Revolutionizing CJ and Flick: Enhancing the Animal Crossing Experience

The island visitors in Animal Crossing: New Horizons add an extra layer of charm to the game, and two notable personalities are CJ and Flick. These characters, with their unique visual designs, embody their professions of catching fish and hunting for bugs, respectively. The serene island life in New Horizons is not just about building a home or decorating terrain, but also about interacting with nature. CJ and Flick's inclusion in the game enhances this experience, and their potential return in future installments could mean even more integration within their respective mechanics. In the current game, both characters offer players the opportunity to sell surplus fish and bugs for a higher price, and commissioning Flick for decorative models adds to the incentive to continually engage with island wildlife. The Fishing Tourney and Bug-Off tournaments hosted by these characters also add to the overall experience throughout the different seasons.

CJ and Flick Could Trigger New Special Events in Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Successor

The wildlife in the successor to New Horizons will likely be a key aspect to keep CJ and Flick relevant as visitors. Their presence may also impact gameplay mechanics. One idea is to have the characters offer special items that increase the chances of catching rare fish and bugs in the player's vicinity. For instance, CJ could provide a special bait that reduces the chances of catching trash while increasing the likelihood of encountering a rare species. This type of extrinsic reward could be earned after selling a certain number of fish. Similarly, Flick could offer an insect spray that attracts uncommon bugs to the player for a limited time, working in opposition to a repellant.

One possibility for enhancing the risk-and-reward aspect of items is to introduce drawbacks, such as the insect spray attracting not only rare insects but also more wasps, or the bait increasing the likelihood of catching carp at the expense of unique fish types. Another option is to have CJ and Flick trigger special events during their visits, where exclusive fish or bug species appear. This would be similar to how Celeste shows up during meteor showers, with the characters' visits tied to the island's environmental factors. For instance, CJ and Flick might mention spotting something incredibly rare, but being unsure if their eyes were playing tricks on them.

The upcoming Animal Crossing game may introduce one-on-one competitions with characters such as CJ and Flick, who could challenge players' skills in catching fish and bugs. Rather than just hosting tournaments, they could act as direct opponents, competing against players in timed competitions based on the number and type of creatures caught. Winning these competitions could lead to commissions from Flick, where players could choose one of their catches to inspire a decorative model.

There has been speculation about the relationship between CJ and Flick, especially since they are roommates in the Happy Home Paradise DLC. The new game may debut the two characters together, possibly as nature guides who teach players and villagers how to use fishing rods and bug nets. This could result in unique dialogue interactions and help establish the game's new terrain.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now for the Nintendo Switch.