Animal Crossing (Nintendo, 2001–): Originally released on the N64 before finding its way onto every subsequent Nintendo platform, this ridiculously charming life sim places you in a town filled with anthropomorphic animals and lets you do pretty much as you please. It is cute, charming and loveable, but it also teaches players about debt (you have to pay off the mortgage on your home) and about how to thrive in, and be a part of, a disparate community. Right now, it seems there are plenty of us who need to learn about that.