Islander

An islander is an inhabitant that lives on Animal Island in and. While similar to the mainland villagers, they offer fully unique dialogue and display some unique behaviors. In, however, no islanders are present on the island by default, including the original islanders, and can only be brought to the island through the use of their e-Reader cards. In installments after, Animal Island was no longer a feature, and various Islanders returned in later games as regular villagers.

There are 36 islanders in total, starting with the original 18 islanders in, and an extra 18 added in. In, only six islanders return as regular villagers. sees a return of four more islanders absent in, and sees a return of twelve—six in the initial game, and six more in the  update. As of, 14 islanders have not reappeared since.

Although all villagers are technically "islanders" in (as the main setting of the game is an initially deserted island), none of the special behaviours such as fruit preferences that applied to islanders in  and  carry over to the later game.

Behaviors
Islanders are similar to mainland villagers in that they share the same set of personality types. However, the islander variants of the personality types differ slightly to drastically from their mainland counterparts. Lazy islanders are stoic and philosophical, in many ways the opposite of their mainland counterparts, often talking about forgoing worldly pleasures and society. Jock islanders are more casual and laid-back than their mainland counterparts, more singularly interested in surfing and frequently using surfer lingo. Cranky islanders are suave and romantic, unlike their mainland counterparts; they are similar to the smug personality introduced in though slightly more old-fashioned, often trying to woo the player. Normal islanders are fanciful and nature-loving hippies, more prone to daydreaming and peculiar thoughts than their mainland counterparts. Peppy islanders are headstrong and bossy rather than their sunny and upbeat mainland counterparts; peppy islanders often reminisce about the past and coach the player as if they are older than peppy villagers. Snooty islanders are talkative and vain; they are warmer than their mainland counterparts and focus on being well-liked as well as beautiful, but they can still be catty or rude in some situations.

Because the island is a small, contained area, players cannot ask islanders for work or favors. Instead, islanders will request specific pieces of furniture from the player during conversation; they will also commonly ask for furniture pieces that are already in the player's inventory. Unlike mainland villagers' homes, islanders' houses have very little to no furniture. If the player gives them the requested furniture, they will use that furniture to decorate their house. All of the islanders request the same furniture as the original  islanders (For instance, Madam Rosa in e+ requests the same items normally requested by Ankha in ). The female islanders also wear Red Aloha Shirts by default, while the male islanders wear Blue Aloha Shirts. Additionally, prior to, all female islanders (with the exception of Ankha) wear a flower in their hair, while Cranky islanders wear a straw hat. Islanders can also ask for clothes in the player's inventory for them to change into. Since it's not possible for the player to exchange letters with islanders, islanders will instead ask the player to write something in their guest book.

Game Boy Advance connection
If a connection between the Nintendo GameCube and the Game Boy Advance is present, the player can interact with the islander on the Game Boy Advance via a small minigame. For this minigame, each islander has one favorite fruit and one fruit they are allergic to. If the player gives the islander a favorite fruit, they will drop Bells or NES games, which can be collected upon return to the island. However, if the allergic fruit is given to them, they will become angered and not give any more Bells. The same annoyed event can be triggered by repeatedly tapping on the islander, which will also upset them. Additionally, if a tool is dropped, the islander can use that tool to perform certain actions. For instance, if the player gives them a fishing rod, they will use it to catch fish; if they are given an axe, they will chop down trees. Nets can be used to catch the items that hover past the island. This feature is removed in, due to the player no longer requiring a linked Game Boy Advance to access the island.