Every weekend during the summer, you will receive a visit from an animal that has set up a tent in your town. That animal will be from out-of-town, unlike the regular residents from your town that set up igloos in the winter. But like the igloos in winter, the campers also have games that you can play with them. They can be a good way to pass the time, and can be a good way to make money. But they get tiring quickly, and sometimes can be frustrating. But, there is a reward for enduring the camping games and listening to Rolf's rantings about barging into tents. There are 10 items that can only be obtained by playing the games in the tent. While the animal in the tent can get annoying after a while and the games become old, the summer campers can offer a fresh new feel after months of the same old things.

Camping Info List
Camping Information	Camping Games	Doofus	Athlete	Grump	Sweetheart
Valley Girl	Snobs	General Camping Tips

Camping times
First weekend in June through the last weekend in August
9 AM Saturday - 3 PM Sunday

Camping items
Here is a list of the items that can only be won through the tent games, with their selling prices (you can't order the camping items from the catalog or trade them, but you can sell them for the prices below) included.
Backpack - 495 bells
Bonfire - 560
Campfire - 340
Cooler - 325
Kayak - 865
Lantern - 295
Mountain Bike - 845
Propane Stove - 367
Sleeping Bag - 490
Tent Model - 637

Back to Top

Here we go. You have to go through a lot of game playing, and might lose a few furniture pieces and thousands of bells to get the items mentioned above, but it is well worth it for your catalog. There are 12 games in all that can be played; two each for all six personality types that appear in tents.

Each camper has a game that requires 3000 bells to play, which will be called "Game #1". There's also the game that requires you have a piece of furniture, carpet, fossil, wallpaper, or gyroid in your inventory; shirts, bugs, fish, pieces of fruit, or anything else will not allow you to participate. Also, the item must NOT have been just given to you by winning a camping game, but if you have an item that was won and you win another one, the first item won will be able to be used. This game will be called "Game #2". The prizes or costs of these games are different, however, but each camper has two games that require money and an item.

Below is a detailed analysis of all 12 games. Each game breakdown will have the following information:
- The personality type of the camper and examples of that personality
- What you will win or lose by playing the game, next to "Game #1/2"
- What line of dialogue the camper will use if you are able to play this game (that line of dialogue might not always lead to an invitation to play a game, but it means you meet the requirements to play. If you keep talking to the camper, he/she will eventually ask you to play)
- A breakdown on how to play the game and what is happening
- Some tips on how to win most at the game
- NOTE: All this research was done with having 3000 bells in my wallet. Likewise, when it says 2000-3000 bells, this can really be referring to 66% - 100% of your wallet.
Also, for each camper type, I have included what they say if you don't meet the requirements to play a game. Whenever you hear a camper say something that is under "Not able to play", that means he will never play a game with you unless you meet the requirements mentioned above for playing a game. Without further ado, here are the six camper types and their games.

Back to Top

Doofus
Examples: Hugh, Hornsby, Joey, Punchy, Bob

Game # 1 - win item/buy item with all cash in your wallet
If you are able to play this game, Joey will tell you not to come barging into his tent and scaring him like that. He then may say he's glad to have company and will ask to play a game. In this game, the doofus type will tell you a story about his camping trip. The story involves the camper sitting in his tent, with a walrus (obviously Wendell) asking for fish and a lady with big tusks (Joan) asking if he needed turnips, both of which he refused. Then, "a turtle who was older than time" appeared and invited him to a festival. It is now your turn to guess which festival he went to; the Fireworks Show, New Year's Eve, Cherry Blossom Festival, or Meteor Shower. Lose, and he gets all your cash, but will still give you a prize anyway. Win, and he gives you an item.

Game # 2 - Trade item/lose item
If you are able to play this game, Joey will ask if you came to tell ghost stories. He might then ask to play a game instead. This is another story about his camping experiences (bear with them). Accept and he will begin his story. He tells you that he caught lots of fish on his last camping trip, and asks what fish he didn't catch; a large char, stringfish, bluegill, or salmon. Guess wrong, and you lose an item in your inventory. If you are right, he will trade you an item of his for an item of yours.

