1. Sending letters helped improve my writing, spelling and punctuation.
2. Catching bugs inspired me to learn more about them.
3. Cranky villagers made me learn that not everyone in life is going to like you, no matter what you do.

15 years ago Animal Crossing Wild World was my first game in the series. I'll dive deep: It gave me friends when I didn't have any, let me explore when I couldn't, and gave me a warm & loving place to always call home. I remember been awestruck by the events, or catching critters i've never thought existed. It may have been a 16 acre town, but it really felt like the world to me.

I learned to appreciate the cranky villagers too! As my profile shows Camofrog, he and Butch lived in my town and I remember trying so hard to earn their affection, and help them feel welcomed in my town. Ah the good ol days when personalities actually was a thing in AC haha. I really learned to appreciate the cranky villagers for their complexity - and saw a correlation in real life in how I would engage with kids that were outcasted or alone.

AC really was everything Katsuya Eguchi wanted for the players: a game for family, friendship, and community. I can't calculate down to the bone how the game may have changed me, but it was definitely an experience I would never trade away. I'll never stop playing AC, and look forward to a future where I could someday introduce the game to my kids and play with them.

Thanks for sharing this
It was so lovely to read and I couldn't agree more.

Wild World was my first Animal Crossing too! I was 8 at the time and now I am an adult (time flies!). I think Animal Crossing shaped my childhood by giving me happiness in dark times (family issues). I really felt like all the villagers were my friends, and that I could spend time with them. I remember Margie being my "best friend" LOL

Wild World was my first animal crossing game as well (I was probably about 6). I remember my cousin and I would play for hours visiting each others towns. It mainly shaped my childhood by giving me a peaceful escape when other factors of my life were crazy. Vesta and Opal were my 'besties' in WW

"Ah the good ol days when personalities actually was a thing in AC haha"

I miss the cranky and snooty personalities the most! They're too sweet and polite now.

Just like everyone else, Wild World was my first game. I remember not "getting" the game and actually quit after a few hours thinking it was stupid. I picked it up again a few months later and this time, it magically clicked. All the games I've played were all competitive and there was a clear end-goal in mind. Animal Crossing was different and changed gaming for me. It made me into an easy-going player. I became more patient, more capable of lettings things (can't design your map!), more appreciative of simple lines of dialogue, worshipped Resetti, and learned a lot about Japanese culture through the items and holidays.

"Catching bugs inspired me to learn more about them."

That's still a no for me lol I'm absolutely terrified of them and just seeing something fly out when I hit the rocks is enough to send me into a [brief] panic.

It really gave me and my little sister something to bond over, some of the most vibrant memories in my head for some reason is playing City Folk fighting over turns with the door open and the fan on haha

Playing the GC animal crossing really fascinated me because it was the first game I played that had real time!!! I was probably 8 or 9 when I started playing it.
It made me able to appreciate a slower pace and also let me appreciate nature so much more!!
Interacting with the villagers was a struggle, it seemed that every single one of them had something rude to say, and it almost moved me to tears at times. But it made me realize that.... they weren't real characters! This was a game! For all their bite, there was more than that, and it helped me to see other parts of their personalities! And gave me tolerance for abrasive personalities hahaha.
The last thing that really impacted me was the Wishing Well. I was a little intimidated by it, but thought it was cool!! One day I was really sad and I went to the Wishing Well to try to 'apologise' (which meant to be forgiven for being unable to return an item, but I didn't know that), and because I had no reason to it said something like "Don't apologise when there is nothing you have done wrong" and that was actually really insightful for me at the time! Helped me to differentiate between looking for absolvement and needing to actually ask for forgiveness when I'd done something wrong.

I still play in my same town to this day, and I love it!! It's come so far in the last 16 years and so have I!! Hahaha!

In 2009 when I first had ACCF, online play with friends helped me socialize with other kids when I was homeschooled and agoraphobic.

I remember shaping my daily schedule around the villagers coming over to my house or vice versa at certain times (wild world)

And setting Saturday nights for a trip to brewsters cafe for a K.K performance