Best Simulation Game

All right, we know: Nintendo's latest Animal Crossing is a lot like the DS one, which is in turn a lot like the GameCube one. With all the potential for the franchise, we're naturally disappointed the developer didn't do more with it. But at the same time we can't deny City Folk's continued appeal. Moving into a new town, befriending a cast of interesting characters and making a living for yourself in Nintendo's virtual world is made all the more addictive with DS connectivity, new online play and voice-chat functionality over WiiSpeak. Newcomers to the series will love it.