Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 106 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer Game Cover
Utterly charming with a fantastic set of design tools, but it'll make you crave the freedom of more traditional Animal Crossing games.
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In Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, players can design and decorate homes for their favorite Animal Crossing villagers, both old and new. Using amiibo cards, players can call villagers into the game to create personalized homes with unique styles. This game offers a fun and creative outlet for players to express their design skills and build their dream homes for beloved Animal Crossing characters.

  • Nintendo 3ds
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 106 reviews
gameplay4 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a relaxing and creative experience, allowing players to design homes for various animal villagers with a wide range of furniture options.
  • The mechanics for moving and placing furniture are refined, making the design process enjoyable and less cumbersome compared to previous titles.
  • Fans of the Animal Crossing series will appreciate the charming graphics, cute characters, and the integration of amiibo cards for added content.
  • The game lacks depth and variety, leading to repetitive gameplay that can become boring after a short period.
  • Players cannot decorate their own home, which feels like a missed opportunity and limits the overall experience.
  • The absence of traditional Animal Crossing elements, such as fishing and bug catching, may disappoint fans looking for a more comprehensive gameplay experience.
  • gameplay10 mentions

    The gameplay in "Animal Crossing: New Leaf" is described as relaxing and zen-like, though some players find it repetitive and lacking in depth compared to previous entries in the franchise. While the game introduces enjoyable mechanics, such as time travel and building features, it is perceived as a side game that may not fully satisfy those seeking a richer experience. Overall, it appeals to players looking for a casual, creative outlet, but some feel it misses the unique charm of earlier titles.

    • “While this is most likely the weakest entry in the Animal Crossing franchise, it still features the beloved time-travel mechanic where one emerges from gameplay 10 hours later covered in a fine layer of dust and Dorito crumbs.”
    • “Creative, fun, and easy mechanics to maneuver.”
    • “After over 4 months of playing the game, now playing periodically - New Leaf takes most of my attention. I find the game a little repetitive, but it does have the strong zen-like relaxing gameplay found throughout the series.”
    • “There isn't much 'story' per se, but I felt this was more of a side game that would show new mechanics that will be implemented into future full Animal Crossing games.”
    • “If you're not too concerned about the gameplay and just treat it like a relaxing time waster, you'll enjoy it.”
  • story7 mentions

    The story in this game revolves around completing ten public building projects in a town, culminating in a ceremony for each new building and a final ceremony at the end. Players can finish the story quickly, as it lacks depth and traditional narrative elements, making it feel more like a design-focused side game rather than a full-fledged Animal Crossing experience. Overall, the game is seen as lacking a substantial storyline or goals, appealing mainly to dedicated fans of the franchise.

    • “After each of those projects, you get a small ceremony where a bunch of villagers come to see the new building, and you get another slightly longer ceremony (and the credits) after you finish the story.”
    • “It's not like the Animal Crossing series (where time in the game passes in real time), so you can actually finish the story element in a day.”
    • “You are only allowed one design opportunity per day, and you can play as many days as you want, so there's nothing holding you back from completing the story element in a matter of hours.”
    • “The story is basically your character making the public buildings around the town, with only 10 projects in all, one of which is just upgrading a previously made building.”
    • “There isn't much of a story per se; I felt this was more of a side game that would show new mechanics that will be implemented into future full Animal Crossing games.”
    • “I bought it because I love Animal Crossing, and it was cheap, but it's pretty pointless as it doesn't really have a storyline or goals, so I would only recommend it for people collecting Animal Crossing games.”
  • graphics4 mentions

    The graphics of the game are consistently praised as excellent and great, with users highlighting their quality and the engaging design elements. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a worthwhile experience despite its low price.

    • “However, don't let the low price fool you - this game is very well done, the graphics are excellent, and the game is basically infinite.”
    • “The graphics are great and there is enough stuff to do/design.”
    • “Son loves it, the graphics are great and there is enough stuff to do/design.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players initially enjoy the lack of tedious grinding for resources, likening the experience to Animal Crossing. However, many find that the gameplay can become repetitive and tiresome over time, leading to mixed reviews.

    • “At first, I was excited to play this: all the fun of decorating, Animal Crossing style, with none of the inventory, commitment, or boring grinding for money to buy stuff.”
    • “Gets tedious after a while.”
    • “However, it can get tedious after a while, so I only gave it three stars.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly through the amusing scenarios created by placing villagers in unexpected locations, such as a peace-seeking character on a snowy mountain. The quirky personalities of the villagers and the extensive customization options for furniture further enhance the comedic experience.

    • “There's this map you use to decide where a villager's house will go, like in the desert, next to a waterfall, etc. It's a great feature and has led to some funny moments, like when I put a villager that wanted peace and quiet on top of a snowy mountain.”
    • “There are so many furniture options, and you can customize items with your own patterns. The villagers are hilarious!”
  • music1 mentions

    The music in the game is described as cute, featuring a blend of new compositions and character themes that enhance the overall experience.

    • “The music is incredibly catchy and adds a delightful charm to the game.”
    • “I love how the new tracks enhance the overall atmosphere and character interactions.”
    • “The soundtrack is a perfect blend of fun and nostalgia, making every moment enjoyable.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers a unique and subtle approach to horror-survival, but players note that it has limited replay value, primarily due to its singular perspective and lack of varied content.

    • “Overall, it's a more subtle take than other horror-survival games on the market, but it has limited replay value.”
    • “The game lacks the depth and variety needed to encourage multiple playthroughs.”
    • “Once you've experienced the story, there's little incentive to return, making replayability a significant issue.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

59% average critic score

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