Animal Crossing is a life simulation video game series developed and published by Nintendo. The first game in the series, Doubutsu no Mori (Animal Forest), was released in Japan in 2001 for the Nintendo 64, and it was later released in North America, Europe, and other regions as Animal Crossing for the Nintendo GameCube. The games in the Animal Crossing series involve the player living in a village inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, carrying out various activities such as fishing, bug catching, and fossil hunting. The games have an open-ended gameplay structure, which allows players to decide how they want to play the game. The Animal Crossing series has been very successful, and it has spawned numerous sequels and spin-off games, as well as a variety of merchandise and other media. The series has a large and dedicated fan base, and it is known for its cute and charming art style and immersive gameplay.