Need some design inspiration for your next town? Look no further.
Every time you start a new town in Animal Crossing, you’re embarking on a totally new adventure. New neighbors, new town map, new fruit. Perhaps the most exciting thing of all is the opportunity to design your town to match your preferred aesthetic.
Some of us go casual, letting flowers grow where they will and collecting items we think are cute. However, others design their towns based on a unifying theme and build an entire world around it. Here are ten of the best, most creative towns out there.
10. City
The town of City is exactly what its name implies. The creator of this town managed to take the cute forest setting of the default Animal Crossing town and completely flip it upside down.
What’s Great About City:
- The town is set up to be perfectly symmetrical
- The houses are rather extravagant in their design with elegant furniture and decorations
- There is a cute little park with benches and flower beds
9. Alien
The mayor of Alien is a wizard who is living in this very autumnal village with its surplus of peaceful wooden and bamboo walkways.
What’s Great About Alien:
- The wizard’s cat was accidentally turned into a half-human, half-cat person and now lives in his own house
- There is a mysterious witch named Skel who lives in the town, and her design uses a Mii mask to give her truly witchy vibes
- The mayor’s house is full of adorable rooms, each with a fun theme, including the extremely Halloween main room and cafe in the back
8. Mocha
Mocha is a sunset dreamworld full of flowers and a beachy, relaxing environment run by three sibling villagers.
What’s Great About Mocha:
- The three human villagers are siblings in the game and are inspired by the creator’s real-life siblings
- The houses of the human villagers have a very real, lived-in feeling to them
- The animal villagers all wear ombre shirts to match the sunset theme of the town
7. Drippity
Drippity embraces the magical feeling of a rainy spring day by centering its entire aesthetic on vibrant greens and plenty of plants.
What’s Great About Drippity:
- A lot of the villagers are frogs or water-friendly animals that add to the mood of the town
- The town is fairly minimalistic, both inside and out
- There are camping cots scattered around town, a cute little detail that encourages naps and relaxation
6. Hitokui
Hitokui is quite a departure from the rest of the list with its creepy environment and dark story. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart.
What’s Great About Hitokui:
- It sets up a disturbing story of violence and secrecy, managing to make a game as cute as Animal Crossing legitimately unsettling
- There are a lot of details that could be easily missed if you aren’t careful, so it really encourages careful observation
- Most of the dark aspects of the town take place inside, leaving the outside an interesting juxtaposition that adds to the overall unease
5. Nekomata
If you are a diehard cat person, then Nekomata is the town for you. It’s inhabited by all cat villagers and takes place during a cherry blossom festival that brings out the cat spirits.
What’s Great About Nekomata:
- There’s a lot of bamboo and flowers that line the walkways, which provides a very natural and peaceful feeling as you explore
- The villagers’ houses are all arranged together in a manner that makes it feel like a nice, cozy neighborhood
- The mayor’s house is fully expanded house that is full of zen vibes and cat items, making it a lot of fun to explore and look around
4. Morelia
Morelia is set in the early evening with cherry blossoms blowing through the air. It’s designed with nice, designated paths and lanterns that give the whole place a quaint, small-town vibe.
What’s Great About Morelia:
- The creator designed rooms in their house to represent apartments for Isabelle and Digby, which is a cute and thoughtful detail that really expands the world
- The mayor’s house includes a carefully constructed cafe full of greenery and sweets
- The town is packed full of different landscaping items and foliage, but it manages to be completely charming and not overwhelming
3. Citàlune
This town is a fairytale city that is split into two halves; the rising moon and the setting sun. Each side is watched over by a human villager who represents the magic of the side they live on.
What’s Great About Citàlune:
- The creator of the town made all forty of the patterns used in the village
- There is a lot of creative backstory to the village that the creator uses to make you feel truly immersed in a new world
- The attention to detail is outstanding, even going so far as to match the color scheme of walking paths to the surrounding flowers
2. Imori
For anyone who is a fan of the Studio Ghibli films, Imori will be an extra special experience. Imori strictly follows a Studio Ghibli theme, creating a peaceful little village with countless references to the films scattered throughout.
What’s Great About Imori:
- The designs of the houses in town are based on Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Spirited Away
- The surplus of references to Studio Ghibli movies are present both inside the houses and outdoors, which really inspires you to explore every corner of the town
- The human residents each say a quote or reference from the movie that they are named after
1. Aika Village
Aika Village is another creepy village and easily the most iconic Animal Crossing village. This village pioneered the trend for creating towns that tell a story via exploration.
What’s Great About Aika Village:
- The linear design of the town allows you to explore the town and its story in the proper order
- There are countless theories among fans as to what exactly happened in Aika village, and plenty of content to create your own theory
- The little details and items scattered around town provide hours of entertainment and exploration opportunities
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