Introduction to Erik
Few villagers have snuck into my heart as fast as Erik had. I invited him to live on my island on a whim and now I can’t imagine letting him leave. His earnest eyes and genuine feelings make me laugh and his general confusion at the way the world works makes me want to give him a big hug.
Erik first made his appearance in Animal Crossing New Leaf. His name could be inspired by a few different elements of his design. First, Erik is close to the word elk. Elk and moose are both large antlered animals in the north and Erik’s wide antlers resemble a moose’s. Second, Being inspired by a moose Erik has a lot of northern European references in his housing and how he dresses and Erik is a common name around Norway and other Scandinavian countries.
Erik Quick Facts
- Species: Deer
- Gender: Male
- Personality: Lazy
- Birthday: July 27th
- Star Sign: Leo
- Catchphrase: chow down
- Hobby: Nature
- Favorite Song: Drivin’
Erik’s Appearance
Some villagers in Animal Crossing are designed to resemble real-life animals. Erik falls into this category. His wide, flat antlers with rounded points resemble those of a moose. His nose, made of two black dots at the end of his snout, is meant to make the standard cute deer snout look more like the large nostrils sported by moose.
His coloration also helps make him appear moose-like. He is primarily a warm, light-brown with an even lighter, yellow-brown snout and white accents near his hooves, tail, and forehead. The previously mentioned antlers are a sandy beige color.
In the center of his forehead, there is a line of three connected half circles. On the lower edge, the line is white. Above the line, there is a darker brown that graduates into Erik’s primary coat color. This line makes it look like Erik has softly curled hair.
Erik’s eyes are two large white ovals with smaller black ovals as pupils underneath to large, rounded, black eyebrows. His eyes are quite curious because they don’t behave like one would expect them to when Erik makes various expressions. In reactions where Erik expressively closes his eyes, like pleased or sorrow, the whites of his eyes don’t move and the black pupils change to crescent or curved v shapes to make it look like he is closing his eyes.
This might make it seem like Erik’s eyes are just the black spots and the whites are markings around the eyes. Other reactions show us this isn’t so. In reactions where Erik blinks or is supposed to look less expressive, like sneezing or dozing, brown eyelids completely cover the whites of the eyes. The eyelids also appear in reactions like resignation or smirking where the eyes are partially closed.
In New Leaf, Erik wore a comfy sweater with orange, brown, and white zig-zags. The pattern looked a little jarring compared to the soft curves of Erik’s design, but this was the way of most New Leaf clothing.
New Horizons gave Erik a much more fitting outfit with a camel-colored Yodel Sweater. The sweater is still primarily brown and orange with a zig-zag pattern but thanks to the improved graphics of the Switch the entire sweater looks much softer and the design looks knitted rather than sharp. The Yodel Sweater also includes blue accent lines and small flower designs on the chest.
Erik’s Personality
There’s nothing Erik enjoys more than laying around and relaxing and if there is, it’s eating. Like the other lazy villagers, Erik isn’t the brightest but he knows what he likes and doesn’t sweat the small stuff. He spends his days carefree and encourages others to do the same. There’s nothing like laying down somewhere cozy with a good snack and Erik knows it.
The only thing Erik seems to worry about is the bugs in his house. Though not for quite the right reasons. Rather than pests, Erik sees the insects as roommates and friends, he worries about their feelings and makes sure that they feel as comfortable as him.
Being friends with Erik is easy. His cluelessness makes him very endearing and the direct way he states his thoughts ensures that you’ll always know how he feels, and usually he feels good. An easygiong attitude makes him very easy to spend time with and you’ll hardly ever run into a problem with him.
Being a moose, Erik enjoys cold climates and activities. He surrounds himself with wintery decorations and wants a wintery vacation cabin in Happy Home Paradise. Of all the time he’s spent on my island, it always seems he is never more naturally fitting to his surroundings than during winter when he’s surrounded by snow.
Erik’s House
The exterior of Erik’s house in New Leaf is made of primarily warm colors, like yellow, brown, and orange. The roof, shaped like half of an octagon, covers most of the house. A half-circle window sits near the top of the door. Hedges act as decorative fences near the walls.
