Kick back, relax, and design some houses for adorable talking animals with Nintendo’s newest game from the Animal Crossing franchise: Happy Home Designer. This 3DS title is a spinoff of the main series, but don’t let that term deter you from giving the game a shot. It has a lot to offer and the creative limitations are boundless. While typically aimed at former Animal Crossing fans, this game can serve as a nice introduction to the series as it takes some of the staple elements of the main series games and combines them with new and improved features to create a well-balanced atmosphere for fans and newcomers alike. Instead of working to pay off a loan to Tom Nook in the beginning of the game, players are tasked with working under him as a Nook’s Homes employee. Ah yes, every fan’s dream: to work for Tom Nook. Full time. Aside from our favorite tycoon raccoon, Nook’s Homes is full of familiar faces including Lyle, Digby, and Isabelle. In this game, Isabelle does not take on the role of your personal secretary. Rather, Lottie, a cheery otter, acts as your close mentor and supervisor.

People who love the interior design aspect of Animal Crossing will absolutely adore this game. The general gameplay synopsis consists of, well, designing houses, as you’ve probably already inferred. Each day your character is prompted to find a client to assist. Players can choose from clients waiting in their town, or they can invite their favorite villagers to the game using Amiibo cards. These Amiibo cards are collectible trading cards with an NFC touchpoint and by using these cards, players have access to a wider variety of villagers, special characters, and furniture pieces. Every friendly animal has its own dream abode and your job is to make that dream come true. A design theme corresponding to the animal’s ideal living space will be displayed and after completing some initial design requisites, the rest is up to you. Players are essentially given free rein on how they wish to design a house. New furniture items will be added to the ever growing inventory with each client, every piece coinciding with the given theme. A unique feature of this game is the ability to have full control over not only the interior design, but outdoor landscaping. For the first time in Animal Crossing history, players are able to place plants, decorations, and even indoor furniture pieces outside wherever they’d like without limitations.

Designing houses is easier than ever with the new drag and drop decorating system. No more manually pushing and turning furniture! Players simply pick items they want from their inventory and use the overhead map on the touchscreen to rearrange them in any manner within seconds. A multitude of new features can be unlocked using PlayCoins as well. Better get to shaking your DS because neat abilities like sound scenery; ceiling-hung items; access to the entire fossil, bug, or fish collections; and more are unlockable.

As a huge Animal Crossing fan, I was wildly excited for the release of this game. The downfall was that I’ve never been a huge devotee of the interior design factor and I was unsure if I would like this game because of that. I soon found that initial thought wrong. The design system in this game is so seamless and intuitive that it makes decorating houses much quicker and entertaining. Also the fact that I have an entire catalog of furniture at my disposal and don’t have to hunt down every item piece by piece is incredibly encouraging. The unlockable ability to refurbish furniture instantly is especially convenient and fun.

As addicting as the game can be, the repetition of designing houses day after virtual day without any incentive or reward can get pretty dull sometimes. To compensate for this, players are able to decorate public spaces such as a school, shops, and a café. Generally, more effort is put into the layout of these as they will be on display in the player’s town. If players want inspiration, to post their own creations, or just to browse other people’s designs, they can do so through the Happy Home Network. Other players are able to rate any designs you may post which also acts as an incentive to make your own interior spaces more stylish. Design contests are also available, and if nothing else, someone’s unique design may make you envious enough to make something equally creative. Direct links to Miiverse and 3DS Image Share are accessible at all times should players want to post their work to social media.

Happy Home Designer is a wonderful addition to the Animal Crossing world. It adds exciting new features that will make long-time fans delighted as well as integrate key concepts such as dialogue, clothing, pattern design, and more. Not to mention it’s just downright adorable. This game has classic Animal Crossing charm, but allows players to do so much more than within the confines of former main series games.