This is the first game I ever played in the Animal Crossing series, and I used to play it everyday. A life simulator, the game starts with your character moving into a town where the villagers are waiting for the new mayor. Thankfully,, Isabelle, the cute secretary who makes her debut in this game, helps you though this sudden change, and soon, you begin your new life in whatever you named the town.
The major change with this game is that the player character becomes the mayor of the city. What this results in is the ability to change town ordinances (like have stores open and close earlier or later, or even have it where flowers cannot die and weeds are reduced, with villagers watering them). Each ordinance is for players who play at different times. Also, when certain conditions are met, the player can start Public Works Projects, which allows you to build objects outside your house like fountains, benches, and other things. The one catch: the funds to build them have to be collected via donating Bells to Lloid, a Gyroid used to collect the amount needed to build said works. The Public Works Project is also the only way to get the infamous Mr. Resetti to appear (as in this game, the Resetti Surveillance Center is defunded, and after the first reset, he will not appear unless you choose to rebuild it, causing Isabelle to be the one to remind you to save).
Another new feature is Tortimer Island, an island where you can visit once Kapp'n appears. There, you can catch bugs and fish that you would otherwise not see and even take part in tours where you can win medals to spend on furniture sold there only. Also, the game uses the 3DS's wireless connection, which, when connected to the internet, allows other players to visit your village (that is, if you and the other player have registered each others' friend code).
Other than that, the game plays like Animal Crossing: the events use the 3DS' internal clock to reflect the time in-game, and the game has plenty to do (like fishing, bug catching, and chatting with the NPC villagers and helping them with doing stuff, like delivering items to other villagers, or getting them a certain bug or fish, to name a few of the tasks present). This is a great game for any 3DS collector.
