There’s no denying that the DS is quite a bizarre concept, which is why Animal Crossing should feel quite at home nestling high on the list of games to be released for it. The second screen function will be fairly straightforward in this instance, serving mainly as a permanent options screen display. For regular players of Animal Crossing on the Cube, that would seem like a sensible option, as it’s necessary to consistently flip in and out of your inventory (obsessively organising your personal collection of flora and fauna).
The stylus-controlled feature might also find favour with budding upholstery designers and floaty fashionistas. Creating your own designs for wallpaper, shirts and hats should be considerably easier with a pen than it was with a diminutive analogue stick.
The most intriguing element of the DS version would be its potential use of the DS wireless chat function. Using the stylus to tap on the touch-sensitive keyboard display, players could interact with other Animal Crossing residents, chatting about the state of the local horticultural scene and exchanging tips on how to catch dragonflies.
Speaking to Nintendo today, this wireless chat activity was not fully confirmed, although technically it would be a perfectly feasible prospect.