Not able to play -
If you are unable to play, the doofus type will say how he loves camping, but will also say one thing he doesn't like about it; the sun in the morning.
Tips For Game #1 and Game # 2: I discovered in my town that ALL the campers play only two games with you, unlike the igloo villagers. In one game, they ask which festival they were invited to, and in the other one, they ask which fish they DIDN'T catch. Even though there are 4 choices for EACH game, there is really only a 50-50 chance of getting a correct answer! In the festival game, the selections are Fireworks, Cherry Blossom Festival, New Year’s Eve, and Meteor Shower. The ONLY two answers that are correct are Fireworks and Meteor Shower! The fish that they DIDN'T catch can be large char, stringfish, bluegill, or salmon, but the ONLY two correct answers are stringfish and salmon! ALSO, if you choose INCORRECTLY the first time, the other choice will ALWAYS be right! For instance, if Dizzy asks me which fish he didn't catch, I'd say stringfish. If he says I'm wrong, I play again, and say salmon. THAT time, I win and get an item!
Now, I have plenty of reason to believe that this does not always work, but it could just be a matter of finding a pattern that will work much of the time for you. It might take plenty of luck (or feng shui), but it probably is possible to find a pattern. Alternately picking the stringfish and salmon may give you good results, or using any other two answer choices alternatively. It's just a matter of finding the pattern that will work for that time.

Back to Top

Athlete
Examples: Tybalt, Scoot, Sprocket, Louie, Hambo

Game # 1 - Win item/ buy item with all money
If you can play this game, the athletic type will say how he was waiting for someone to show up, and may ask to play a game. Say yes, and he will say he has photos of animals he took. However, some of these were taken by a professional photographer. Accept the challenge and you will begin. You must guess which was taken by him; a bear, moose, wolf, or seal. Win and you get an item. Lose, and you lose all your money but still get an item.

Game # 2 - Trade item / lose item
If you are able to play this game, the camper will ask if you want to go hardcore mountain climbing with him. Say 'sure' and he will make up an excuse that he doesn't have enough gear and will ask to play a game instead. Say 'ok' and he will explain the rules. For this game, he has pictures of fish, and like the other game, some were taken by him and some by a professional. Your job is to guess which he took a picture of; a large char, stringfish, bluegill, or salmon. He will then tell you what item out of your inventory he will trade for (if you win) or take (if you lose), and ask if you still want to play. Say no if you don't want to lose the item he mentioned, but you should always leave valuable items behind or in letters anyway. It is now your time to guess. If you win, you will trade the item mentioned for an item of his. If lose you lose, he gets that item for free.

Not able to play-
If you can't play a game, the athletic type will ask you to join him for fishing. All three answers won't let you play a game; all they do is trigger a different response from the camper.

Back to Top

Grump
Examples: Rolf, Twirp, Buzz, Chow, Static

Game # 1 - Win carpet / buy carpet for around 2000 bells
At the start of this game, the grumpy type will get mad, saying "Who said you could come into my tent?!?" Then, if he says "I'm actually glad you did", you can play a game: Old Maid, if you accept, of course. In this game, you each have three cards, with one having the old maid. You have a choice of Left, Right, or Middle. If you pick the old maid, you buy his carpet for around 2000 bells. If you don't, the grumpy type will have to pick from your hand. If he picks the old maid, you get the carpet. If he doesn't, you keep going until one of you picks the old maid. This is not a good game to play if you are in need of the camping furniture, but is a good game if you need an item to use to play the other game.

