Since the release of its first game back in 2001, the Animal Crossing franchise has racked up hundreds of NPCs and Villagers across its many titles. It’s no surprise that Villagers and NPCs have become one of the most beloved aspects of the series, with many players having their own favorite Animal Crossing Villagers.
But despite the abundance of Villagers present in the game, there are a surprising number of NPCs that players may not have ever encountered before. Certain NPCs are exclusive to specific Animal Crossing titles or only reveal themselves due to certain circumstances. Because fans don’t always encounter these NPCs, love for these characters is not as common as it is for Isabelle, Blathers, or any well-established Villager like Ankha. It’s about time that these NPCs got their time in the spotlight.
After Tales of the Shire and Hello Kitty, It’s Time For Animal Crossing to Hone in on One Weakness
Animal Crossing may be the gold standard of the simulation genre, but other simulation games prove that it's lacking in one crucial area.
Rare and Random Animal Crossing NPCs
As mentioned, some NPCs simply have a random chance of appearing, though this chance is often very slim. Master Frillard from Animal Crossing: City Folk is a great example of this type of NPC. Players will encounter Frillard at the Marquee, taking Dr. Shrunk’s place on rare occasions. While there is no way to know when exactly Frillard is performing, there are a certain set of steps players must complete in order to see the frilled lizard. Players should talk to the Marquee clerk and choose one of the six emotions Frillard teaches – bashfulness, inspiration, outrage, sleepiness, thought, and agreement – though they are not always available. Frillard doesn’t physically appear in any other Animal Crossing titles, but Dr. Shrunk occasionally references Frillard’s jokes in New Leaf and if he is invited to The Roost in New Horizons.
Don Resetti is yet another NPC that fits this category. First appearing in Animal Crossing, Don would replace his brother, Mr. Resetti, the fifth time a player resets. His name is actually a play on “don’t reset,” explaining his appearance in Animal Crossing. Despite the implications of his name, Don is mild-mannered compared to his younger brother. Don Resetti would return to the franchise in City Folk, once again appearing after a player resets five times. He is also occasionally seen at the Reset Surveillance Center if players visit after 8:00 pm and if one of the two traffic cones is missing. In New Leaf, Don appears on the sixth reset; in New Horizons, he appears the most frequently out of the Animal Crossing titles.
Animal Crossing NPCs with Specific Circumstances
Both Frillard and Don Resetti have a random chance of appearing, in addition to occasionally needing specific circumstances to visit them. The list of NPCs who only appear after prerequisites expands even further. The dog goddess Serena will appear in the town fountain in Animal Crossing: City Folk after a player throws an axe into it. Once she appears, Serena will ask the player a series of questions such as “Which axe did you throw?”, “How do I look today?”, “Did I seem goddessy?”, and many more. She will then ask the player to choose her left or right hand. In return, the player will receive a silver axe, a golden axe, the standard axe that was thrown, or nothing. A player’s answers do not affect the outcome. Serena is not physically present in any titles after City Folk, though she is referenced in New Leaf and New Horizons.
Farley is another special character, only appearing in Animal Crossing and Doubutsu no Mori e+. Like Serena, Farley has a tie to fountains as he is the spirit of the wishing well. Players will be briefly visited by Farley if the town has maintained a perfect Field Rank for fifteen days. They will then receive a golden axe from Farley. These rare NPCs deserve some love, hopefully in Animal Crossing’s next title.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- March 20, 2020
- ESRB
- Everyone / Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Expansions
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Happy Home Paradise
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
