The very first Animal Crossing game was released in 2001, and since then, the franchise has added four more games to the series. Each game has a collection of iconic NPCs that are always present, including Isabelle and the infamous Tom Nook. Not all of the fan-favorite NPCs made it into New Horizons, though, and some veteran fans of the Animal Crossing franchise are eager to see their favorite friends live the island life.

Nintendo has been listening to fans, though. One of the biggest player requests was for Brewster, a pigeon who runs a coffee shop in the museum. Fans have been requesting Brewster since day one, and according to the recent Nintendo Direct, Brewster is finally coming. Not every NPC is so lucky, and New Horizons has been going for a quieter environment compared to the bustling cities and towns of past installments. However Kapp'n, the green turtle from previous games who made an appearance in Super Smash Bros., seems like a perfect fit for New Horizons.

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Kapp'n Is a Sailor At Heart

kapp'n animal crossing

Kapp'n has undertaken a lot of different roles in various Animal Crossing games, but he's a sailor at heart. In the original Animal Crossing, Kapp'n was the ferryman that transported players to Animal Island. Having him join New Horizons would help Kapp'n return to his roots in a way that's almost too perfect; there's plenty of room for him at the docks.

In Wild World, Kapp'n drove a taxi and in City Folk, he drove a bus before moving back to a boat in New Leaf. Even when he wasn't at the helm of a boat, though, Kapp'n never let go of his sailor identity. The turtle is known for singing sea shanties even while driving in the city, and there are more than a couple of songs. In Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Kapp'n has 160 different songs that change depending on whether the player is male or female. The song also changes in multiplayer sessions.

New Horizons has Dodo Airlines and some delightful NPCs that operate it, but because it is an island, it would be great to have Kapp'n show up every now and then and ferry the player to new locations. Kapp'n also frequents Brewster's coffee shop, the Roost, so with Brewster joining the New Horizons cast, it would be very fitting to have Kapp'n join too. Kapp'n has been criticized for the borderline sexual way he speaks about women, however, which might be a major reason why he has yet to make an appearance.

Kapp'n Has A Close-Knit Family

animal crossing new leaf

Several Animal Crossing NPCs have family histories that they share with the player. Animal Crossing is all about building relationships with friends and neighbors, and as those relationships deepen, the NPCs reveal more about themselves. In New Horizons, the most players really get is some of Mabel and Sable's family backstory with their fashion designer sister Label, but players can actually become acquainted with everyone in Kapp'n's immediate family in New Leaf.

Kapp'n's wife is Leilani, a turtle that only appears in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. She reportedly doesn't like Kapp'n's singing very much, but is friendly and kind to the player. Leilani is something of a concierge on Tortimer Island in New Leaf that helps the player manage their inventory on the island and arranges their inevitable departure.

Kapp'n also has a daughter that appears in New Leaf, Leila. Leila's primary function on the island is to help players clear their inventory by buying items at 5% of their original price, which isn't the best deal so many players may not interact with her much at all. A couple of Kapp'n's songs shed more light on Leila, revealing that she tends to prefer her mother and that "ahoy" was her first word.

Finally, Kapp'n's mother Grams can be seen in New Leaf. Grams runs the souvenir shop on Tortimer Island and will exchange special island goodies for medals that can be won by participating in tours. Kapp'n's family is all over the place in New Leaf, and it's nice to see all of them together. They'll probably remain on Tortimer Island, but they shed light on Kapp'n's life and help make more sense of his sea shanties.

With Kapp'n and his family being such central NPCs in New Leaf, it makes sense why players would want to see him return in New Horizons. It will probably be a while before any more NPCs get added to New Horizons following Brewster, but Kapp'n's legacy continues to live on in all the previous Animal Crossing games.

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