50 Fun Facts About Animal Crossing

What does the series' original Japanese title, Dōbutsu no Mori, literally mean?

The name stuck around at home for every entry, so New Horizons is Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori there.

On which console was the very first Animal Crossing game originally released?

It arrived in April 2001, months before its enhanced GameCube port that the rest of the world eventually received.

Animal Crossing was originally conceived as a dungeon-crawling RPG for which ill-fated Nintendo peripheral?

Repeated delays to the disk-drive add-on stalled development, and the move to a cartridge prompted the pivot to a life simulator.

In the GameCube game, the player's looks depend on answers to which cat met on the train?

The chatty feline has opened several later entries too, quizzing new arrivals before they reach town.

How large was the mortgage on the player's first house in the GameCube Animal Crossing?

Part of the debt is worked off through a part-time job at Nook's shop, which doubles as the game's tutorial.

What kind of animal is Mr. Resetti, who scolds players for turning the game off without saving?

He was added after playtesters kept resetting to reroll Tom Nook's daily stock; long lectures were meant to deter them.

Rarely, Mr. Resetti's calmer older brother appears instead of him. What is his name?

Rather than ranting, he gently advises the player to save their game.

The traveling musician K.K. Slider is a caricature of which Nintendo composer?

His Japanese name Totakeke is a contraction of "Totaka K.", and the composer served as the series' sound director.

After a performance, K.K. Slider hands over a copy of the song for free, with what justification?

Some fans read the line as a wink at music piracy, though Nintendo denied any intended social commentary.

How long did the English translation of the GameCube Animal Crossing take, then Nintendo of America's largest?

Translators had to invent new holidays and items so the game would make sense outside Japan.

The island reachable via a Game Boy Advance link in the GameCube game grew which exclusive fruit?

Players could even download the island to a GBA and let its lone resident drop Bells while they were away.

What retro bonus could players collect and actually play inside the GameCube Animal Crossing?

The Legend of Zelda exists in the game's code but was never made accessible through normal play.

Who is credited alongside Hisashi Nogami as the creator of the Animal Crossing series?

He later said the games carry themes of family, friendship and community, letting several players shape one town at different times.

Animal Crossing: Wild World was released for which handheld?

It became the ninth best-selling game on the system, and was later re-released on the Wii U Virtual Console.

Which glitched Wild World item, sent by mistake over Nintendo Wi-Fi in 2006, corrupted saves?

Nintendo blamed an internal error in its gift-upload tool rather than a hacker, and told players to delete the letter.

Which 11-year-old girl moves to the animal village in the 2006 anime film Dōbutsu no Mori?

Nintendo of America said in 2007 it had no plans for an English release, and the film never left Japan.

The third Animal Crossing game, released for the Wii in 2008, carried what subtitle in PAL territories?

It was among the first titles reissued under the budget Nintendo Selects banner in 2011.

City Folk was the first Wii game compatible with which voice-chat accessory?

The room-wide microphone let everyone near the console chat with a group in another room while visiting towns.

Who drives the bus that takes players from their town to the city in City Folk?

Once in the city, players could get a haircut, bid at Lloid's auction house or visit the theatre.

What official role does the player take on in Animal Crossing: New Leaf?

The idea did not emerge until about a year into development, born from wanting players to shape how their town grew.

Isabelle, the assistant introduced in New Leaf, is what breed of dog?

Her designers aimed for a loyal, "very affectionate" helper who was a little clumsy but still cute.

What is Isabelle's name in the Japanese versions of the games?

The English name puns on "a bell", a nod to the series' currency.

What is the name of Isabelle's twin brother, who runs the Happy Home Showcase in New Leaf?

The showcase let players browse and order furniture from homes encountered via StreetPass.

Which stand-up comedian character runs the Club LOL nightclub in New Leaf?

The proprietor is an axolotl, and the club also hosts K.K. Slider in his DJ persona.

What was New Leaf's free November 2016 update adding figure scanning and a campsite called?

