Over the years, fans have become acquainted with Tom Nook, one of the staple characters of the Animal Crossing series. While many conversations with Tom Nook are strictly about business, such as paying off debts, there are instances in which he will open up about more personal matters. With each game, more details about the businessman are revealed.
Still, for all that is known about him, Tom Nook's age is still a mystery in the Animal Crossing series. At no point in the series does Nook ever directly mention how old he is. However, it is possible to approximate the answer by following the clues laid out by his comments throughout the series.
It is by examining Tom Nook's detailed backstory throughout Animal Crossing as a whole that the hints to his age start to appear. In Animal Crossing: Wild World, Nook speaks about his childhood as if it occurred long before the events of the game. He details how, in his youth, he ventured out to the big city to make his fortune and remained there for years before returning. From this description, it could be speculated that Nook was around 18-20 when he left home.
Animal Crossing's Personality Types Hint At Tom Nook's Age
By the time the player meets Tom Nook in Animal Crossing, he is an accomplished businessman, boasting a general store, a realty business, and a land-development company. Given the scope of his endeavors, it might have taken Tom Nook around 20 years to reach his present-day success. Following this logic, then, Nook could be around 38-40 years old.
It might also be possible to estimate Tom Nook's age by referencing Animal Crossing's personality types. Each villager in the games has one of several established personalities which determine the way he or she acts. After some research, fans have proposed a correlation between an Animal Crossing NPC's personality and age. For example, the hypothesis states that villagers who fall under the "Jock" category might be 15-19 years old from their youthful demeanor and attitude, while villagers with the "Snooty" personality feel around 26 due to their serious, independent lifestyles. Interestingly, this theory associates Tom Nook's personality type, "Cranky", with villagers between 32 and 80 years old.
By this theory as well, then, Nook's age could potentially be somewhere between 38 and 40. Still, these conclusions are purely speculation. Perhaps a future Animal Crossing game will give Nook an official age. Until then, fans can still celebrate Tom Nook's birthday on May 30th.