Japanese sales tracker Media Create revealed that the Nintendo DS game is the second title for the platform to move past five million. The other is, probably unsurprisingly, New Super Mario Bros. which actually made it past the five million mark much faster. It took Animal Crossing for the DS a little over three years to do it.

In terms of revenue, if every copy of Animal Crossing: Wild World was sold at the suggested retail price of 4,800 yen, the company would have sold 24 billion yen worth of the game. That equals a lot.

Media Create Weekly Ranking [via NeoGAF]

When you come upon Baabara, the town's resident sheep, you're greeted with a racial epithet. The word is used repeatedly in your conversation with the sheep.

"I almost forgot about you, N—-a" "So got any juicy gossip for me, N—-a?" "Just thinking about it gets me all excited, N—-a."

The word, written with a tilda over the N and an accent over the A, apparently popped up in the game because the person who was playing it, most likely a Nintendo employee, customized the greeting of the critter to include the word. One of the draw's of the original DS title was that the text speech of the game's inhabitants can be customized.

The sheep was first discovered by MTV's Stephen Totilo, who reported on it over on Multiplayer. I was able to track the sheep down on the version sent me by Nintendo and verified that she's just as mouthy in my version.

It appears that Nintendo copied the save for the game to multiple copies of Wild Word and then sent it out to game writers. The copy came with a letter explaining that content had been unlocked so writers could check out how moving stuff from the DS Animal Crossing title to the recently released Wii version worked.

We've contacted Nintendo for comment and will update when they reply.

Nintendo Plays a Game for Me, Includes Slur [Multiplayer]

While I may think Animal Crossing is gaming's equivalent of guppies, some absolutely adore it. For those that cannot get enough of the game, here is a set of Animal Crossing stuffed, well, animals. These will get released next month in Japan for 1,200 yen (approx. US $9) a piece. They're kawaii and do absolutely nothing—much like the game. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Rakuten]

Some lucky gamer assembled some items from the Animal Crossing: Wild World "Mario Set" and decorated a cottage with them. Not exactly how I'd like to furnish my pad. If the music didn't drive me insane, the fireballs would make getting out the door a real bitch. Brian Ashcraft

Starting next week you will be able to download some cool free stuff for your copy of Animal Crossing: Wild World at your local Toys R Us.

The stores' DS Download Stations will have six exclusive virtual gifts available: a 1-up mushroom, star, fire bar,
goal flag, question box and pipe. The items can be used to decorate your virtual house in the game. The downloads will be available through July 29.

Cool idea, I just wish the'd offer up some freebies for the games I enjoy, like Mario Kart. Bring on the new Karts! Brian Crecente

Minimal, the second single from UK techno/pop duo Pet Shop Boys's new album, sounds remarkably like a tune from the DS Animal Crossing: Wild World. While the music is different, the tune's chorus echoes the voice AC's roving troubadour canine K.K. Slider. With none of this is confirmed (and for good reason), there is a similarity. Check for yourself. And buy their new album. It's moody. Brian Ashcraft

Compare Here [Discopop] via 4CR

Image Here

While I personally cannot think of anything more dull, Nintendo is moving ahead with an anime Animal Crossing. The DS version, AC: Wild World, has been a monster hit in Japan, moving three million copies. Likewise, Europeans have gone bonkers for the unending and plotless game, while the game has been a mild US success. Go figure. There are many other Nintendo properties I'd rather seen animated before Animal Crossing, but that's neither here nor there. The movie is slated for December in the Land of the Rising Sun. It will be cute and very, very boring.

Full Story Here [Gamasutra]

Urbane Gridskipper correspondent Jean Snow points to girly Japanese mag GIRLIE, which does a big Animal Crossing issue. Cute and girly popstar Kaera Kimura graces the cover and is interviewed about the game. There are also tips on how to get in-game accessories and lists of favorite characters. How girlie!

More Here, All Manly [Jean Snow]

Play a little Animal Crossing: Wild World over the Easter weekend and Nintendo promises to deliver you a little letter and special present. I wonder if it will be a crown of thorns or a chocolate easter egg?

If you must get your virtual freebie for your little animal collective, make sure to log your DS into Wild World between Friday and the end of the weekend.

Animal Crossing: Wild World Gift for Easter [British Gaming Blog]

A sticker-free, knock-your-socks-off, cuter-than-cute, custom painted Animal Crossing: Wild World DS. Must have.