Game # 2 - Trade item / lose item
For this game, the grumpy type begins by asking you if you expected him to cook for you. Say "No way" and he will then say he already ate, and he asks you to play a game. Say yes, and you can get started. It's a card game, one that is shared by the snobby and energetic female types. You each have a set of two matching cards and two more cards that don't match. You will take turns picking from each other's hands, but there are only three sets of matching cards in all. The first to get two sets of matching cards wins! If you come in the tent with 3 furniture items, you will never leave with more if you keep playing this game. Now, it's time to pick a card; 1st card, 2nd card, 3rd card, or 4th card. If you are right on the 1st pick, the grumpy type gives you your prize (which he tells you before you start, but doesn't give you a chance to back out if you don't like it), and then you give him one item from your inventory. If you are WRONG the first time, he will have a shot to pick the card to get his two matches. In the process, he shuffles his hand, so if you picked the 1st card on the first guess, that doesn't mean on the second guess, the right card won't be the 1st card. If the grumpy type guesses right here, he takes an item from your inventory. If he is wrong, then you keep going back and forth, shuffling your hand each time, until one player wins.

Not able to play -
If you are unable to play, the grumpy type will ask why you barged into his tent and if you are trying to steal his gear. You can then tell him one of three responses, but it doesn't do anything but make him say something different.
Tips: For Game # 2, there is usually pattern you can follow so that you win an item 19 out of 20 times. Several have confirmed this, but sometimes it can be hard to find the pattern. I haven't tried to find a pattern for this game, but I know for the grumpy type, whenever I picked the 1st card the first time, I would be wrong, Rolf would pick, he would be wrong, and I would pick 3rd, this time winning an item. This happened almost every time I played the game, so if you could find the pattern for this type, you could share the same success. The patterns may change for each time you visit the camper or a new camper moves in, or there may be a set pattern for each type. Try some experimenting to see what you can come up with.

Back to Top

Sweetheart
Examples: Eunice, Kiki, Peaches, Aurora, Mitzi

Game # 1 - Win item / Buy item for all bells / Buy item for a few hundred bells
If you are able to play this game, the sweetheart type will ask you if you knew you were supposed to knock before you enter a tent. She then may say she is glad you're here and will ask you to play a game. In this game, the sweetheart type tells you about her camping trip. Everything she says is meaningless, as the answer to the last question is random. After she tells her story about her green tent, yellow sleeping bag, and red backpack, she will ask what color banana she gave to the reindeer in red clothes (aka Jingle); Green, Yellow, Red, or Brown. If you choose the correct answer, you get an item for free. If you choose an answer and she says "That's wrong, but I did see a [color] banana", then she gives you an item for very cheap, usually a few hundred bells. If you choose wrong, she says "are you crazy!?" and takes all your money, but still gives you an item.

Game # 2 - Sell item / Lose item
If you are able to play this, the camper will ask if you wanted to hear a ghost story. She then may say she doesn't know many ghost stores, but she likes to play games. Accept and she will tell you a story about her last camping trip. She basically says she caught a bluegill, saw a purple butterfly, and saw a bear sleeping in the middle of the day. Then, she asks you what season she went camping in: Summer, Fall, or Winter. If you are right, she says, "You're a smart one! [Season] is one of the best times to go camping!" and buys one of your items (she tells you what item she will buy before the game starts) for 2000-3000 bells. If you are wrong, then she says "[season] is a good time to go camping, but that's not when I went" and takes an item without paying anything. She also says, "Who goes camping in the winter?" when you pick winter and takes an item without paying for it, just as the other losing result. (See the tips section for more on this).

Not able to play -
If you can't play, the sweetheart type will talk about how much she loves camping and experiencing nature.
Tips: For Game # 1, I have found that the correct answer choice can never be Red. Every time I've picked that (and I've done it a lot just to be sure), she says "What are you crazy?! You actually think I'd give away a red banana?" However, she has also said the "what are you crazy?!" line for the Yellow and Brown answer choices, but those two have been the correct answer many times and "what are you crazy?!" only once or twice, while Red has never been the correct answer choice and is always a crazy wrong choice. ---
For Game # 2, I am pretty much positive the answer cannot be Winter. I've played the tent games for half an hour, and the answer was NEVER winter. Every time I answer winter, she says something like "Who goes camping in the winter?" and takes an item from me without paying. Basically, the correct answer is always Summer or Fall, so never guess Winter.