It also let players scan Zelda and Splatoon figures, and was sold at retail as a standalone version.

Which character runs the tropical minigame island that New Leaf players reach by boat?

The retired town leader's island awards medals for its minigames, and its stage later appeared in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

On what date was Animal Crossing: New Horizons released worldwide?

It shared its launch day with Doom Eternal, spawning a wave of Isabelle-and-Doomguy fan art.

Reaching what island star rating triggers the K.K. Slider concert and credits in New Horizons?

Only afterwards does the game unlock terraforming, letting players carve cliffs and rivers.

Orville and Wilbur, who run the airport in New Horizons, are what kind of bird?

Their names nod to the Wright brothers, and the airline they staff is fittingly named after their extinct species.

What is the name of the secondary currency in New Horizons earned by completing everyday tasks?

The system was inspired partly by players who came to the series through mobile games and needed nudges toward activities.

What was the first seasonal update added to New Horizons in April 2020?

Tying events to updates was a deliberate move to stop time-travelers from grabbing exclusive items early.

New Horizons was the first game in the series to adjust its seasons based on what?

Players below the equator finally got summer in December and snow in July.

How many units did Nintendo report New Horizons sold in its first 12 days on sale?

That start eclipsed the lifetime sales of every previous Animal Crossing game within six weeks.

In which category did New Horizons take home the trophy at The Game Awards 2020?

It was also nominated for Game of the Year that night, and later took Family Game of the Year at the D.I.C.E. Awards.

What reason did Doug Bowser give for delaying New Horizons from 2019 to 2020?

Nintendo's stock dropped 3.5% on the news, wiping more than a billion dollars off its market value.

Wardell, who runs the HQ shop in the Happy Home Paradise DLC, is what kind of animal?

The DLC's other newcomer is Niko, a small monkey found on the docks by a boat.

Which 2020 US presidential campaign released official digital yard signs for New Horizons islands?

The game also hosted virtual weddings, funerals and graduations during the pandemic.

The Nintendo Switch 2 edition of New Horizons raised the online multiplayer cap to how many players?

It also added mouse controls with the Joy-Con 2, 4K docked resolution and a megaphone that uses the system microphone.

Who directed Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

She said development began in 2012, before the Nintendo Switch itself was even conceived.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp was soft-launched in which country in October 2017?

Nintendo had delayed the app by a year to prioritise Super Mario Run.

What premium currency in Pocket Camp could be bought with real money to skip timers?

Fortune cookies, the game's loot boxes, cost 50 of them or 5,000 Bells each.

Concerns over loot boxes led Nintendo to revoke access to Pocket Camp in which country from August 2019?

Its fortune cookies rewarded randomised furniture, the rarest 5-star pieces unlocking a Scrapbook Memory.

Which studio, known for Mario Party, co-developed Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival with Nintendo?

The director admitted the whole game existed mostly because the team "just wanted Animal Crossing amiibo".

In Happy Home Designer, players design villagers' houses as an employee of which business?

Its 2021 sequel, Happy Home Paradise, arrived as paid DLC for New Horizons.

Tom Nook is based on which animal in the Japanese versions of the games?

Western localisations call him a raccoon, and Treehouse staff described him as "that first boss you ever had".

What is the name of Tom Nook's fully upgraded three-storey shop in the early games?

That expansion is where players first meet his apprentices Timmy and Tommy running the second floor.

Blathers, the museum curator found in every Animal Crossing game, is what kind of animal?

He is famously articulate and famously squeamish about the bugs players donate.

Villager first became a playable fighter in which Super Smash Bros. game?

The fighter's moves include catching opponents in a net and firing Lloid the gyroid as a missile.

The Mario Kart 8 DLC that added Villager and Isabelle as racers also introduced a cup named what?

Its Animal Crossing track has Mr. Resetti popping erratically out of the ground to be avoided.

In New Horizons, which building do Timmy and Tommy run once the player helps them set up shop?

The store starts small and eventually expands to sell more items per day.