Animal Crossing is an enhanced rerelease of Dōbutsu no Mori + , designed specifically for Western audiences. As such, it replaces all Japanese cultural references and celebrations with ones that would be more familiar to the American, European, and Australian audiences it was released for. This includes holidays like a Harvest Festival in November, April Fool's Day, and Mother's Day and Father's Day. New items and events were also added.
The game takes place in a peaceful virtual village where you play as a character who moves into a new home. Your goal is to build a life in this virtual world, interacting with the villagers, fishing, gardening, and decorating your home. As time passes, your character will become an integral part of the community.