I've never played an AC game before, and this will likely be my first.
I do have a copy of City Folk lying around though, which I haven't gotten around to. Everyone is always pretty down on it, but I never could tell if it was just because the game is too samey or if it's actually bad. Should I give it a try, or just keep waiting?
Mostly too samey, you can't collect NES games,and it's not portable. The series is a serious timesink which is why the DS entry did so well. If you don't mind playing on a TV then really, do give it a try. It is the best version of Animal Crossing in terms of content, well, until the 3DS game comes out anyway. At least you'll know if Animal Crossing is for you.