On what date did Dōbutsu no Mori first release in Japan?

Dōbutsu no Mori first released in Japan on April 14, 2001.

The original game launched for the Nintendo 64 under the Japanese title Dōbutsu no Mori, meaning “Animal Forest.” It was Nintendo’s final release for the Nintendo 64 in Japan and used the system’s internal clock to make the village change with real time, seasons, and daily routines.

Nintendo later expanded the concept for the GameCube with Dōbutsu no Mori+, released in Japan on December 14, 2001. That version added content and became the basis for the international release known simply as Animal Crossing. This history causes a frequent mix-up: September 16, 2002, is the North American release date of the GameCube version, not the first Japanese release. The 2001 date therefore identifies the series’ true beginning.