Inside the house the rustic furniture makes it feel like a cozy cabin perfect to rest in during winter. A fireplace with a simple kettle in front of a classic sofa makes a wonderful spot to warm up. Fittingly, the cabin series is very prominent in Erik’s house. He has a bed, bookcase, chair, table, and wall clock, all appearing to be made of logs cut right off a tree. The wallpaper and flooring also come from the cabin series.
A turntable and folk guitar provide some musical entertainment for Erik if he wants to just relax and listen or play for himself. In the back of the room, a ski rack sits ready for any wintry outdoor activities. The camp stove on the table suggests that Erik likes to cook rustic meals for himself to enjoy. Poinsettias, commonly the flower most associated with winter, decorate the bookcase in the corner. Lastly, a garden gnome sits in the center of the room, ready to welcome anyone coming in.
In New Horizons, the exterior of Erik’s house matches that of a log cabin. It has a red thatched roof and a white rustic door. However, the interior doesn’t match the outside cabin aesthetic like the New Leaf interior might, as it is designed to look more like a ski slope than a bedroom.
Nearly all of Erik’s furniture comes from the frozen set. To the left of the door is a frozen table and chair with a blue cute music player. Behind that is a frozen counter On the other side of the house, there is a frozen bed separated from the wall with a frozen partition.
To the right of the door sits a sleigh, something more commonly seen as an outside toy rather than an inside decoration in the real world. Yet in Erik’s house, it doesn’t seem out of place because his ski slope flooring makes it seem like his floor is made of a thick layer of snow. The ski slope wallpaper, covered in snowy hills and people skiing, is what sells the notion that Erik lives in the middle of a snowy hill.
I would question how comfy that would be but considering he is a moose and he seems to find a way to be comfortable wherever he is, I don’t think he has many issues with it.
Erik’s Gift Guide
Gifts are the quickest ways to become close friends with your villagers and Erik is no exception. Yet, it is no small task to find the right gift to give a villager. Sure, they’ll accept nearly any gift they are given but wouldn’t you rather give them something they want and that you want them to have?
To find the right gift for Erik we first need to know what he likes. The most common things to gift, clothing and furniture, are all labeled with a style and color. A villager will be happier with gifts of their favorite style and color. Erik likes simple things that are red or beige.
If you still aren’t sure what to give Erik then let’s get more specific. We can start with clothing. I like giving villagers clothing because it’ll expand their wardrobe, making them feel more alive. When I give Erik clothes I tend to go for wintery clothing since that fits his aesthetic the most. Here are some specific ideas that’ll look good on him.
- Knit Hat (red, 560 Bells) – I highly recommend this one, it looks so cute between his antlers
- Flannel Shirt (red, 1,200 Bells)
- Midwinter Sweater (1,200 Bells)
- Puffy Vest (red, 1,250 Bells)
- Short Peacoat (beige, 1,680 Bella)
I always feel like giving villagers furniture is a bit trickier than clothing, they may or may not put it up in their house and it doesn’t always look good. Yet, with a careful selection, you could add a bit more spice to Erik’s interior design, and I think he might need it with the scarcity of his furniture. Here are some ideas I think add to his house without looking out of place.
- Clay Furnace (3,300 Bells)
- Log Bench (dark wood, craftable)
- Pancakes (Craftable)
- Simple Kettle (red, 1,300 Bells)
- Ski Rack (blue, 6,400 Bells)
Should You Invite Erik to Your Island?
Having a more subtle and natural design I think Erik will fit in with most island aesthetics. He may feel out of place if you are going for something wild or leaning very heavy into a certain theme but for those with more casual design senses he could make a great villager.
In my opinion, he would fit in best with a very natural island with lots of trees. His house design and clothing show a clear preference for northern culture, especially cold northern forests. If you wanted to make your island a winter wonderland I think you would practically be required to include Erik amongst your villagers.
Personality-wise, I don’t see Erik causing much of a problem in most islands. I enjoy his chill attitude and the questions he asks are quite entertaining in their absurdity. There’s never a dull moment yet there’s always plenty of time to chill.
