Since its debut back in 2001, the Animal Crossing franchise has introduced players to a vast array of NPCs and Villagers, capturing hearts worldwide. It’s not surprising that these characters have become a cornerstone of the series, with many players forming bonds with their favorites over the years.
Despite the myriad of Villagers and NPCs that populate the games, some characters remain elusive, intriguing players who have yet to meet them. Several NPCs are exclusive to specific titles or only make appearances under certain conditions, making them less well-known than fan favorites like Isabelle, Blathers, or the distinguished Villager Ankha. It’s about time these underrepresented NPCs had their share of the limelight.
Let’s delve into some of these rare and lesser-known NPCs. Take Master Frillard from Animal Crossing: City Folk, for example. He can randomly appear at the Marquee, occasionally taking over Dr. Shrunk’s duties. The randomness of his appearance adds an element of surprise, as players must complete specific preconditions, like requesting to learn one of the emotions he teaches—though these emotions, such as bashfulness or inspiration, aren’t always available. Frillard isn’t seen in later titles like Blathers, but he does get a nod from Dr. Shrunk in New Leaf and a reference at The Roost in New Horizons.
Then there’s Don Resetti, who offers another layer of unpredictability. First cropping up in the original Animal Crossing, Don surfaces after a player resets five times, standing in for his more fiery brother, Mr. Resetti. His appearance is ironically tied to his namesake, “don’t reset,” yet Don is notably calmer. He reappears in City Folk under the same circumstances and can sometimes be found at the Reset Surveillance Center. He pops up again in New Leaf on the sixth reset, and interestingly, shows up more frequently in New Horizons.
Looking at NPCs with specific conditions, both Frillard and Don Resetti require a bit of luck and specific actions to meet. Expanding this list leads us to the dog goddess Serena, who appears only when players throw an axe into the town fountain in City Folk. Engaging with Serena means answering her quirky set of questions, with the payoff being a potential reward such as a golden or silver axe. The truth of a player’s answers doesn’t impact the outcome, adding an amusing unpredictability to encounters. Serena might not show up in subsequent games, but she does receive a nod in New Leaf and New Horizons.
Similarly, Farley stands as another character steeped in mystique, only appearing in Animal Crossing and Doubutsu no Mori e+. As the spirit of the wishing well, Farley rewards players with a golden axe once they maintain a perfect Field Rank for fifteen days. These unique encounters with rare NPCs certainly deserve more recognition, and one can hope they will reemerge in future Animal Crossing installments.
