Animal Crossing villager tier list (2023): Who is the best villager?

Official promoional art for Animal Crossng New Horizons featuring the protagonist and NPC villager Beau in foreground
Which one is your favorite? (Image via Nintendo)

Animal Crossing New Horizons is certainly a relaxing life sim experience. While its laid-back sandbox gameplay is its highlight, it is the NPCs that give it life. Known as villagers, these varied characters are the player's neighbors and town residents. They can be interacted with daily and boast much charm and personality. As such, many have become a fan-favorite of fans

There are over 400 villagers to meet in Animal Crossing New Horizons. Let's take a look at some of the most popular ones.


Here are the most popular Animal Crossing New Horizons villagers ranked across tiers

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Note that this list does not include mainstays like Isabelle and Tom Nook, as they are not really town residents.

  • S-tier: Raymond, Maple, Shino, Sherb, Audie
  • A-tier: Marshal, Stitches, Molly, Coco, Lolly
  • B-tier: Ankha, Zucker, Beau, Lucky, Marina
  • C-tier: Bob, Ione, Fauna, Roald, Judy
  • D-tier: Ketchup, Rosie, Maple, Fuchsia, Dom

Let's take a look at the most popular villagers from each tier:


Best S-tier villager: Raymond

The stern cat Raymond is known for his vividly colored eyes (Image via Twitter: @ACworldblog)
The stern cat Raymond is known for his vividly colored eyes (Image via Twitter: @ACworldblog)

Raymond is one of the newest characters in this series. He made his debut appearance with Animal Crossing New Horizons. He is a grey cat with large pink ears and sports black glasses. He is distinguishable with heterochromatic eyes; his right eye is yellow, while the left is green.

Raymond has an office-themed house. He has a smug personality, but that term should not mislead fans. These types of villagers are very polite and gentlemanly and get along with others very well. However, they do tend to occasionally boast about themselves or their own coolness factor. Raymond is also available in the smartphone spin-off game Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.


Best A-tier villager: Marshal

Marshall's cuteness continues to captivate many players (Image via Twitter: @animalcruising_)
Marshall's cuteness continues to captivate many players (Image via Twitter: @animalcruising_)

Marshal is a squirrel villager in the series. He first appeared in Animal Crossing New Leaf on the Nintendo 3DS handheld. He has a rather adorable appearance with creamy white fur and red blush cheeks. Like Raymond, he also boasts a smug personality, and perhaps his frowning look also has to do with it.

In the latest Nintendo Switch installment, Marshal ditches his original "sloppy" or lazy house theme for a cafe one. Items like coffee grinders, espresso makers, and more can be seen at his place. Given he looks somewhat like a marshmallow, this aesthetic is somewhat fitting.


Best B-tier villager: Ankha

The iconic cat is a sought-after villager across many islands (Image via Twitter: @tigsgal1)
The iconic cat is a sought-after villager across many islands (Image via Twitter: @tigsgal1)

An all-time favorite among the life sim series fandom, Ankha is an ancient Egyptian-themed cat. She is so popular that she has appeared in nearly every Animal Crossing game except for the original Japan-exclusive Nintendo 64 entry "Animal Forest" and the Nintendo DS one called "Wild World."

Ankha boasts blue and yellow fur with a cobra headdress reminiscent of ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Her thick eyeliner accents the stereotypical look. She has a snooty personality. This makes her an avid fan of long gossip and extravagant makeup. Her house reflects her design with caskets, pyramids, and other ancient Egyptian relics.


Best C-tier villager: Bob

The grumpy Bob can be happy, too (Image via Twitter: @island_chunky)
The grumpy Bob can be happy, too (Image via Twitter: @island_chunky)

This pink cat has appeared in every Animal Crossing game thus far. He was one of the first villagers designed for the original game in 2001. He boasts lavender-colored fur with a few large purple spots. He also has a lazy personality and has a similar facial expression to match.

Bob is generally a laid-back villager who loves food and relaxing. His house looks right out of a child's playroom. After all, it is based on the "kiddie" theme. So the floor design looks like colorful puzzle pieces, and the wallpaper consists of a sky peppered with clouds and airplanes.


Best D-tier villager: Ketchup

The adorable duck is known for her striking color (Image via Twitter: @markwars1972)
The adorable duck is known for her striking color (Image via Twitter: @markwars1972)

Ketchup is definitely one of the most recognizable villagers in the Animal Crossing series. She is a red duck with green hair. This gives her the look of a tomato, from where her name is derived. She has the personality of a peppy villager.

In other words, she has a happy, upbeat outlook and is easy to befriend. However, she also has a short attention span, so she tends to forget things, like important dates. Ketchup can also get upset rather easily. Her house is fairly cozy, with items like a picnic basket and an inflatable sofa.


Animal Crossing New Horizons is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch hybrid console.

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