Getting Back into Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
At first, there was a lot lacking to Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp on iOS and Android. For those who don’t know, this is a fun game based on Nintendo’s fantastic slice-of-life franchise called Animal Crossing. This game requires no extra hardware besides a tablet or smartphone.
The following are just a few abilities that have been added since launch to add to the fun in this game:
Gifts from Camp Dwellers
Animals you have invited to your camp will now occasionally give gifts when you visit your camp. Before, there was no reason to have the animals at your camp except to look at them and to occasionally give them things.
Now resident animals will occasionally give gifts to thank you for letting them dwell at your camp.
Chatty animals usually have gifts for you.
The Seasons Change
To those wondering at launch, the seasons do change. This is a staple of the original series and definitely makes it feel like your avatar is a participant in the world.
Balloon Gifts are Back
This was an ability that was available in New Leaf and is appearing in this mobile game as well. Just tap on the balloons floating around on the map and a variety of gifts can appear. A lot of the time there are fish or other trade-able goods.
Just open the map and click on the balloon gifts to receive all sorts of items and materials.
Gardening Plots are Next to Camp
This is a huge new feature that has been added since launch. There is a large area now open next to the base camp, and it allows for many flowers to be planted. Given time, you will be able to reap beautiful flowers and trade them for goods or give them to animals.
In addition, if you visit other player’s camps and help them with watering then you will be rewarded with “friend powder” which is necessary for the new Brake Tapper game.
Watering the Gardening Plots for other people will reward you with friend powder.
Brake Tapper Mini-Game
Brake Tapper is a little vending machine containing a mini-game at the OK Motors area of the map. Just tap on it and use accrued friend powder to try and win all sorts of materials.
Brake Tapper is a slot-machine like game that can reward players with materials.
Animals Sometimes Lost Objects
This is an original quest from the previous Animal Crossing games as well. Occasionally friend animals would lose something valuable and ask you to find it for them when you are on your travels.
The same applies here. Usually though the animal will give you a clue as to what portion of the map to look at. Go to that location and look for anything suspicious (don’t forget to even look in tree tops or go fishing, the objects can appear in odd places).
Once done, as soon as you return to camp the animal will immediately seek you out and thank you for finding their item.
Make sure you look for odd shapes like this when exploring a map after an animal lets you know they lost something. Sometimes these lost objects can be even be found by fishing.
Ability to Change Animal Outfits when Friend Level is High Enough
When the friend level is high enough for animals, a new conversation ability appears. If selected, you can change the animal’s outfit into any outfit you have collected in your travels.
The animal will look at themselves and nod agreeably if they like what you are thinking of choosing for them. Once you formally pick an outfit, a cute “runway” cut-scene will appear.
You can change an animal friend's clothing using clothing in your inventory. (Usually they can only wear shirts, as a note.)
New Essences
In addition to essences such as “cute” and “cool” there is now the “hip” and “rustic” essences available. Animals can also favor these new styles added. In addition, there are now more tent and add-on options to accommodate this new addition.
So if the tents and other campground commodities seemed lack-luster before, maybe check the game out again since there are two new options.
Camp Background Can be Changed
The scenery around the camp itself can now be modified. However, it takes a lot of Leaf Tickets or Bells to do this, so it maybe would not be something to draw in old players.
Final Thoughts
What do all of you think? Did you find Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp boring at first? I know I did, but I am having a blast with it now. If anything seems interesting here, make sure to check it out!
Thank you Nintendo for releasing this great game for mobile. We are all still waiting for an Animal Crossing game for Switch, but this is great for on-the-go play and for being social with others. Thank you! (As always, I do not profit financially from these posts nor do I own this game or have a stake in any companies associated with this product.)