Animal Crossing is one of my favorite games of all time. I’ve played every version that’s existed, and when I heard about New Leaf, I had to get a Nintendo 3DS XL just for the occasion. There’s no other game that can draw me in quite like Animal Crossing, thanks to its adorable design and persistent but ever-changing game world.

That 3DS XL has been one of my best purchases, as I am now thoroughly addicted to New Leaf. I’ll always love the older versions of Animal Crossing, but New Leaf adds so many new elements that it is by far the best version yet. The cuteness is off the charts!

Sitting on benches is one of the adorable new things villagers will do.

I love some of the random conversations. I want a giant misshapen pancake too, Lobo.

Here’s my candy house:

And a small tour. I’ve always collected the fruit items in Animal Crossing. New Leaf has old favorites plus a lot of new items.

The polka-dot room:

The pink fairy tale room:

Not pictured are a pink and purple room and a mermaid room. I maxed out the Happy Home Academy at 150,000 points and then moved on to the Fairytale theme challenge, which I also finished with 1.1 million points. Unfortunately the only reward for finishing all of the Happy Home Academy goals is a pure gold house exterior. I’ll stick with candy.

Starbucks run? Yes, takeout coffee has invaded Animal Crossing too.

A few more shots of my town. And outfit changes. The outfits in New Leaf are amazing, with the addition of dresses, socks, shoes, skirts, shorts, and pants.

Fishing in a ballerina outfit, just one of the many activities you can take part in.

The best part is that I’ve only seen a portion of what’s available, as new experiences and items are unlocked all year long. <3 Animal Crossing!