Animal Crossing: New Leaf

You become the mayor. No elections, no campaign, you simply step off the train by mistake and the residents of the little town declare you their head straight away. That is how Animal Crossing: New Leaf begins, a game that turned relaxation into art and captivated millions of players all over the world.

New Leaf from 2012 is a life simulator without victory and without end. You live in a little town inhabited by cute animal neighbors, catch fish and insects, collect fossils, furnish your house and pay off an eternal mortgage to the raccoon Tom Nook. The fundamental novelty compared to older entries is precisely the role of mayor: newly you can build public projects, benches, bridges, fountains or a cafe, and thus shape the whole town according to your vision. The game runs in real time tied to the console's clock, so in the morning the sun shines, at night it is dark, and holidays arrive on their actual day.

The magic lies in the complete absence of pressure. No one is chasing you, you cannot lose anything. New Leaf is a game about small joys, about waiting for a rare bug, about decorating a room or about visiting a friend's town over the internet. It is precisely this coziness that made it an ideal title for relaxation and also for people who do not actually consider themselves gamers.

Behind the game stand Nintendo EAD and a team that has led the series from its roots on the Nintendo 64. New Leaf tuned the long-standing formula and added depth in the form of customization, thanks to which it became the most successful entry in the series until the arrival of the later New Horizons. It sold in very high numbers and became one of the pillars of the 3DS library.

Critics received the game warmly and highlighted its endless depth, charm and the way it cleverly uses real time and social connection. For many 3DS owners, New Leaf became a game they returned to day after day, sometimes for whole years at a time.

Why play it: The best digital escape from the hustle, where the only goal is to live life your own way and enjoy small everyday joys.