Summary
With all the features that have been expanded in the latestAnimal Crossinggames, one recurring element that Nintendo has failed to develop stands out for how similar it has remained: Gyroids. Maybe, with the next game, it’ll be time for that to change.
A part of the franchise since the very first game in 2001, Gyroids are amongAnimal Crossing’s strangest collectables—hollow-faced clay totems found underground alongside fossils and pitfalls seeds. Twisting and gyrating, the Gyroids dance and sing to the beat of music played near them, but do little else. Despite their rarity and peculiarity, Gyroids are generally only worth a handful of bells when sold. However, the next game should give them clear purposes within the town, similar to how Lloid was respoonsible for building inNew Horizons.
Called ‘Haniwa’ in Japan,Animal Crossing’s Gyroids are based on strange clay figurines found in and around ancient burial grounds across Japan. Ranging from one to five feet tall, Haniwa were said to give the deceased’s soul a physical container to reside in as the body decayed after death, protecting it from predatory yokai.
Gyroids Having a Purpose Isn’t Unheard Of
Though there’s nothing wrong withuseless items inAnimal Crossing, as part of the game’s relaxed atmosphere comes from the games leaning away from efficiency and utility, there is already a precedent for Gyroids having a bit more of a purpose. The very first Gyroid the franchise introduced sat outside the player’s house and was used for various functions, from saving the game to relaying messages to other players. SubsequentAnimal Crossinggames have all featured useful Gyroids, such as Lloid the Gyroid who collects public works donations inAnimal Crossing: New Leaf.
DespiteAnimal Crossing’s history of Gyroid utility, the actual collectable Gyroids players dig up don’t do much even though their unique designs could indicate specific jobs. They sing and dance when music is played, but they feel curiously lacking in personality compared to the franchise’s NPC Gyroids. While Lloid has had a series of jobs throughout the series, his comrades are little more than wiggly ornaments.
Future Animal Crossing Games Could Give Gyroids Renewed Purpose
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsfocuses more than ever on giving the player tools to interact with and redesign their town. If future games continue this trend, it might be time for Nintendo to give players a helping hand, and Gyroids could be the perfect way to do this.
Allowing Gyroids to provide small services to the player, such as watering nearby plants, catching passing bugs and fish, collecting seashells, or even making it so that multiple connected Gyroids can hold materials for the player—acting as an outdoor equivalent of storage cupboards—could give the series a new level of depth without changing the gameplay significantly or adding a new level of stress. With the right approach, useful, collectable Gyroids could be integrated into the franchise in a way that feels natural, adding to the gameplay without taking away fromAnimal Crossing’s relaxed DIY structure.
Of course, making the Gyroids more useful does take away a degree of player agency, and, given their macabre origins, Japanese developers could feel that making the Gyroids work is unsavory. In this case,a futureAnimal Crossinggamecould improve upon the Gyroids simply by giving players a place to put them.
A spot in the museum specifically for Gyroids seems like a no-brainer at this point, but, if Nintendo wanted to play more into the Gyroids' lore, a traveling character—much likeDaisy Mae the turnip merchant—could appear every once in a while to buy Gyroids at a high price in order to put them to rest in a temple or sacred ground. If the player could visit this location, it could even act as a defacto Gyroid museum, adding depth and character to the world ofAnimal Crossingwhile giving museum lovers another area to complete.
One of the franchise’s most iconic elements—even being used for one of the villager’s attacks inSuper Smash Bros.—the Gyroids have come to symboliseAnimal Crossing’s quaint, off-kilter vibe more than any other piece of furniture. While nobody knows what Nintendo has planned forthe nextAnimal Crossinginstallment, one thing is for certain: Gyroids likely aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing is a Nintendo-exclusive life sim franchise spread across numerous Nintendo consoles. Featuring anthropomorphic villagers, strong customization, and a real-time day cycle, the Animal Crossing series offer unique and varied gameplay.
