Tomodachi Life

Genre: Management Simulation

Players: 1, StreetPass Supported

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Review:

Tomodachi Life is a Management Simulation released on Nintendo 3DS in 2014, and much like the Animal Crossing series, this game represents a more casual, laid-back approach to the genre. Players introduce their Mii characters into the game’s island locale (or create them), and those characters will take up residence, interact with other characters, and voice their complaints for you to address.

Because of this, much of Tomodachi Life’s appeal will vary from person to person. How amusing will you be to watch your Mii version of Snoopy form a loving relationship with your Mii version of your sister, see what their kid looks like, and watch as your Mii Iron Man squabbles with Inigo Montoya? Your answer to this question will say a lot about how likely it is that this game is your cup of tea.

Unlike Animal Crossing, gameplay in Tomodachi Life is much more passive – your island residents will go about their lives on their own (with a comparable real-time clock), and they will occasionally engage you in a little conversation or ask you to fetch them some food or perhaps resolve a dispute (of the generic “no details” variety), and working to make your residents happy earns you money you can spend on clothes and other things to give to these residents. However, much of what you’ll be doing here is simply watching how things unfold in your little community.

The presentation here is nothing special, but then one would hardly expect a graphical showpiece from a game that stars Mii characters. As such, expect low-poly environments, but with at least some good detail and some fun animations for the characters. This is backed by some light-hearted music, and text-to-speech digitized voices for the characters.

In the end, I’m not sure what else I can say about this game, in particular because I feel like more than most games it’s an experience that different people will find more or less appeal in. Still, if you enjoy laid-back games like Animal Crossing, and are amused at the thought of your Miis going about their wacky, unpredictable lives, Tomodachi Life may be worth checking out.

tl;dr – Tomodachi Life is a simple Management Simulation where players invite their Mii characters to live out their lives in the game, with much of the game’s enjoyment coming from watching how those lives unfold. It’s an experience that’s somewhat comparable to Animal Crossing, but far more passive. It’s a niche game that’s not going to appeal to everyone, but it’s so unique that it’s well worth a look for anyone looking for a laid-back and original experience on Nintendo 3DS.

Grade: B-

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