual house. Is Animal Crossing an addictive game? Absolutely. So please take caution.
Even if you’re not normally a “video game person,” Pocket Camp works amazingly as a stress-reduction tool. Whether you’re dealing with social drama or a schoolwork overload, take a few minutes to water the plants in your campsite’s garden or to redecorate the interior of your camper. You can also dress up your character, customize their hair and face, and make friends with all the other animals in the game. Plus, if your friends already play Pocket Camp, you can add them and help them out with completing in-game tasks!
Of course it is important to balance stress coping skills with things like meditative thought and breathing techniques. But other times, you may only have the patience for a hot cup of tea and a few minutes on Animal Crossing. And that’s okay. Just open the app and have a quick chat with Peanut the squirrel or Goldie the dog.
While I have to admit I’ve been playing Pocket Camp pretty regularly since it came out, don’t worry — it isn’t a life-ruiner. The game has built-in limitations so you really can’t get too carried away. Pocket Camp is designed so you can only complete so many tasks at a time, which means once you’ve hit your limit, the game pretty much gives you an opportunity to have a stopping point.
For a taste of what the game is actually like, take a look at my character, “Aryll” (you can name them whatever you want. My little person is named after a Zelda character). I can dress her up however I like, which includes changing her socks, shoes, dresses or shirt and pants. I can even play around with accessories, wigs, hairstyles, eyes, facial features, skin tone, eye color, and hair color. The customization is impressive for such a relatively simple game.
Most of the game is centered around getting to know other animals and running errands for them. This means fishing, gathering fruit, and catching bugs. You can also invite up to seven animals to your campsite at a time to hang out and have fun.