There are many types of dads, from tired old men to big loving ones and supportive sports enthusiasts. Everyone deserves a supportive and loving dad, and these villagers take the cake as potential parents.
Even though Animal Crossing: New Horizons has very few canon dads besides Tom Nook, there are plenty of villagers that can fill that paternal role. Whether it’s because of their hobbies, habits, personality, or catchphrases, some characters allow players to feel like they are talking to their “dad” and visiting their houses. In celebration of Father’s Day that just passed, here are some villagers from Animal Crossing who would make perfect dads.
9 Billy
Billy is a jock goat villager with the play hobby. He’s a brown goat with a white beard and fully closed eyes. He looks elderly and this is emphasized by his catchphrase being “dagnaabit”, a variation of the stereotypical older man phrase “dag nab it”. His name in English comes from “Billy”, the word for a male goat, but his Japanese name means “Ah, I’m tired”.
He gives the vibes of both a dad and a grandfather. Billy is the type of dad that would be overworked, either because of having a new baby or because of raising energetic kids. He would put all of his energy into his kids at the expense of himself to make sure that his kids would be happy. Billy would teach his kids that no person is perfect and that it’s okay.
8 Bud
Bud is a jock lion villager with the fitness hobby. His mane is lighter than his fur which implies he has a tan, much like surfer dudes. To further that look, he wears an Aloha shirt and pink-rimmed sunglasses. His name is a shortened version of “Buddy” to make him appear friendly and relaxed. He is a jock villager, meaning he has an interest in sports and can be very active.
Bud would try to and probably succeed in being a cool dad. He’d tell his kids that it’s okay to make mistakes as long as they learn from them and would make sure his kids know they could come to them if they need help. Bud would also introduce his kids to old music and play catch with them.
7 Teddy
Teddy is a jock bear villager with the fitness hobby who has appeared in every Animal Crossing game. He is brown with thick eyebrows and his muzzle has markings on it that look like a goatee. His eyes are normally closed as if thinking. As a jock, he is interested in sports and bodybuilding, and his catchphrase “grooof,” sounds like he’s grunting or growling, much like real bears.
He gives off the vibes of a soccer dad. He would encourage his kids to play sports and always be in the stands cheering them on unless he volunteered to be the coach. Teddy would be both enthusiastic and supportive and the type to put his kid on his shoulders so they could see things better.
6 Erik
Erik is a lazy deer villager with the nature hobby. He is a brown deer with a tuft of hair between his antlers. He wears a comfy sweater and his house has an outdoorsy winter theme. His catchphrase is “chow down”, which likely references moose that eat large amounts of plants a day. As a lazy villager, he loves food and relaxing.
Erik would be an outdoorsy dad that loves hiking. He would teach his children to fish, make a campfire, and roast marshmallows for s’mores. He also seems the type to try to fix everything that breaks in the house, such as gluing his kid’s broken toys back together.
5 Gonzo
Gonzo is a cranky koala villager with the nature hobby. He is grey with a white tuft of hair on his head like older people have and wears a sweater as if knit by his partner. As a cranky villager, he’s very competitive. His catchphrase “mate” references the word for a friend in Australia.
Gonzo is another villager that could be both a dad or a grandfather. He would be the type of parent to teach his kids how to whittle wood or cook meals passed down the family line. He would display any art piece they made and would proudly wear his children’s school merchandise. Gonzo is the type of dad to embarrass his kids by bragging about them to his friends in front of the children.
4 Anchovy
Anchovy is a lazy bird villager with the play hobby and has appeared in every Animal Crossing game so far. He has multiple colors of feathers, thick eyebrows, a small smile, and wears a sweater. His name likely comes from the fish anchovies which make up the diet of some birds. As a lazy villager, he likes food, relaxing, and his hobbies. His house includes items such as a foosball table, jukebox, and dartboard.
Anchovy would be the type of dad to get enthusiastic about his kid’s hobbies, such as learning about their favorite books and characters, so he could talk to his children about them. He would worry that his kids are eating enough, and when his children’s friends would come to visit he would offer them snacks.
3 Beardo
Beardo is a smug bear villager with the education hobby. He is turquoise with a brown mustache and mutton chops, fur on his belly, and a tweed jacket. His English name could be a pun based on the words “beard” and “bear”, and his Japanese name comes from that type of facial hair. His house includes items such as antique furniture, a desk, documents, and a phonograph. As a smug villager, he is a kind and polite gentleman. He also appears on the cover of K.K. Tango.
Beardo is the type of dad to brag about the good old days. He would bring up that he met his partner at dance lessons and how they once won a competition. He would play records in his study and teach his kids about old music. He would make sure his children have good manners and were taught to treat others as they want to be treated.
2 Dobie
Dobie is a cranky wolf villager with the nature hobby. He is a grey wolf with wrinkles around his closed eyes, all of which make him look elderly. As a cranky villager, he tends to be out of touch with social trends and presents himself as mature. Dobie’s house resembles that of a den, with items such as a typewriter, papers, books, and a library wall.
He is a villager that could be both a dad and a grandpa. Many cranky villagers give off fatherly vibes because of being associated with gentlemen. Dobie would be the dad that reads to his child every night before bed and helps them with their math homework after school. He would be tired after a long day of work and just want to relax but would put his kid on his lap and change the channel to children’s shows whenever his kid asked.
1 Ike
Ike is a cranky bear villager with the nature hobby. Besides Tom Nook, he is the only canon male parent of all the villagers, the others all being female kangaroos. He is the father of Poko the cub. Ike is brown with half-closed eyes and a frown that makes him look tired. As a cranky villager, he can appear grouchy and stubborn.
Ike is a proud father. Much like with Poko, he would be very supportive of his kids and would likely brag about them to other adults in a competitive way. He would be the type of parent to be exhausted and yet take his children to every extracurricular and after-school event they wanted, happily playing chauffeur. Ike would be a dad that loves DIY and builds his baby a cradle or a rocking horse himself.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available on Nintendo Switch.
