The Memory Mania event brings six Inside Out–themed Critter Companions to Disney Dreamlight Valley, and each one is tied to a specific event duty or questline. Five come from restoring Riley’s memories by collecting event items around the Valley and the Realms, while the newest critter comes from finishing a quest series with Joy.
Quick answer: Complete the five Memory Mania duties for the Anxiety Squirrel, Envy Rabbit, Ennui Raven, Embarrassment Turtle, and Nostalgia Capybara, then finish Joy’s quest series for the Deep Dark Secret Goose. All are earnable from Sept. 16 to Sept. 29, 2026.
What you need before starting Memory Mania
To begin the new event quest, you must have already unlocked Joy from Inside Out. The questline has you help Joy track down items stolen from Villagers’ houses and catch the culprit behind them.
The five memory-based critters do not require Joy’s quest. They come from event duties that appear under the Collection tab of the Dreamlight menu, so you can chase them separately as long as the event is live.
Once you accept the first quest in Joy’s series, the quest track can be finished even after the event ends. The memory-collection duties, however, only progress while the event is active.
All six Memory Mania Critter Companions and how to unlock them
Each critter is locked behind a single duty or quest. The Deep Dark Secret Goose is the addition for the 2026 run, while the other five have carried over from previous years.
| Companion | How to unlock | Ability |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Dark Secret Goose | Finish Joy’s event quest series | Gardening |
| Nostalgia Capybara | Complete the Get Nostalgic! duty | Foraging |
| Envy Rabbit | Complete the Feeling Nostalgic duty | Gardening |
| Ennui Raven | Complete the Feeling Joyful duty | Digging |
| Embarrassment Turtle | Complete the Feeling Accomplished duty | Fishing |
| Anxiety Squirrel | Complete the Feeling Expansive duty | Foraging |
If you skipped Wishblossom Ranch, the Deep Dark Secret Goose is a convenient way to add a goose to your collection while also picking up a gardening helper.
Where to collect the memory items
Four types of Riley’s belongings spawn in fixed spots. Picking each one up drops a colored orb that may hold a memory piece, and completing a memory clears its duty. Each item respawns about an hour after collection, up to two of that item at a time.
| Item | Where it spawns | Amount needed |
|---|---|---|
| Riley’s Hockey Trophy (blue) | Scrooge’s Store | 6 |
| Riley’s Hockey Gear (yellow) | Mickey’s, Goofy’s, and Merlin’s houses | 6 |
| Riley’s Birthday Cake (pink) | Moana, WALL-E, and Ratatouille Realms | 6 |
| Riley’s Phone (red) | Outside Chez Remy in the base Village | 10 |
The blue trophies feed Feeling Nostalgic, the yellow gear feeds Feeling Expansive, and the pink cakes feed Feeling Joyful. Finishing all three of those memories then clears Feeling Accomplished for the Embarrassment Turtle. Collecting the red phone items completes Get Nostalgic! for the Nostalgia Capybara.
If your inventory is full when a memory shard should drop, it goes to your in-game mailbox instead. Shards claimed from the mailbox do not count toward the separate Memorabilia achievement.
How to earn each critter step by step
How to confirm you unlocked a companion
When a duty is complete, its reward critter is added to your collection. Head to the Companions section of the Wardrobe menu to equip it. You can run two companions at once, and both gain friendship experience while you play.
Each companion’s ability lines up with a gathering activity. The Anxiety Squirrel and Nostalgia Capybara help with foraging, the Envy Rabbit and Deep Dark Secret Goose assist with gardening, the Ennui Raven supports digging, and the Embarrassment Turtle boosts fishing. Keeping the matching critter equipped while you perform that task delivers the most benefit.
How long the companions are available
The 2026 run of Memory Mania is open from Sept. 16 to Sept. 29. The missions tied to these critters can only be completed while the event is live, so aim to finish them before it closes.
Memory Mania has returned every year since it first launched, so anyone who misses a critter this time will likely have another chance in 2027, when a new companion is expected to join the lineup as well.