On the other hand, I could understand why some wouldn’t find him as likable. You may not find his dim wit as cute or endearing as others and the affection for his household bugs may come across as gross instead of caring. If you want your villagers to be more sophisticated or elegant then you should probably consider passing on this particular moose.
Erik in Pocket Camp
Erik was introduced to Pocket camp on December 25th, 2019. Fittingly, much of the gameplay associated with him is Toy Day themed to match his release date and wintery theme in the main series games. His favorite campsite theme is rustic.
To invite Erik to your campsite you have to complete Erik’s map in Blathers’ Treasure Trek. The map can be found as one of Gulliver’s souvenirs and is of gold rarity. The roll cost on the map is 12 rustic essence.
Since Erik is a Treasure Trekker he doesn’t require a certain friendship level or furniture to invite him to your campsite. When giving you a reward he primarily gives steel. The rewards for leveling up his friendship are as follows.
- Level 7: Comfy Sweater and 1 Sparkle Stone
- Level 9: 1 Sparkle Stone
- Level 15: Yule Log
- Level 20: Erik’s Pic and 1 Sparkle Stone
- Every 5 levels after: 1 Sparkle Stone
The fortune cookie associated with Eriks is Erik’s Workshop Cookie, released on December 1st, 2020. The cookie can be purchased at the fortune cookie stand or found in Toy Day presents.
The cookie looks like a festively wrapped present. It is covered in diagonal red and green stripes separated by thinner gold lines. A red bow with gold trim adorns the right side and adds some more interest to the design.
All the furniture and clothing found in the cookies are meant to resemble Santa’s workshop and are rustic-themed. Here’s what you can find:
- Gift Conveyor Belt
- Gift-Workshop Shelf
- Gift-Workshop Sleigh
- Gift-Wrapping Table
- Toy Day Tree Gift Slide
- Festive Workshop Apron
- Handheld Gift Boxes
Only one memory includes Erik. Aspiring Santa can be unlocked with Erik, Aurora, and Ribbot as villagers with a Toy Day Tree Gift Slide. In the memory, Erik and Aurora struggle to finish wrapping and finding toys for everyone. Ribbot comes in and suggests they make a machine that can make presents for everyone. After a brainstorming session, the trio puts it together and starts cranking out presents. Working together they save Toy Day!
Erik’s Amiibo
In 2016 series 4 of Animal Crossing amiibo was released. The series included some repeats of characters that already had cards, like Isabelle and the Nook children with new outfits. Among the villagers getting their first cards were fan favorites like Lolly and Stitches, and of course, our boy Erik. Coming in at number 334 Erik’s card depicts him walking on a pink background.
Erik’s amiibo can be used with a handful of games. In both New Leaf and New Horizons, the card can be sued to invite Erik to your campsite and subsequently to move into your town or island. The amiibo features in New Horizons also allow you to bring Erik for a drink at The Roost, take photos at Photopia, or design a vacation house for him in the Happy Home Paradise DLC.
Getting your hands on an Erik amiibo isn’t too hard since he isn’t one of the most popular villagers. Typically you can find reasonably priced cards on second-hand or craft sites where people sell their own work. Looking somewhere more official will likely result in a higher price but more reliable service. Either way is more advisable than buying card packs and hoping to luck out and get Erik.
Conclusion
While not the sharpest tool in the shed, Erik has a heart that radiates warmth even in the coldest weather. I hope I’ve helped you see the charm in his mannerism if you didn’t love him already or have given you an idea of how to best welcome him to your island. Have fun getting to know this chilly little moose!
FAQs
Question: What Kind of Animal is Erik in ACNH?
Answer: Officially in the game, Erik is categorized as a deer. Though many villagers’ designs go deeper than their base species to reference a more specific animal. In Erik’s case, he is designed to resemble a moose.
Question: Is Erik a Rare Villager?
Answer: Erik is not a rare villager. If you are looking for Erik specifically it may seem like he is rare but that is because every villager has the same chance of appearing and with 413 villagers that gives them all a very small chance.
Question: Is Erik a Good Villager in Animal Crossing?
Answer: There is no definitive answer as to whether a villager is good or bad. They are all different and none add or subtract anything from your island. It is ultimately up to you if they work on your island or not. If you ask me though, Erik is an excellent villager.
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