You may not remember it, but at one time the Nintendo 64 had an add-on peripheral called the 64DD. Before the end of its short lifespan, Nintendo designed a game about hanging out with cute animals in a single field and completing small tasks. That game was Animal Forest, better known today as Animal Crossing.
The beloved series has gone on to sell millions and is one of the most recognizable video game franchises around, but its inception lies in an ambitious and, ultimately, failed hardware project. In this video we take a look back at the origins of Animal Crossing, and tell the story of its unlikely beginnings, its almost demise, and its ultimate success.