Heading into its third year since launch, Animal Crossing: New Horizons fans are wondering when another Animal Crossing game might release. When Nintendo announced in Fall 2021 that there will be no more free major updates or paid DLC, it seemed to signify that Nintendo was essentially done producing content for New Horizons other than bug fixes and some minor seasonal updates. This may be disappointing, but an ACNH sequel can fix some of the problems of its predecessor by removing unwanted villagers from the game.
With the latest addition of the Series 5 amiibo cards, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a total of 413 possible villagers and 36 NPCs, not including those that can be scanned in via amiibo card in special areas like Brewster's Cafe and Harv's Island. Within the 413 villagers, there are eight different personality types and 35 different species in New Horizons. If players want to unlock all reactions, they will need to reach the highest friendship level possible for each personality type of villager.
While there are many villagers to choose from, there are some that fans would probably prefer to never see again - and especially not in the next Animal Crossing game. Everyone seems to have their own opinions on which villagers and NPCs are the best and the worst in the game, which is part of what makes Animal Crossing so enjoyable - there is something for everyone. With that in mind, these characters can all stay on their once-deserted islands when the next Animal Crossing game comes out.
The Gorillas In ACNH Are Generally Horrible
While Animal Crossing, and especially New Horizons, is full of adorable villagers and NPCs, the majority of the gorillas do not make that list, especially Rilla. Rilla was introduced to New Horizons with the issuance of the Sanrio amiibo Cards and her furniture represents Hello Kitty. Why Nintendo did not use a cat villager for Hello Kitty is unknown, but a gorilla was quite possibly the worst choice they could have made. The only thing that conveys the cuteness of Hello Kitty when it comes to Rilla is her shirt. Her vacant eyes and gaping nostrils are a stark contrast to the small eyes and button nose of her represented Sanrio character. Many ACNH fans also have an issue with another aspect of the gorilla villagers: their bums. While in real life a gorilla's bum is exposed, Nintendo didn't really need to show off that part of the gorilla. It can, however, lead to some comedic screenshots.
ACNH's Barold Is Un-Bear-Ably Creepy
Most of the bear cubs in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are adorable. They're small, cute, cuddly bears. Barold is not. Between the 5 o'clock shadow, the odd glasses, and the bright pink mouth, Barold is nothing like the other bear cubs in the game. Barold's appearance is not his only flaw, though. His house brings to question exactly what Barold's motivation is on the island. With walls covered in security camera monitors and a large server, sleeping bag, and water cooler, it certainly seems like Barold could be up to some nefarious activities.
The Female Kangaroos In ACNH Are Terrible Mothers
Animal Crossing New Horizons has a bit of an elephant, or kangaroo, in the room when it comes to certain villagers. Every female kangaroo villager is equipped with a little joey, or kangaroo baby, in their pouch. The joey makes the same exact expressions as its mother and looks like a miniature version of them, but this is never addressed in the game. Some of the kangaroo houses in Animal Crossing do have items for their joey, with Marcie's house having a mobile hanging above the bed and Astrid's house being a playground. Aside from that, the mother kangaroos pay no attention at all to their babies. If the female kangaroos are in the next Animal Crossing game, something needs to be done to either eliminate the joeys or make them matter more.
ACNH Octopi Belong Back In The Ocean
Of all the villagers in Animal Crossing New Horizons, the octopi have probably created the most arguments between fans. They are either loved or hated - with very little in-between. They are the only sea creature villager (there are a few sea creature NPCs). Those who love them seem to think there is something cute and endearing about them. Those who dislike them tend to mostly focus on the mouths, which are disturbing at best, and the tentacles of the New Horizons villagers. They just don't fit in with the cuddly bear cubs and cute fluffy-tailed squirrels. Also, their houses just don't make sense, aside somewhat from Zucker's. Octavian lives in a space-themed home and Marina's home is retina-burning pink with a chocolate theme. If the octopi are kept in the next Animal Crossing game, they need some serious revamping.
Animal Crossing Should Not Have amiibo-Exclusive Villagers
The release of the Sanrio amiibo in March 2021 was an absolute fiasco. In the United States, the cards were only available at Target and the stock was very limited. They sold out almost immediately with inventories not restocking for months, many of the Sanrio amiibo were scalped online for much higher prices than what would have been paid in stores. The Sanrio villagers are adorable, aside from the previously mentioned Rilla. They came with furniture in their houses that matched their theme. There is no reason to not add them to future games; however, they should be added to the game and not only available via amiibo.
The experience in 2021 left a sour taste in many mouths due to the seeming lack of planning and preparation on the part of both Nintendo and Target. Nintendo also blocked players from even sharing these villagers: Sanrio amiibo are always needed and Sanrio villagers cannot be moved to another person's island. If Nintendo wants to add more Animal Crossing amiibo-exclusive villagers, they need to make them more widely available by offering them online through the Nintendo eShop or at least to more than one retailer.
Some ACNH Non-Playable Characters Should Be Retired
With over 30 NPCs available in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there is definitely a variety of different characters. Some of these NPCs are a bit more useful than others. Timmy and Tommy run Nook's Cranny, Blathers runs the museum, and Jingle helps the player celebrate Toy Day in December. They have their part to play and they do it well, but other NPCs tend to overstay their welcome.
Zipper, the Bunny Day mascot, shows up two separate days at the beginning of April and many players dread seeing him. In New Horizons, Zipper is the harbinger of eggs. Where normally players can hit rocks for materials, hit balloons for prizes, and cast a line in the water to catch fish, once Zipper arrives, most of the activities produce different types of eggs instead. It becomes frustrating for players who are trying to complete their collection or gather items to build up their island. Plus, there are many conspiracy theories about who Zipper really is under the suit. Some say he is the player's dad, some believe it is Harv, and other theories are even more far-reaching.
The Able Sisters run the clothing shop in Animal Crossing New Horizons and are two adorable sisters with gingham aprons. Their third sister, Label, is less useful. Label shows up on the player's island on a regular basis and asks the player to put together special outfits only to reward the player with a piece of clothing from her own line. The clothing is nothing too special and the activity becomes tedious after the first few times.
Many fans of the Animal Crossing games seem to have a love-hate relationship with Gulliver the shipwrecked Seagull. Gulliver's counterpart, the shipwrecked pirate Gullivarrr, seems to be the same. Gullivarrr offers the players pirate-themed rewards for finding his lost communicator. These items are great for the island setting of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but unless the next game also takes place somewhere ocean-themed, Gullivarrr needs to hang up his pirate hat.
While fans and players start making their wish lists for what they would love to see in the next Animal Crossing game, there are some unloved characters from Animal Crossing: New Horizons that will not make that list. Some characters are just unloved and others may become obsolete. Hopefully, Nintendo keeps the fans and their opinions in mind when it releases the next Animal Crossing game.