In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there is a lot of discussion (or should we say debate) about which villagers are the best and worst characters. But what about the special characters?
Special characters are not villagers, but rather provide some sort of mission, event, or service to you, such as running a store or hosting a holiday. (And if you are wondering, no, Zipper will not be anywhere near this list.)
12. Timmy and Tommy
First on the list we have the owners of Nook’s Cranny themselves: Timmy and Tommy. These two adorable kids are both helpful in terms of making cash in the game and absolutely meme-able outside of the game with the way that they speak. ᵀʰᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉʸ ˢᵖᵉᵃᵏ.
11. Saharah
Saharah is a business-savvy town visitor. They sell specialty mystery rugs, walls, and flooring to you for 1,000 to 3,000 bells. They are hilariously blunt and say things along the lines of, “You like the rug, and I like money, so we are both happy” and tells you every rug size you want to buy is their favorite.
10. Daisy Mae
Daisy Mae is one of the new faces of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, taking over turnips sales and stalk market management from her grandmother. She is a sweet and well-intentioned merchant who will visit your island every Sunday between 5am and noon.
9. C.J.
C.J. is another loveable new face and the host of the new Fishing Tourney, replacing Chip. He offers you a fishing challenge, and if you complete it, he will buy fish from you for more than Nook’s Cranny. He also offers his partner Flick to make a collectible for you if you bring him fish in sets of three.
8. Wilbur
While both of the dodo brothers are wonderful new additions to the Animal Crossing cast, there is just something extra loveable to about Wilbur. He takes everything too seriously and always talks like you’re on a top-secret mission, even though you’re just getting some fruit from a little island.
7. Celeste
Celeste is an owl astronomer who visits the island every so often at night to talk to you about the stars. She is also the sister of Museum Curator Blathers. She is kind, cute, and filled with wonder. While her role is smaller than in prior games, she just too precious to go any lower on the list.
6. K.K. Slider
The man. The myth. The legend. K.K. Slider is the Rockstar of the Animal Crossing universe. He plays just about every type of music there is and wants to bring everyone together with his songs. He is a long-time fan favorite. Be sure to see him in concert.
5. Tom Nook
Well, well, well. If it isn’t Tom Nook. Love him or hate him, you have to admit that this interest-free loan lending, long-time debt collecting tanuki is iconic, thus him earning our first space in the top 5. He is also the face of Animal Crossing’s New Horizons era social media.
4. Mabel
While both of the Able Sisters are good characters, something about Mabel sets her apart. She is always willing to help you, never judges you on your purchases regardless of gender or presentation, and will always thank you for making a purchase. She is the face of the Animal Crossing fashion world.
3. Blathers
Blathers is a Museum Curator in Animal Crossing. He is also a darling of a character. He falls asleep during the day and reads at night. He likes fish, loves fossils, and hates bugs. It’s as fun to make him happy as it is to gross him out. He is always a joy to talk to.
2. Flick
Only one brand-new character made it into the top 5, and his placing is well deserved. Flick, CJ’s partner, is the host of the new Bug-Off, as well as a commission-based artist. This pink, emo chameleon is one of the best character designs the franchise has ever had. He’s fun, relatable and cute to boot.
1. Isabelle
When it comes to Animal Crossing, there is only one character that cannot be beaten—New Horizon’s very own Resident Services Clerk: Isabelle. No matter how we weighed it, this adorable, peppy, kind dog had to be number one. She brightens our islands each day with her morning announcements and is no doubt the most popular character currently in the franchise.
Honorable Mentions: A few of the special characters that came up just shy of the list are Orville, Sable, Labelle, and Kicks.
