Bah, I'm mildly sloppy about it, if I don't see Unread 1 in bold, I wouldn't even notice.
I doubt it, I don't really care for Animal crossing, it's too much time-specific stuff. If I remember correctly, I bought City Folk and never played it.
Not for the achievements it's not. Haha. It's a very fun game with a very rewarding story and community, but it's definitely not a game you want to focus on achievements for.
Sorry for the late response, it's been a while since I've been here. I still need to finish my achievement guide :x