Animal Crossing: New Horizonsdid a lot to keep the series' momentum alive, bringing a whole host of new fans into the cozy town management simulator. Without a doubt, Tom Nook is the most persistent character throughout the entire series. Despite the new wave of fans, old memes about Tom Nook’s character continue to spread, and the nextAnimal Crossinggame should definitely address this.
Manypopular Nintendo franchisespersist very heavily as a result of deep-rooted traditions. Others, by contrast, push to break the mold.Animal Crossingis at an interesting crossroads in this regard. Despite increasing the scope in every entry, the core of the game’s spirit remains the same. Tom Nook is integral to that spirit, and the tropes about his money-grubbing behavior deserve to be addressed.
The Next Animal Crossing Should Finally Address Tom Nook Memes
Prove Animal Crossing Players Right
Fan perception often features Tom Nook as a tyrannical capitalist who will use the full force of his power to exploit the player as much as possible. This is largely because of his role as the character who always sells the player their home, and proceeds to make them pay off their mortgage. Player perceptions of Tom Nook’s intensity are certainly a hilarious contrast fromAnimal Crossing’s generally cozy vibes.
Although Tom Nook is certainly portrayed as a nice guy, and he’d surely claim he does everything for his family, there’s no doubt that players are primed to hate him. The series tends to lack major antagonists for the most part, and Nook is certainly a much larger roadblock thanAnimal Crossing’s villagers. Developers have every opportunity to lean into this aspect more than ever.
Tom Nook could be made to fully embody the aspects of his role that players loathe so much by embracing the community’s memes through backdoor dealings and blatant money laundering. If players were to progress far enough inthe nextAnimal Crossinggamethat they wind up finding out they were right about Tom all along, it would swiftly become the talk of the town.
Developers certainly don’t have to go this route to address the community and their persistent memes. If anything, it would be much better suited to the series to prove players wrong in the end. At the end of the day, Tom Nook loves his sons, and he loves doing his job. The nextAnimal Crossinggame can showcase that love over greed more than ever.
Most notably, Tom Nook’s job has been to essentially guide players through progression. As much as his debt collecting may seemingly upset thecozy balance ofAnimal Crossing, Nook also does more to preserve that atmosphere than anyone else. Tom Nook is as much of a caretaker to the player as he is a loan shark.
While leaning intoTom Nook’s villainous reputationmay be the more hilarious outcome, proving the naysayers wrong would inevitably be more authentic. Tom Nook could provide exceptional deals, or go further out of his way than ever before, and all with a subtle wink and nod to the players who thought he’d do otherwise. While seemingly not as blatant, it’s still a wonderful way to address player opinion.
Animal Crossing is All About Community
If there’s anything that has risen to the forefront of the series, it’s self-expression.Animal Crossingcontinues to elevate character customization, among so many other essential features. TheAnimal Crossingcommunity has done so much for the longevity ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, and the series as a whole. Responding to community memes is simply a tongue-in-cheek way of giving back.
Although the games have always framed Tom Nook as a man of integrity, his role in the series has made players begin to suspect otherwise. Confirming these suspicions would be a hilarious nod to community engagement. On the other hand, doubling down on Tom Nook’s caring nature would be the same kind of nod, while wonderfully representing whatAnimal Crossingis really about.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
WHERE TO PLAY
Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. You can hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.Show off your island utopia to family and friends—or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online** or with others beside you***, island living is even better when you can share it. Even without hopping on a flight, you’ll meet a cast of charming animal residents bursting with personality. Friendly faces like Tom Nook and Isabelle will lend their services and happily help you grow your budding community. Escape to your island getaway—however, whenever, and wherever you want.