Back to Top

Valley Girl
Examples: Anicotti, Winnie, Tabby, Cookie, Candi

Game # 1 - Win item / Buy item for 2000-3000 bells / Buy item for under 1000 bells
You know you can play this game when the valley girl type says she'll need your help. If she then goes on to talk about interaction with fellow outdoor enthusiasts, then you know she is about to ask to play a game. If you accept, she will then tell you a story about camping. She explains the rules; you have to guess how the end of the story comes out. Accept, and she will begin. There are two possible endings for the story; one involves the camper and her friends making it to the top of the mountain and the other involves them having to be called down by Officer Copper. You have to guess who made it to the top first or who wanted to keep on climbing; her, the wolf, or the bear. If you guess right, you win an item. If you guess wrong, you have to buy an item for 2000 to 3000 bells. However, if you guess "you", she will comment on how sweet you were to think that, but it wasn't her. She then will give you an item for cheap (under 1000 bells) since she impressed you with her story.

Game # 2 - Trade item / Lose item
If you are about to play this game or are able to, the camper will begin by saying "you're just the kind of person I was hoping to meet on my camping trip". She then might ask to play a game. Once you accept, she will tell you that you are going to play a card game. This game is the same that is played by the grumpy male and snobby female types. You each have four cards; two match and two don't. You will take turns picking a card from of another's hands. You want to be the first player to get two pairs. However, in the total of eight cards, there are only three pairs. If she wins, she picks an item out of your inventory and keeps it. If you win, she will trade one of them for one of yours. Then you begin. Choose from cards 1-4. If you are right, you win and get to trade something of hers for an item of yours. If you're wrong, she gets a chance to pick. If she wins, she keeps something in your inventory. If she is wrong, you get to pick again. Play continues until someone gets two pairs.
Not able to play - If you are unable to play a game, the valley girl camper will begin by asking if you knew where the best trails are, where the best fishing spots are, and best stargazing spots, and will go n to share her camping experiences.
Tips: For Game #1, it is best to choose "you" as an answer choice. Although it has never been right for me, you're always rewarded with an item for only a few hundred bells, which is great even for those that don't have millions in the bank. This is probably one of the best ways to get camping items of all 12 camping games.

For Game # 2, there is usually pattern you can follow so that you win an item 19 out of 20 times. Several have confirmed this, but sometimes it can be hard to find the pattern. I haven't tried to find a pattern for this game, but I know for the grumpy type, whenever I picked the 1st card the first time, I would be wrong, Rolf would pick, he would be wrong, and I would pick 3rd, this time winning an item. This happened almost every time I played the game, so if you could find the pattern for this type, you could share the same success. The patterns may change for each time you visit the camper or a new camper moves in, or there may be a set pattern for each type. Try some experimenting to see what you can come up with.

Back to Top

Snobs
Examples: Valise, Alli, Monique, Pecan, Yuka

Game # 1 - Win item / Buy item for 2000-3000 bells.
If you are able to play this game, the snobby type will say "It's about time you showed up" and then go on and maybe ask you to play a game. Accept, and the rules are explained. In this game, she has four cards; a jack, queen, king, and ace. Your goal is to pick the ace. You get three chances to do so. The first time, there are four cards to choose from. If you are right, you win. If you are wrong, you get to hold on to the card you picked and choose from the remaining, shuffled, three cards. If you're wrong here, you have to pick from all four again, shuffled. If you are wrong again here, you don't get another chance. Winning at any stage of the game will get you a prize for free. Lose and you have to buy that prize for 2000-3000 bells. This game is pretty easy to win, however.

Game # 2 - Sell item / Lose item
At the start of this game, the snob will act glad to see you, and comment on how she's been cramped in the tent. She will ask you to entertain her, or play a game. Accept, and she will explain the rules. This is the same card game that the grumpy male and valley girl female types play, so you might have come across it already. The prizes for this game are different than the grumpy and valley girl types, however. Here are the rules, right from the energetic type's section: You each have four cards; two match and two don't. You will take turns picking a card from of another's hands. You want to be the first player to get two pairs. However, in the total of eight cards, there are only three pairs. If she wins, takes an item from your inventory and keeps it. If you win, buy one of your items. Then you begin. Choose from cards 1-4. If you are right, you sell one of your items to her. If you're wrong, she gets a chance to pick. If she wins, she keeps something in your inventory. If she is wrong, you get to pick again. Play continues until someone gets two pairs.
Not able to play - If you can't play a game, the camper will tell you that it is not your tent and you should knock first, and will go on about other stuff.

Tips: For Game # 2, there is usually pattern you can follow so that you win an item 19 out of 20 times. Several have confirmed this, but sometimes it can be hard to find the pattern. I haven't tried to find a pattern for this game, but I know for the grumpy type, whenever I picked the 1st card the first time, I would be wrong, Rolf would pick, he would be wrong, and I would pick 3rd, this time winning an item. This happened almost every time I played the game, so if you could find the pattern for this type, you could share the same success. The patterns may change for each time you visit the camper or a new camper moves in, or there may be a set pattern for each type. Try some experimenting to see what you can come up with.

Back to Top

- Never have more than 3000 bells in your wallet - For all camping games that require money to play, you have to have at least 3000 bells. There is, however, no need to have more than that. Keep other bags of 1000, 10,000, or 30,000 bells in your inventory (they won't touch bells in your inventory, just don't add them to you wallet above the inventory spaces), in letters, or outside the tent. I like to have 3000 bells in my wallet with 4000 bells in my letters (you can keep them in your inventory, I put them in my letters to keep my inventory uncluttered) and bags of 10,000 and 1,000 bells outside the tent.

- Don't have valuable items in your inventory - Some camping games require an item to play, whether it be a furniture piece, carpet, wallpaper, gyroid, or fossil. However, they will take what other item you have, if it's tradable or not. Because of this, you should not have any rare furniture pieces, Saharah carpets, Wendell wallpapers, and wanted gyroids and fossils in your inventory. Keep them in letters, drop them outside, or leave them at your house if you do not want to lose them.

- Visit the campers after 3 PM - As you know, the campers leave at 3 PM Sunday afternoon. It is, however, possible to keep them longer; never leave the acre the camper is in. You can go outside the tent and the tent will still be there, but as soon as you leave the acre after 3 it will be gone. Remember to keep a good supply of money and furniture if you plan to keep playing past 3PM.

- Getting items when you lose - I have observed that when you lose a game but still get an item, that item is more likely to be a carpet or wallpaper than when you win. The chances of getting a furniture piece, and more camper items, seem to be greater if you win the game, not lose but still get an item.

- The orange box tip - So here's the strategy tip: before playing with them, go buy a bunch of Orange Boxes from Tom Nook. They only cost 80 bells apiece and the campers are perfectly happy to play for them (order 5 boxes from Tom and then Save & Quit, re-enter to pick up your order immediately, rinse, and repeat to get 10 or 15 boxes). Keep your wallet empty so they only play the "item for item" game. With this technique you can play a long time since you can stack your odds of getting a trade by answering correctly and after you've worked through your Orange Boxes you'll have more valuable pieces to sell back to Tom (though I always play until I'm out of items, putting the stuff I want to keep in envelopes). With this method I've gotten 4 Sleeping bags, 2 Mountain bikes, 3 Lanterns, 3 Bonfires, 3 Campfires, 2 Tent Models, 4 Backpacks, and 1 Propane stove.

Back to Top