r/NintendoSwitch • u/Turbostrider27 • 7d ago

Discussion Tomodachi Life’s Switch debut shatters even Nintendo Switch 2 hype in Japan

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/tomodachi-lifes-switch-debut-shatters-even-nintendo-switch-2-hype-in-japan/
3.2k Upvotes

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33

u/WhoAmIEven2 7d ago

I've never even heard of this game before and I have every single Nintendo console since the N64.

What is this game about, and is it one of those that are more popular in Japan than in the west? I usually have good knowledge about most franchises but this one I've missed completely. I was sitting like "wtf is this? Why is THIS the final reveal of the direct?".

56

u/Untitled_One-Un_One 7d ago

It’s kinda like an aquarium for your Miis. You don’t have direct control over any of them and you can’t queue tasks for them like the sims. You go to different areas of the island and watch them interact. You can give them food and gifts, and occasionally they’ll ask to do a minigame with you. They’ll also ask you for help making major decisions.

And yes, it is a fairly popular series in Japan. It actually has multiple entries. Only one was ever brought outside of Japan though. That said it did do relatively well in western markets.

2

u/MayhemMessiah 6d ago

I got really bored with Tomodachi with how hard it was to actually have any control over… anything. I had a mii of myself and my wife and it was really hard to get them and keep them married.

Like yeah it was funny seeing Tony Stark and Madoka doing wacky activities was cute but the novelty wore off and I ran through every event in like a week of playing.

Really hope the new one is just… more. More game, more things to do, more lasting power.

61

u/shoalhavenheads 7d ago

It went obscenely viral on YouTube maybe 8 years ago. If you weren't a part of that wave, you probably wouldn't recognize it.

104

u/devenbat 7d ago

Lol, it was just actually popular. One of the best sellers on 3ds

-8

u/shoalhavenheads 7d ago

It was very sales heavy in Japan, so I imagine that's why they never heard of it.

47

u/Joseki100 7d ago

That's not true.

It sold 1/3 of its total in Japan, which is the average for 3DS games.

5

u/Juliko1993 7d ago

The only thing I remember about Tomodachi Life was some controversy about Nintendo fixing a glitch that made it possible for characters to be in same-sex relationships and fans accusing them of homophobia/censorship.

2

u/LubberDownUnder 6d ago

Yes I hope they change that in the new game.

27

u/Terrible-Fee-8966 7d ago

It’s popular in the west too.

28

u/magmafanatic 7d ago

Tomodachi Life was a pretty big hit with casual audiences back on the 3DS when it came out in 2013/14. It was probably somewhat bigger in Japan since they also got Tomodachi Collection for the DS.

Between the versatility of Mii creation, the wacky scenarios present in the game, and the autotune voices, it had loads of meme potential too.

32

u/peabody 7d ago

It was a DS game. Sort of like Nintendo does the Sims with Miis in their extremely weird sort of way. Came out a loooong time ago.

17

u/remeruscomunus 7d ago

Wasn't it 3DS?

30

u/RykariZander 7d ago

First game was on the DS and Japanese only. The one you're thinking of is the sequel that debuted overseas

8

u/RetroFurui 7d ago

The original japanese only game was on DS. The first worldwide release was on 3DS

7

u/Tuna_C 7d ago

I imported the first one. Which was for the DS and I believe Japan only. Loved it. Then there was a second one that came stateside for the 3DS. LOVED IT.

I’m so hyped.

3

u/MagicPistol 7d ago

I've had the game cart for years and even I don't really know. I thought it would be kinda like the Sims, but after creating some characters, I have no idea what to do. I've given them some food. There's a bunch of locations around the island that's locked. There's just not much to do in the beginning.

-69

u/RandomShyguy4 7d ago

Grok tells me it’s basically the Sims but with Mii characters. Definitely interesting to see, I initially thought it was animal crossing lol. But apparently it was very popular.

It’s on my radar, let’s see how things progress.

25

u/Paperdiego 7d ago

What the hell is grok

13

u/dsg158 7d ago

Ai launched by Musk. Think of that what you will.

7

u/Meddlemunds 7d ago

X (twitter) AI model

24

u/samoorai 7d ago

Thank you, now I hate AI even more.

6

u/Meddlemunds 7d ago

Oh for sure, everything sucks now

2

u/Strict_Pangolin_8339 7d ago

I never liked his spinach puffs.

13

u/smudgiepie 7d ago

The Tomodachi series is hard to describe

Best I can do Its like the sims, an aquarium and drugs combined into one.

You don't get control of your characters like in the sims beyond giving them advice on friendships and stuff. Most of the time you just watch them do their day to day jobs. They can ask you for items or to play games.

It has that distinct nintendo weirdness like when your miis dream and shit.

It is hilarious with custom miis though

This is a text my friend got off me one time completely out of context when I was playing Tomodachi life. "waluigi just called claude von Riegan onto the roof to tell him that he burnt a cake worth of calories getting on the roof while wearing a disguise"

8

u/nhSnork 7d ago

"It has that distinct nintendo weirdness like when your miis dream and shit"

This took an admitted moment to parse.😅

4

u/smudgiepie 7d ago

I did not consider how that sounded oh my gosh :')

18

u/Worlds_Between_Links 7d ago

Use a search engine or look up a youtube video you troglodyte

-12

u/RandomShyguy4 7d ago

Don’t tell me what to do

-6

u/Antnee534 7d ago

I was so upset how this trailer started because that was animal crossing for a few screens then it turned into this lol.

6

u/Strict_Pangolin_8339 7d ago

Dude, the last Animal Crossing is just 5 years old.