NPCs or Non-Player Characters

NPCs are "non-player characters" (that's an old D&D term that we've coopted) people (or people-ish things) who wander around your zoo and give off cards once in a while. They're often offered as diamond bonuses. Here's a fullish list of them:

NAME -->  FREQUENCY --> ANTIQUE EXPRESS --> ORIGIN

6 Balloon Bunny* -->  5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 6 year anniversary gift Feb 2018

Animal Balloon Man --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Dec 2016

Antonia the Environmental Activist* --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 9 year anniversary gift Jan 2021

Autumn Witch Hanako --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Sept 2023

Balloon bunny* --> 12 hours --> haven't seen it --> zoo mascot, first 'first purchase' gift

Bat Man --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Oct 2015

Bee Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Apr 2017

Betty and her Seeing-Eye Dog --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Oct 2022

Birthday Boy --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 4 year anniversary gift Feb 2016

Camel Ride --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item June 2017

Cat Friends Curtis, Jamie, and Jackie --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Aug 2022

Charles, the explorer --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item July 2019

Cheery Christmas Elf --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Dec 2017

Chicken Family --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Dec 2022

Children's Zoo Boss --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Mar 2023

Choo-Choo Train --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Aug 2019

Christmas Angel --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Nov 2018

Christmas Elf --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Dec 2015 (was also collectable as non-tradable card pieces in Xmas 2017 advent calendar)

Circus Bunny NPC --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Apr 2021

Croc Man --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Sept 2015

Daddy with Buggy --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item May 2019

Darcy and Daisy --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item June 2021

Derek the Dragon --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Sept 2024

Dog Sled Ride --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Nov 2023

Dog Walker --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> account linked to upjers Portal gift July 2019 

Dominic, the Detective --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item May 2021

Dwarf Elephant Ride --> 8 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Nov 2014

Easter Bunny Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Apr 2019

Erica the Entertainer --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 12 year anniversary gift Feb 2024

Eros Actor --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Feb 2023

Felipe the Wildlife Painter --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Apr 2016

Female Aerobic Dancer --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Feb 2021

Fire Eater* --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 8 year anniversary gift Feb 2020

Fireworks Felix --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 5 year anniversary gift Feb 2017

Flower Vendor --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Mar 2019

Frank the Falconer --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Apr 2024

Gaby the Ghost --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Oct 2024

Giraffe Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Apr 2022

Grandma --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Sept 2020

Horse Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Oct 2016

Hot Dog Vendor --> 9 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Apr 2014

Ice Cream Vendor --> 10 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Mar 2014

Illusionist --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Feb 2020

Inuit --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Feb 2024

Lenny the Gingerbread Man --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Dec 2020

Male Aerobic Dancer --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Feb 2021

Monique, the Ladybug Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item June 2024

Mr. Barbecue --> 8.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item July 2014

Mummy Bunny --> 5.5 hours --> yes 100 diamonds --> earned from Halloween 2016 campaign

Pantomime --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item June 2020

Penguin Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Dec 2024

Pete Papillon* --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 7 year anniversary gift Feb 2019

Phantom & Cerberus --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Oct 2023

Photographer Bunny --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> second (and current) 'first purchase' gift Feb 2017

Pinkie Pie --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> card pieces earned from My Little Pony Sept 2017 campaign (tradable - takes 16 card pieces to complete)

Policeman Peter and Police Dog Rexy --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 10 year anniversary gift Feb 2022

Pony Ride --> 5.5 hours --> yes 60 diamonds --> payment item Aug 2015

Proposal Pair --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Oct 2018

Pupil Simone --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Nov 2022

Rainbow Dash --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> card pieces earned from My Little Pony Sept 2017 campaign (tradable - takes 18 card pieces to complete)

Ray, the Ray --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item July 2023

Red Panda Caretaker --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item May 2023

Rhino Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Sept 2017

Robot XC-3 --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item May 2024

Rocker Rene --> 5.5 hours --> yes 60 diamonds --> payment item Sept 2021

Ronja the Skater --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Aug 2024

Santa --> 5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Dec 2015 (was also collectable as non-tradable card pieces in Xmas 2017 advent calendar)

Security Guy --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Oct 2019

Selfie Steven --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Feb 2017

Shark Mascot --> 5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item July 2015

Sign Guy --> 5 hours --> yes 49 diamonds --> payment item July 2015

Sinha, the snake Charmer --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item July 2022

Skater Girl Selina --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Mar 2022

Snowman Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Feb 2016

Streetkiter Silas --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item June 2023

Toby, the Pastry Chef --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> 11 year anniversary gift Feb 2023

Tom the Diver --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item June 2022

Undercover Penguins --> 5.5 hours --> yes 60 diamonds --> payment item Dec 2021

Vampire --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Oct 2020

Vampire Slayer Verena --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Nov 2021

Veterinarian --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item June 2016

Violin Player Gerrit --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Aug 2021

Yeti Mascot --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Jan 2019

Young Mother --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Apr 2018

Zebra Ride --> 5.5 hours --> haven't seen it --> payment item Jan 2022

Zoo Guide --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Aug 2016

Zoo Photographer --> 5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item June 2015

Zoology Student --> 5.5 hours --> yes 50 diamonds --> payment item Sept 2015

* While most NPCs give card pieces and occasionally employee teams as well as zoo dollars and experience points, those marked with * only give zoo dollars and experience points. 

That's not a great pic, I know.

Are NPC's worth it?

No, usually not. They tend to cost like 50 diamonds - or they come with diamond buys of 100+ diamonds, which you could use to get animals instead. The cards they give off are, like, fine? You'll get just as good cards from friend visits, which should be your primary way to get trading cards.

I mean, look, your mileage may vary. I know one dude who just loves NPC's, and more power to him. I don't think they're all that, personally.

You might end up with a couple more or less by accident - the bunny mascot comes with your first diamond purchase, I think, and the birthday boy was a freebie a while back. Stuff like that will probably come up again. So you can wait and see if you like one. You cannot trade for NPCs.

What about the Visitor Center? Is that useful?

See the Visitor Center page for more. You can trade for this, so that's fine. I wouldn't spend diamonds on it. It's slightly handy if you have a bunch of NPCs, I guess.

 Once you find one of them, you can click their little arrows to cycle through all your NPCs and collect any cards that are available, so it's pretty easy.