Photos with Animal Crossing

Photos with Animal Crossing
Photos with Animal Crossing
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Developer(s)	Nintendo
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo eShop
Release date(s)	JP November 21, 2013; EU 2015
Genre(s)	Application
Input; methods	Nintendo 3DS Stylus

Photos with Animal Crossing, also known as Isshoni Photo Doubutsu no Mori (いっしょにフォトどうぶつの森, Photos Together with Animal Forest) in Japan, is an augmented reality photography app for the Nintendo 3DS, available via download from the Nintendo eShop. It is the second title in the Photos Together series and is currently available as a free download only via the Japanese Nintendo eShop and through codes from European giveaways. Three cards have been released so far, each card includes many Animal Crossing series characters such as Isabelle, Timmy and Tommy Nook, Tom Nook, and many others.^[1] A North American variant has yet to be available in some form, despite the first title in the series, Photos with Mario, has been available in the region via the Nintendo eShop since 2014.

Distribution

The application is distributed through the Nintendo eShop in Japan, but was exclusive to download codes in Europe. During the Hyper Japan Festival in July 2015, an annual expo held at the O2 arena in London, Nintendo UK hosted a promotion where a limited amount of download codes were freely distributed to visitors. The same promotion was held at Gamescom in August 2015, the largest gaming event held annually in Germany. 5,000 additional codes were later distributed by Nintendo UK in September 2015 through Nintendo Life, a UK-based Nintendo news publishing website.^[2]

Usage

The app, albeit not an actual game, is used mainly for entertainment and fan service purposes. The app by itself is not usable, as it requires the presence of specific real-life images seen via the Nintendo 3DS camera lenses in order for the augmented reality (AR) feature to work. The Start "?" AR card image, that is usually included with all Nintendo 3DS console packs and bundles, is compatible with the app to some degree. In addition to the Start "?" image, there are three other AR-supported images made specifically for the app. Nintendo officially releases these AR images as standard AR cards, but any well-done scan or copy of these AR images in any size is compatible with the app. In any case, the three AR images made for the app would trigger an AR appearance of one of five included key characters per image, whilst the Start "?" image only reveals the Town Tree. The characters can interact with each other in various ways, and even interact with the Town Tree. Additionally, the user can apply various special effects included in the app by pressing buttons on the Nintendo 3DS console. It is possible to take snapshots at any given time, allowing users any kind of photographs they deem with Animal Crossing characters included. Snapshots are saved directly to the included SD card, and can be viewed via the built-in Nintendo 3DS Camera app.

Included characters

There are three augmented reality (AR) images made for the app, and each image triggers the appearance of five characters (six characters if the Nooklings are counted separately) in a certain order one at a time or all at once, depending on the situation and availability of AR within the scope of the Nintendo 3DS camera lens. The following characters appear per image: