Wii的溫馨生活模擬遊戲：《暢遊城市 動物之森》（Animal Crossing: City Folk / 街へいこうよ どうぶつの森）。於2008年在Wii平台發行，是《動物之森》系列的第三部家用主機作品，繼承前作《動物之森》（N64/GC）與《動物之森：Wild World》（NDS）的核心概念，但同時結合Wii主機特性，加入新的「城市地圖」，讓玩家能在鄉村生活之外，也能探索熱鬧的城市區域，擴展人際互動與活動空間，成為本作的重要特色。

《動物之森》系列沒有傳統意義上的「劇情主線」，而是主打開放式生活體驗。《暢遊城市 動物之森》延續這個理念，玩家扮演剛搬進動物村莊的人類居民，從一間小房子開始自己的新生活。可以自由決定每天的生活節奏與目標，與村莊裡的動物居民互動、釣魚、抓昆蟲、挖化石、佈置房屋、參加活動、幫助鄰居，或是純粹悠閒地散步觀賞四季景色。這種沒有強制任務、不設勝負結局的設定，讓每位玩家的遊戲體驗都能反映自己選擇的生活方式，形成極度個人化、放鬆且療癒的遊玩節奏。

操作方面，支援Wii遙控器與Nunchuk組合，可以透過遙控器的指標操作來選擇物品、與村民交談或是進行各種生活活動，例如用釣竿釣魚、用捕蟲網抓蟲、或用鏟子挖寶。移動時使用Nunchuk搖桿，走路、奔跑、轉向都相當流暢直覺，也可以單純用Wii遙控器橫拿操作，方式自由。也支援Wii Speak語音配件，讓玩家可以與其他連線朋友透過語音對話，是當年Wii平台首度嘗試的語音社交機能。

城市地圖是本作最具代表性的新增功能。可以搭乘巴士前往城市，城市裡集結各種商店與設施，像是能幫玩家設計髮型的「沙龍」，可以參加占卜、購買名牌服飾、前往劇院學習表情或動作等。這些城市地點與村莊生活相輔相成，增加遊戲的長期動力與蒐集挑戰。可以在這裡遇到特殊角色，或獲得村莊內買不到的稀有商品、家具與服飾，拓展生活圈的層次感，也讓原本的小村莊世界變得更有延展性。

在關卡設計上，沒有固定關卡，而是採取實時系統與四季環境變化，根據現實世界的時間與日期對應遊戲內的晨昏、天氣、節日與活動。春天可以賞花、釣鯛魚，夏天則能在夜晚參加煙火大會，秋天採集松果與紅葉，冬天堆雪人、打雪仗、過聖誕節。也有大量隨機事件與村民對話，讓每一天的村莊生活都充滿新鮮感。像是週日專賣大頭菜的「豬豬阿嬤」、收集化石的博物館、流星雨夜晚、村民搬遷與來訪等，這些內容組成了無窮無盡的「生活關卡」。

在市場評價上，獲得普遍正面的評價，特別是系列粉絲與家庭玩家對本作的溫馨風格、輕鬆自由的玩法與擬真社會互動感到喜愛。媒體普遍肯定遊戲畫面與氣氛表現，即便畫質沒有特別追求寫實，但色彩與角色表現充滿可愛魅力，四季分明的自然景觀也讓村莊與城市世界顯得非常有溫度。玩家可以用自己的方式經營村莊、改變房屋佈置、蒐集家具或與村民培養感情，帶來充滿個人色彩的療癒感。

不過，也有部分評價指出，相較於NDS版《Wild World》與後續的《New Leaf》、《New Horizons》，在系統革新與玩法進化上偏保守。尤其是村莊經營自由度、個人化空間與城鎮建設功能尚未完全成熟，部分玩家認為城市區域雖然是創新亮點，但與村莊互動性不高，發展潛力仍未完全發揮。此外，Wii Speak功能雖然新鮮，但連線穩定性與語音品質也受限於當年技術。

總結來說，這是節奏溫和、氣氛療癒、內容充實的生活模擬遊戲，成功延續《動物之森》系列的核心價值，並藉由Wii平台首次導入城市場景與語音社交功能，為玩家打造一個更立體、更開放的動物村莊世界。無論是喜歡與動物朋友互動、享受日常蒐集與裝飾，或單純想體驗慢步調生活的玩家，這款作品都非常值得入手與體驗。

Animal Crossing: City Folk (also known in Japan as 街へいこうよ どうぶつの森) is a heartwarming life simulation game released for the Wii in 2008. As the third mainline home console entry in the Animal Crossing series, it builds on the core concepts established in Animal Crossing (N64/GC) and Animal Crossing: Wild World (NDS), while taking advantage of the Wii’s unique features. A major new addition is the “city area,” which expands the player’s world beyond the rural village, offering a bustling urban space to explore and interact with, making it one of the defining features of this installment.

Unlike traditional games with linear narratives, the Animal Crossing series embraces open-ended, player-driven life experiences. City Folk continues this philosophy by casting the player as a human who has just moved into a village inhabited by talking animals. Starting from a small house, players can shape their daily life however they choose—interacting with neighbors, fishing, catching bugs, digging up fossils, decorating their home, joining seasonal events, helping out other villagers, or simply strolling around enjoying the changing seasons. With no mandatory missions or win/loss conditions, the gameplay fosters a deeply personal and relaxing pace where each player’s experience reflects their own lifestyle choices.

In terms of controls, the game supports both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The Wii Remote’s pointer is used to select items, talk to villagers, and perform daily tasks—like fishing, bug catching, or digging. Movement is handled via the Nunchuk’s analog stick, allowing smooth walking, running, and turning. Alternatively, players can use the Wii Remote horizontally for simplified control. The game also introduces support for the Wii Speak microphone accessory, enabling voice chat with friends online—marking one of the Wii’s first attempts at voice-based social interaction.

The city map is one of City Folk’s most notable new features. Players can take a bus to travel to the city, which includes various stores and facilities such as a salon for custom hairstyles, a fortune teller, high-end fashion boutiques, and a theater to learn new emotes and gestures. These locations complement the village life, adding new layers of content and collection challenges. In the city, players can encounter special characters or acquire rare furniture and clothing not available in the village, greatly expanding the game’s sense of scale and progression.

Instead of structured levels, City Folk features a real-time system with environmental changes that reflect the real-world calendar. This includes time-of-day shifts, weather patterns, and seasonal events. In spring, players can enjoy cherry blossoms and fish for sea bream; summer brings fireworks festivals; autumn offers acorns and colorful foliage; and winter includes snowman-building, snowball fights, and Christmas celebrations. Daily life in the village is filled with random events and unique dialogues, making each day feel fresh. Memorable features include Joan the turnip seller, the fossil museum, meteor showers, villager visits and move-outs—forming a seemingly endless variety of “life levels” to explore.

Reception-wise, City Folk received generally positive reviews, especially from long-time fans and family audiences. Its gentle tone, open-ended gameplay, and social simulation aspects were widely praised. Critics appreciated the game’s charming aesthetic, with its colorful visuals and expressive characters, and the clearly defined seasons gave the world a warm and lively atmosphere. Players could customize their homes, collect furniture, and build relationships with villagers, making the experience deeply personal and comforting.

However, some reviewers noted that compared to Wild World on NDS and later entries like New Leaf or New Horizons, City Folk was relatively conservative in terms of gameplay innovation. The freedom in village management and town customization was still limited, and while the city area was a novel addition, its interactions with the village were somewhat shallow and underdeveloped. The Wii Speak feature, though innovative, was held back by the limitations of the time, particularly in connection quality and audio clarity.

In summary, Animal Crossing: City Folk is a relaxing, content-rich life simulation that successfully preserves the essence of the Animal Crossing series while introducing new dimensions like the city area and voice chat through the Wii platform. Whether you’re a longtime fan looking to reconnect with your animal neighbors, a collector and decorator, or someone simply seeking a slow-paced, soothing virtual lifestyle, this game offers a cozy and charming escape well worth experiencing.