DS Here [British Gaming Blog]

Much like the conversion from the console Animal Crossing onto DS, we are now exploring how to bring what we have developed in Wild World onto Revolution. This time it is about bringing the world we ve set up on DS over to the console world of the Revolution.

Animal Crossing: Wild World of Warcraft anyone?

Full Story Here [GoNintendo]

Unlike Animal Crossing for the GameCube, the DS version allows for significant customization of characters and environments. Gaming site Thumb Bandits saw this as an opportunity to create a gallery of the famous and infamous. Highlights after the jump include Marilyn Monroe, Groucho Marx, Hitler and Call of Duty. Waiting patiently for somebody to do a much-needed Crecente send-up.

Full Gallery Here [Thumb Bandits]

Unfortunately, it was buried in a mass of email and I just dug it out.

They say the thing was not a hack or virus, but simply a freaky upload error. Here's their official word:

Nintendo would like to thank its numerous Animal Crossing: Wild World fans for helping identify and correct an unforeseen issue with the game. Some users of the community-simulation game for Nintendo DS noticed that receiving a letter containing a Red Tulip could cause interference with game play.

We have isolated the problem and determined that there was a temporary error with the upload tool when this letter was posted. Thankfully we have been able to limit the number of people affected by removing the related file from circulation. Players who have received the letter should delete it before placing the Red Tulip anywhere in their characters homes.

Please note that tulips themselves are not the problem. Generally they are undisruptive and readily available in Animal Crossing: Wild World. This particular Red Tulip appears as a piece of furniture and only affects game play if placed indoors.

We are investigating ways to remove the item from the homes of players who have experienced game-play interference, and we will update the Animal Crossing: Wild World FAQ on NintendoWiFi.com when we have more information to share.

Things aren't all gumdrops and lollypops in Wild World. There's a lethal glitch making the rounds. Here's the skinny: after you disconnect from WiFi, there's a strange letter in your mailbox. Open it, only to find the letter is blank. There is a Red Tulip attached. If you place the flower in your house, you cannot put anything else over that spot or remove it. If you put it outside your house on the stone, it turns into a regular Red Tulip flower that can be picked up. So folks, is this a goof on Nintendo's part or the tip of a worldwide NiWiFi hack job?

More Info Here [ACForums] Thanks, Alpha eX!

Your town in Animal Crossing: Wild World just became a little bit less safe. Hackers have found a way to lock players out of their virtual homes using access codes players provide to allow someone in their town in the first place. Apparently, the problem of being locked out can be resolved via Action Replay, but not before Tom Nook's store has been pilfered of all of its rare goods.

Hackers Attack Animal Crossing[Games Radar]

Clickable Culture points at an diary of the dark side of Nintendo's Animal Crossing. The diary of JoeForever began on the GameCube and now he continued the diary to Animal Crossing: Wild World. I wonder what dark secrets await JoeForever in the DS version of AC.

The Dark Side of Animal Crossing [Clickable Culture]
The AC Wild World Diary [FourHman]

Yesterday we pointed out a site that allows Animal Crossing DS players to sell their virtual goods for bells, and bemoaned the fact that you couldn't buy the actual bells themselves.

Fortunately, our readers are much more resourceful than we are. Jonathon points us to PGCurrency.com.

Right now, the going rate is 100,000 bells per U.S. dollar, though you have to buy at least a million bells. The price drops as you up the quantity. I may have to crack open AC and dig into this burgeoning black market.

Eventually, the site hopes to trade in all forms of virtual cash for portable gaming systems, but I don't think there are any others to deal with yet. Though if anyone wants some free bullets, they can join me in SOCOM PSP and I can give them a few headfuls.

PG Currency [Site]

We recently reported that Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney for the DS was apparently discontinued. And now, we're the bearer of bad news once again: Animal Crossing Wild World is a biotch to buy. GameStop says the title is "back ordered," while sister site EB Games says that the game is likewise shipping late. I tracked a few auctions on Ebay, where the game is going for between $35 and $45 a pop. What gives with all these DS game shortages?

Bid Here [Ebay] Thanks Andrew!

An eBay auction that the British Gaming Blog linked to is offering all 20 paintings for your museum in Animal Crossing for the DS. Like the commerce structures that have emerged in MMOs like EVE, WoW, EverQuest - now the digital properties of Nintendo's Animal Crossing are making the crossover into sellable goods.

I'm sure Nintendo is thrilled.

Animal Crossing items up for sale on eBay! [British Gaming Blog]
Animal Crossing All 20 Paintings [eBay]