Countless new apps appeared in 2017 as well. iPhoned takes a different approach this year and lets each editor choose one app. In our opinion, these are the very best iOS apps of the year. Today it’s Erwin’s turn with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.
A place to unwind
In the past year I have viewed many apps for iPhoned. My focus was mainly on the latest games, so it will come as no surprise to anyone that I chose a game as the favorite app of the year. And what a lot of beautiful iOS games were released in 2017, such as Gorogoa and Life is Strange recently. Earlier titles such as Old Man’s Journey, Hidden Folks and Monument Valley 2 were also released. Still, I now choose Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.
Pocket Camp isn’t the best game of the year, and not even the best Nintendo game to hit iOS in 2017. It is the only game of this year that I still play almost every day after a month.
Demanding animals
Actually Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is just a strange game. You start a new campsite in nature and you hope that you will become friends with the animals in the area, so that they come to camp with you. Friendship in this game consists of giving presents. If you give the animals enough fish, fruit or insects, your ‘friendship level’ will increase. First you have to collect all that stuff, of course, or buy it from your fellow players.
You do get something in return for your work, such as various raw materials. But you only use this iron, wood and cotton to make furniture and tents for your animal friends, because otherwise they will feel too good for your campsite. What nasty beasts they are actually.
Pocket Camp is a game where you can dive in to do some things whenever you want. You collect some things, visit other players, fulfill some assignments or rearrange your campsite with new furniture. There is no pressure behind it. If you don’t watch for a few days, that’s no problem. This makes Pocket Camp a nice place to visit every now and then to unwind. Just think of nothing else than this structured life, in which you are at the service of demanding animals.
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Set up yourself
It is also nice that you can design this world according to your own taste. Both with all the furniture you place, but also with the clothes you wear. Later it will also be possible to make new clothes yourself, but you will already receive sweaters and coats from your four animals on a regular basis and there is new clothing for sale on the market every day.
For anyone who fears that you have to spend real money in this free-to-play game: there is really no need. After a month of playing, I haven’t spent a cent. This while I wouldn’t even mind putting a few euros in this game as a thank you for all the fun. However, what you get for your money is simply too limited.
Updates
In any case, this game will remain something to return to in the near future. Updates are constantly being rolled out. In a month’s time, new animals have already been added twice, along with new furniture. A garden has now also been placed at your campsite. The animals also say new things on special days, for example recently during the shortest day of the year. This keeps the conversations feeling fresh. In addition, there are regular events with temporary furniture to save, such as at Christmas and the New Year.
I understand very well that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is not for everyone. It is a very limited version of a much loved game series. The game also has an option to spend real money in every corner, and the animals are acorns. Yet it is also the happiest and sweetest game of the year. It is a nice place where I can always go. I’ll leave it at that, because there is a bear waiting on the beach and she is too lazy to pick up the shells that lie in front of her paws herself.
→ Download Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp from the App Store (free)