If video games are all about escapism, there are few nicer destinations than Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The most pressing matters in its breathless com🍰munity are "Shall we have a game of hide-and-seek now or a b🍬it later?" and "Will this wallpaper go with my house's flooring?" It's pretty much a perfect world. However, real life sadly isn’t that straightforward.

The main problem here is that the core gameplay is ostensibly the same as that ♌of all the other iterations dating right back to 2001, so returning pl♚ayers will take some persuading if they’re going to move in and start all over again. Fortunately, there's a lot more to do this time around, thanks to a steady flow of new features over time and several multiplayer-friendly additions to the tried-and-tested Animal Crossing formula.

For newcomers, the m💛ain reason to choose New Leaf over any of the other versions is surely the fact you are now the town’s mayor, taking over from Tortimer who has semi-retired from work and now oversees activities on the Tropical Island. With your new title, you have the power to develop the town however you see fit. That means you can add practical objects like a second (or third) bridge over the river that runs through your town, or add aesthetically pleasing scenery elements like fountains or a lighthouse.