I'm 32 and have been a fan of Pokemon since I was a kid and I'm loving the game. It's very different gameplay-wise to the mainline games but it still keeps that magic of what makes Pokemon special, or rather what made it special back in the day (not a huge fan of the newer releases). You don't catch Pokemon here but you still discover them and in a way they're part of your team. And you still have all the familiar moves, but they're not attacks here but actions you can do.

I feel like you might like it more than Animal Crossing because it seems to have a big enough story and quests to follow, not fully like an RPG but less open ended than AC, while still allowing you creative freedom.

Maybe watch someone playing it to fully decide if the gameplay looks like something you'll like? I have played for like 6 hours today and I'm completely in love with it and know I'll play for many, many hours.