Animal Crossing: Wild World / Nintendo DS : 4 of 5

Yes, I've finally joined the countless DS geeks who are obsessed with this crazy game! My pal Barron has been playing it for quite a while, which got me interested, so my pal Melinda gave it to me for my birthday - I've been enjoying my time in this alternative world ever since. If you haven't read about Animal Crossing before, the game is really unique because there's no real object - you are simply living in a little town where all your neighbors are talking animals, and what you do with your time is up to you. It's kind of strange to get used to, because when you start up the game, you have to decide, "What am I going to do?" You can walk around and pick fruit, which you can take to the local store to sell, since you have a mortgage to pay off (of course!). Or, you can walk down to the beach and gather shells or do a little fishing, and if you catch something interesting you can donate it to the museum, where they have an aquarium! You can also donate fossils (which you can dig up) and bugs (which you can catch), and have a quick cup of coffee in the cafe while you're at the museum. And you can definitely stop by your neighbors home for a visit, and even write them letters that you can mail at the post office, and they will write back! The incredible thing is that the game works in real time, so when you play, it knows the time of day and the date (for example, if a character tells you their birthday, you can stop by on that day and go to the party!). I've barely touched the wi-fi features, but it's enough for me to just hang out and live a peaceful little life in my animal town. Isn't it funny that a game can be such a relaxing diversion?