Tomodachi Life. Available on the Nintendo UK Online Store and eShop. Launches today! Right now, the only thing better than real life is my second real life on Tomodachi Life.
Another new release from Nintendo, Tomodachi Life is a sweeter version of Sims, using Mii characters (you as a virtual character) that are so widely used across the Nintendo game collection.
In a nutshell, Tomodachi Life allows you to create Mii characters and throw them into a little town that is only partially controlled by you as the player. You can shop, eat, play and explore, but the game's algorithm largely controls the story and although you make the characters, your Mii's could fall in love, fall out or just utterly hate each other. To celebrate the launch (today!), I'm kickstarting another 3DS diary series to share my thoughts as I explore and design Wonderment Island. I'm inventive, I know.
Gameplay is, as expected, really simple. It's a little more difficult to get used to than the Animal Crossing titles but nothing crazy. I made my Mii, set the personality and moved right on in to my apartment on Wonderment Island. I'm notoriously bad at naming islands and towns on these games. Tomodachi Life is set in real time and there are daily updates to the shops, leisure activities and more.
First off, my Mii is insanely alike to myself. Along with all the facial features, names, favorite colours and voice options that come as standard with these Nintendo titles, you can also create Miis from photos, making full use of the 3DS camera! What's more, you finish off your Mii with personality trait sliders. And trust me, no matter how you try to manipulate these, the algorithm of the game will bring out your true personality...! As far as I can tell, there are 16 personality paths and my 8 characters are all completely different. Such is life.
Thus far, everything is ringing quite "toned down Sims" to me. I think it's time I made myself a friend so I rope my sister in and we create her Mii! (Dead at the fact hers is short-tempered and stubborn.) The Miis are talking to each other of their own accord (only you can't control them like you'd expect, you can only react) and they're building up likes and dislikes based on their experiences around the apartments and island. So far, so good; so addictive...
Disclaimer: This is a post written in collaboration with Nintendo to celebrate the Europe launch of Tomodachi Life. This is one of four posts in my Tomodachi Life diary series and I was simply gifted the game to play and share. Views expressed are my own. Photos all my own too.
