Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete Review (Android)

Rating: 7
Author: Jim Smale

by Jim Smale · Published December 20, 2024 · Updated December 19, 2024

Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete Review, Step out of your busy life and into a relaxed camping atmosphere full of animal friends and the splendor of nature, all from the comfort of your smart device. Upon your arrival at your destination, you’re named the manager of the campsite! Don’t worry, though, it’s a simple job. All you need to do is choose whatever furniture, tent or amenities you like, arrange them in your campsite and invite animals to visit to liven the place up!

The phone used for the review is a Google Pixel Pro 7.

Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete Review Pros:

Fantastic graphics that look just like the console counterparts.
2.57GB Download size.
You can use your save from the previous version of the game via your login and choose to keep it. Otherwise, you can choose to start fresh.
Daily goals are called stretch goals.
Full touchscreen controls.
AR Support where you can add filters, animals, pose them, and furniture.
Adventure gameplay.
Tutorial pop-ups as you play and when needed.
Classic Animal Crossing soundtrack.
Offline play but it does need online occasionally to check for updates.
Take on tasks for characters to have them show up in your camp and get rewards.
Has all the tasks you are familiar with like fishing, bug hunting, mining, etc but it’s a more simplified system and doesn’t require you to press a button over and over.
The map is split up into areas and with the world map you can jump between the areas.
Each area has its own set of materials you can harvest and might have its own weather and characters.
From time to time special characters will come to to town and open up a shop selling unique items.
The game plays in portrait mode only.
Still has all the charm and warmth of the previous games.
It is a great game to have on the go as you can get the Animal Crossing itch but in a more condensed way.
Power save mode.
Classic soundtrack encompassing new and old tracks.
Seasonal events with all new designs, items, clothing, and world decorations.
Camper cards are where you collect other real people’s cards by scanning their QR code (on the back of the card) and you can create your own to share.
The camper card lets you pick a background and a pose.
Whistle Pass is the relocation where camper cardholders will sometimes appear in your world.
You can easily press save to have your camper card (both sides) saved onto your mobile.
Hire a caretaker who can create reports for you, take on requests, and generally do a lot of the more tedious small jobs. Interacting with them will garner the rewards and you can change out who is your caretaker when you want.
Friendship levels exist for every character and playing with them, giving gifts, and doing objectives will add to the level, at set milestones with each character you will earn rewards.
Many catalogs become available and you fill them in as you buy items, you then earn complete tickets for rarer unique rewards.
OK Motors is the place you go to in order to customize your camper.
Bells is once again the currency of the game with tickets being the other ones, tickets can vary though as you can get seasonal aswel as everyday ones.
Crossover items and paint schemes from other Nintendo games.
You can make and design your own custom designs.
Contacts in-game is where you add people you make friends with and then as you level up your friendship you get activities you can do together.
Multiple choice encounters with characters.
Fantastic locations to explore.
Stamp cards are filled in with purchases in particular shops and filling them up gets a reward but you can also trade full cards for items.
Familiar characters from the previous games can be found and befriended.
Fruit, rocks, fish, etc all respawn after a set amount of time (real-time) but you can get items like fertilizer to have items spawn back instantly.
Still uses the same sound effects etc.
Fruit and items can stack in your inventory.
It doesn’t take long until the game turns into a daily routine of going around doing tasks etc.

Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete Review Cons:

No Googleplay achievements.
You can only play in portrait mode.
The loading times are not always great, especially for a mobile game.
Coming in new will have you reading a lot of tutorial pop-ups.
There is usually always a deluge of notifications and messages to deal with every day.
It doesn’t elevate the series in any meaningful way, it tries some things like the more in-depth contacts list but it’s not substantial.
I found I didn’t have the same urge to go back daily as I did in the main games.
So many of the locations have parts you cannot access and it makes what you access small.

Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Complete:

Official website.

Developer: Nintendo UK

Publisher: Nintendo UK

Store Links –

GooglePlay

Nintendo UK

7/10

Graphics - 7/10
7/10

Sound - 7/10
7/10

Accessibility - 7/10
7/10

Length - 7/10
7/10

Fun Factor - 7/10

7/10

Summary

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp offers a visually stunning experience with graphics that closely resemble its console counterparts. The game has a manageable download size of 2.57GB and allows players to use their saved data from previous versions or start fresh. Daily goals, known as stretch goals, and full touchscreen controls enhance the gameplay. The inclusion of AR support adds a fun element where players can add filters, and animals, pose them, and even add furniture. The adventure gameplay is complemented by tutorial pop-ups that appear as needed, and the classic Animal Crossing soundtrack adds a nostalgic touch. While the game can be played offline, it occasionally requires an online connection for updates.

Players can take on tasks for characters to have them show up in their camp and earn rewards. The game retains familiar tasks like fishing, bug hunting, and mining, but with a simplified system that doesn’t require repetitive button pressing. The map is divided into areas, each with its own set of materials to harvest, weather conditions, and characters. Special characters occasionally visit the town, opening shops with unique items. The game is played in portrait mode only, which might be a limitation for some players.

Despite these limitations, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp retains the charm and warmth of previous games in the series. It’s a great game to have on the go, offering a condensed version of the Animal Crossing experience. The game features a power save mode and a classic soundtrack that includes both new and old tracks. Seasonal events bring new designs, items, clothing, and world decorations. Players can collect camper cards by scanning QR codes and creating their own to share. The Whistle Pass feature allows camper cardholders to appear in your world, and you can easily save your camper card to your mobile device.

The game introduces a caretaker feature, where players can hire a caretaker to handle tedious tasks, earn rewards, and switch caretakers as needed. Friendship levels exist for every character, and interacting with them, giving gifts, and completing objectives increase these levels, unlocking rewards at set milestones. Various catalogs become available as players buy items, earning complete tickets for rarer rewards. OK Motors is the place to customize your camper, and the game currency includes Bells and tickets, with seasonal and everyday variations. Crossover items and paint schemes from other Nintendo games add a unique touch.

Players can design their own custom creations and add friends in-game to engage in activities together. The game features multiple-choice encounters with characters and fantastic locations to explore. Stamp cards are filled with purchases in specific shops, and full cards can be traded for items. Familiar characters from previous games can be found and befriended. Resources like fruit, rocks, and fish respawn after a set amount of time, but items like fertilizer can speed up this process. The game retains the same sound effects and allows items to stack in the inventory.

However, the game does have its drawbacks. It can quickly turn into a daily routine of completing tasks, and there are no Google Play achievements. The portrait mode-only gameplay and less-than-ideal loading times can be frustrating. New players may find the abundance of tutorial pop-ups overwhelming, and the constant notifications and messages can be a bit much. While the game tries to introduce new features like a more in-depth contacts list, it doesn’t significantly elevate the series. The urge to return daily isn’t as strong as in the main games, and many locations have inaccessible parts, making the accessible areas feel small.

In summary, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is a visually appealing and charming game that offers a condensed version of the beloved series. It retains many familiar elements while introducing new features, but it doesn’t significantly advance the series. The game is great for on-the-go play, but it has some limitations that may affect long-term engagement. Despite its flaws, it remains a delightful experience for fans of the franchise.