Secret Places on Animal Crossing City Folk

By Kristy Barkan

Updated September 22, 2017

Adventurous players tired of visiting the same shops and houses in "Animal Crossing: City Folk" don't have to look far to find new places to explore. There are a handful of secret areas in the game that are close to town, but they can only be accessed at specific times or by completing certain tasks. Gaining admittance to these areas may take time, but the process is straightforward.

Mr. Resetti's Surveillance Center

Between the hours of 8 p.m. and 12 a.m., there is a random chance that you will be able to enter Mr. Resetti's secret surveillance building. Normally blocked off by road cones, the building can only be accessed when one of the cones is pushed aside, which occurs randomly and infrequently. The cone barrier is located on the eastern side of the city and is always impenetrable during the day. Upon gaining entrance to Mr. Resetti's Surveillance Center, he will offer you a silver shovel to leave and keep quiet about the center's existence. If the shovel is used to thump money stones, it will occasionally double the number of bells received.

Redd's Shop

Redd's shop is a members-only store that is inaccessible to players unless they receive a referral from another town resident. To gain entrance to Redd's shop, go to the western part of the city, and knock on Redd's door. After he tells you to go away, talk to every person in the town. When one of them asks about Redd, respond that you have not heard of him, and they will give you a referral. It may take a while, as the referral question is a matter of random chance. After you have been referred, you may become a member of Redd's club, which means that you can enter his store and purchase his wares.

Phineas the Balloon Man's Kiosk

Phineas the Balloon Man's kiosk can sometimes be found in the city on clear days before 7 p.m. The kiosk does not always appear in the same place, but once it does, it usually returns for several days in a row. When you talk to Phineas, he will give you a free toy. Players can expect to receive one of the following in any of a variety of colors: bunny-shaped balloon, pinwheel, plain balloon or bubble wand. There is a limit of one toy per day, and time traveling can cause Phineas and his kiosk to be absent from the city for an extended period.

Other Towns

Players with Wi-Fi-connected gaming systems are able to visit other players' towns. To take a sojourn to another town, head to the main gate to talk to the guards, Cooper and Booker. They will ask for a 12-digit town code. If you have a friend who plays "Animal Crossing: City Folk," ask her for her town code, and you will be able to visit her in the game. If you don't have any town codes to enter, check online fan forums. Many players welcome new visitors to their towns and will post their codes to encourage other players to stop by. When entering a town code at the gate, Cooper and Booker will ask for the player's name and the town name. If you don't have one or both of these, it won't prevent you from entering the town -- just fill in anything and the information will update automatically when you access the town.

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