Signpost

"Danger! Look out for bees! Don't shake trees!"

— Signpost, Animal Crossing: City Folk

A signpost in Animal Crossing: City Folk

Signposts are landscape features that appear in all games in the Animal Crossing series prior to Animal Crossing: New Leaf. They generally have hints written on them, some written by Tom Nook, Crazy Redd or Pelly, and others whose writers are unknown. Trees cannot be grown within three spaces of a signpost.

In Animal Crossing

In Doubutsu no Mori, Doubutsu no Mori+, Animal Crossing, and Doubutsu no Mori e+, signposts will have hints written on them. If a villager moves out of town, a signpost will appear where their house was. When a villager moves in, their house will appear where a sign post was. Gracie, Redd and Katrina will also appear where signposts are.

In Wild World and City Folk

The player reads a signpost in Animal Crossing: City Folk

Signposts serve the same purpose in Animal Crossing: Wild World and Animal Crossing: City Folk as they did in the previous installments, though Sign Boards do not reappear. Most Animal Crossing: Wild World towns have 12 possible villager house locations (and therefore at least four unoccupied signposts in town at any one time), while Animal Crossing: City Folk towns have many more; often around 25–30. Gulliver's U.F.O. in Animal Crossing: Wild World will crash in a signpost's location.

In New Leaf

The normal signposts have been removed in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, because villagers can move in anywhere where there is free space. However, the day before a villager moves in, a plot of land will appear, with a signpost that tells the player which villager is moving in. Also, the Custom-Design Sign public works project functions similarly to the purchasable Sign Boards in early games.

Examples of hints

Danger! Beware of bees! Don't shake trees! (reworded to Danger! Look out for bees! Don't shake trees! in Animal Crossing: City Folk).
Fortune and glory await underground. Meticulous digging will earn you yours!
The Bug Catcher's Way - Approach the catch slowly, lest it fly away!
The Bug Catcher's Way - Some bugs get up early, some sleep in, but late at night, most are asleep.
The Fisherman's Creed - Watch your opponent's move, and pull before it can retreat!
The Fisherman's Creed - You can't catch fish you can't see, and fish won't eat bait they can't see.
The Fisherman's Creed - Don't rush, but if you have to, don't run.
Fish Wanted - I'll buy any fish for a reasonable price! (current Nook store variation)
Bugs Wanted - I'll buy your bugs for a moderate price! (current Nook store variation)
Fruit Wanted - One (native fruit): 100 Bells. Other fruit: 500 Bells. (current Nook store variation)
He who hankers for fruit resists cutting down trees! (appears only in Animal Crossing: City Folk)
When rare flowers bloom, rare insects appear. (appears only in Animal Crossing: City Folk)
If you want to crossbreed your flowers, plant strategically. The rest is a secret!
Take the bus to the city! It leaves from the bus stop in front of the gate! (appears only in Animal Crossing: City Folk)
If you cut down a tree because it's in your way, replace it somewhere else. Keep (town name) green! (appears only in Animal Crossing: City Folk)
Preserve your memories with pictures! Take as many as you want--it's as easy as pressing 1! (appears only in Animal Crossing: City Folk)
Let's make this town better together. Contribute to the (town name) Fund. Town Hall Civic Center (appears only in Animal Crossing: City Folk)