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The 5 Best Mobile Games Like Animal Crossing

Posted by 148Apps Staff on March 12th, 2020

Looking forward to Animal Crossing: New Horizons? We know the feeling. We can't wait to start delivering fish and butterflies to our cute fuzzy friends, despite the fact that at times it can feel more like a vocation than a game.

But what if you're looking for a mobile game to try and ensure you get your cuteness fix in the meantime? Well, there's Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, but we reckon we can do better than that. Which is why we've created this list of the five best games like Animal Crossing for iOS.

Check out our list below, and if you've got your own suggestions make sure you stick them in the comments section. Oh, and click here to check out all of the other great lists we've been making recently.

The best mobile games like Stardew Valley

Posted by Jessica Famularo on September 27th, 2017

Stardew Valley is coming soon to Switch, and we'll finally be able to carry the game around with us like the world's greatest security blanket. There's nothing quite like sinking into the wonderful zen comfort that is hours spent in Stardew Valley's world. While it's hard to find an exact replica on mobile, we have found a few similar games that collectively feature some of our favorite things about Stardew. Let's take a look.

Castaway Paradise - Tips, Tricks, and Strategies to Help you Make the Most of Being Stranded

Posted by Brittany Vincent on November 28th, 2014

Ahoy there, castaways:
Were you curious about our own thoughts regarding this pristine shipwreck? Check out our Castaway Paradise review!

Castaway Paradise is out for iOS, finally giving mobile gamers the opportunity to enjoy the idyllic lifestyle of an Animal Crossing-like game. Though it may seem straightforward, these tips will go a long way towards making your life a little easier.

Become self-sufficient

  • Plant yourself some trees and get watering - The more trees you have, the more fruit you are producing, which means more money when you take in your harvest and sell it. Economy 101, son!
  • Keep planting crops - Before you sell your fruit, make sure you plant it so you can just keep a steady supply going. Don't be hasty, as it will come back to haunt you when you find your money supplies dwindling.
  • Shake those trees - Shaking trees can dislodge surprises, such as a dropped fruit from the same type of tree. You can plant said fruit in turn, but you’ll want to pocket most of what you can shake down. Every little bit counts!
  • Become a bug catcher - Every so often, you’ll find bugs around the island simply begging you to nab them. Wait until you see the net icon, and then tap it to bag the bug. You'll need to be sneaky about how you approach them, because if you're too slow they'll get away. Focus on coming up behind them slowly and you'll be good to go.

Castaway Paradise VIP Subs are on Sale for a Limited Time, and a Special Holiday Update is Coming Soon

Posted by Rob Rich on November 28th, 2014
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: AN ISLAND OF FRIENDS :: Read Review »

'Tis the season for sales and price drops, and Castaway Paradise has apparently caught the bug as well. Seeing as it's free to download, the upfront cost hasn't changed. However, for a very limited time you can purchase a 12 month VIP subscription for $5 off the regular $29.99 price.

A holiday-themed update is also on its way, which will bring a big new Christmas event (and various goodies, naturally) to the island. The update will also add group chat to the game, but that's not particularly Christmas-y.

You can download Castaway Paradise form the App Store for free, and take advantage of the VIP subscription sale right now. The holiday update will being "in December."

Castaway Paradise Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Brittany Vincent on October 27th, 2014
Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: AN ISLAND OF FRIENDS
Castaway Paradise is a delightful riff on Animal Crossing, with all of the fixings.
Read The Full Review »

New Trailer Released for Castaway Paradise - Think Animal Crossing for iOS

Posted by Ellis Spice on May 16th, 2014
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: AN ISLAND OF FRIENDS :: Read Review »

Last time we looked at Castaway Paradise, a free-to-play take on Animal Crossing for iOS, was back in January when we checked out the Canadian soft-launch version. A few months have passed since then, and Stolen Couch Games have now released a new trailer, teasing the game a bit more before its worldwide launch sometime later this year.

Castaway Paradise is available now for those with a Canadian iTunes account, with an Australian release expected sometime this June. Still no word on a date for the full worldwide release, but it should be "within the next few months."

It Came From Canada: Castaway Paradise, a Free-to-Play Take on Animal Crossing

Posted by Carter Dotson on January 20th, 2014
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Our rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: AN ISLAND OF FRIENDS :: Read Review »

Castaway Paradise was first mentioned to me as Animal Crossing but for iPhone, though I played the iPad version because I'm a rebel. And really, that just about nails it on the head - except Stolen Couch Games have done what Nintendo has yet to do, and that is make it free-to-play. Castaway Paradise is currently soft-launched in the tropical paradise of Canada, and I take it for a spin in this edition of It Came From Canada!

Players control a person who washes up on shore, and finds themselves in a land of fellow castaways who washed up on shore. However, no one really seems to be all that set on getting home - there's an entire village that's popped up, even with a mail delivery boat! So, the player is made to build a new life here, because who knows; maybe this is all the dream of the Wind Fish and leaving would be disastrous.

[img id="CastawayParadise-8-600x450.png"]So players then just do tasks for the various residents, like building fences and harvesting crops. The early missions are structured to introduce players to the things they need to know to live their island experience and to see more of the village. Menial tasks to earn currency to buy more supplies and customizations is the name of the game here.

Players have the ability to customize the look of their dwelling and of their character, but the intro to the game provides one moment regarding this that needs to change. See, the game starts off with the player being just a walking glob of seaweed washed ashore, immediately forced to do chores by Viktoria, one of the villagers. Then, for some reason, she asks which binary gender the player is. This choice is the sole determining factor in how the player first appears: typically male or female.

This is incongruent with the customization options provided, because male characters can wear dresses and traditionally feminine hairstyles without anyone saying anything about it. The character's gender doesn't seem to play much of a role, so why is it the very first thing that players are asked to choose as far as customization goes? Why not instead let players determine their initial design based on how they want to look from a set of basic customizations, and make gender an entirely irrelevant factor in how the player wishes to present themselves in this world?

While the free-to-play elements perhaps take away some of the innocence of Animal Crossing, where everything must be earned, there's also no Mr. Resetti here - so, win some lose some. Time will tell if this is successful, or if this is the Pepsi to Animal Crossing's Coke - or if it's just store-brand cola.