A board game done the wrong way just drags a party into the ground. Case in point – stuff like Pac-Man Party, Sonic Shuffle and other games that just lack the inspiration to keep players interested. Sadly, this appears to be the case with Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival, a game dependent on scanning items in order to get the most out of it. Otherwise, it’s pretty much just a bland take on Mario Party – and one fans may even want to bow out of.
As you begin the game – which comes packed in with two Amiibo characters and three Amiibo-concentrated cards – you’ll start out in just the one spot, playing a bland board game. In fact, the game is limited to just this one activity until you begin to open up the world, and it’s a patience-grinding affair that’s likely to turn off multiple players in a hurry. It’s like offering the keys to an ice cream store, but every flavor is pistachio. Yuck.
There are sections of the board that you can configure, using various decorations and even some items from your Happy Home Designer homes, if you manage to have a copy of that game. But, really, it’s just the same old game, and it’s sad that Nintendo made this the basis of what is essentially a $60 game release. Packed in with extra Amiibos, of course, but still, is there anything here that it couldn’t have given away for free?
The writing attempts to sway players in the favor of what’s happening in the game, and some of it is in tune with the Animal Crossing series, which is good. But the problem is the format, as you’re likely to run into repeat scenarios where you learn about things that you already knew. It’s like tuning into a soap opera knowing what the twists already are – and not caring.
There is multiplayer in this game, and, fortunately, you don’t need extra Amiibo to get through that, as it supports up to four players with just one character. But without the variety that the Mario Party games offer, there’s not much to really play here. You’ll probably just get through one round and wonder, “Uh, what was the point again?”
Thankfully, the point comes with the mini-games that can be unlocked with the included Amiibo cards – but not by much. Most of the games are rather forgetful, but Desert Escape actually has some variety, thanks to its turn-based tactics and its unique writing angle. Unfortunately, it only lasts for so long, and then it’s back into being limited by what this Animal Crossing universe has to offer – which isn’t much at all.
While the graphics can be charming and, again, the writing has its moments, it’s just not enough to hold ground for a game that was obviously built with an Amiibo business model in mind. Sure, the characters may be cute – and collectible – but Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival isn’t much of a game to get excited about. The main component of the game is average at best, and the rest of the product just doesn’t measure up, requiring so many more components for a title that costs you $60 in the first place.
Fans may be curious, but, honestly, any given Animal Crossing experience (even, in some respects, Happy Home Designer) would be better than what this pale little board game-based hoopla has to offer. Stick with the older games, and hope that Nintendo has a much bigger experience in mind down the road.
