Tomodachi Life Reviews
Tomodachi Life is a unique game. It's a simulation, sure, but the random elements and varying personalities of the Miis keep it from being as straightforward as something conventional like The Sims. It's more of an opportunity to put Miis into a virtual world and play around with them. The players won't always have control, but they'll still have a good time. That said, I can see some people who are craving something more straightforward feeling letdown by the fact that don't have total control over the Miis lives and actions. Overall, I think anyone who takes a chance on this unorthodox property will have a positive experience, and hope Nintendo will build upon this franchise.
Tomodachi Life offers a great kind of humor: it's just fun to laugh at yourself and your friends in absurd situations. Nintendo gets a lot out of mileage out of this Sims-like concept, but still manages to find ways to make it simple, accessible, and entertaining. The stiff, robotic voices could use improvement, but the effect of hearing the Miis speak is still novel in it's own way. The easy-breezy pace makes it ideal for short bursts of play, and it leaves me eager to check in on my town early and often.
Tomodachi Life might not have the lasting appeal of a title like Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but the game certainly offers up an interesting experience
[T]his is a wonderful game that I obviously can't stop playing, and I can't speak highly enough of. Endlessly charming and unusually engaging, Tomodachi Life is a fantastic diversion.
Nintendo's 'Tomodachi Life' is not only one of the most controversial titles in recent memory, but one of the oddest.
Perhaps it was at the point when I saw Chuck Norris doing yoga with Batman, the Joker, and Barack Obama or maybe it was when Princess Peach was rejected by Peter Griffin. At some point while playing Tomodachi Life, I realized how much the game activated my imagination. When I was little, I was never one to play with action figures or make up fake storylines for fictional characters to partake in, but with Tomodachi Life, I have never felt my imagination so stimulated. I feel like I am managing a virtual dollhouse of celebrities; that is okay, because I have never had so much fun planning the daily goings-on of my Miis.
For a hobby that has so many negative connotations associated with it I found Tomodachi Life allowing my kids to express themselves in a positive and creative way. With humour and also learning that fights with their game characters, just as in real life, can be resolved. I can't say it touched us as a family on a deep level – it's not meant to, it's just meant to be fun. But a truly fun and silly video game can be a therapy itself.
Tomodachi Life finds fun in the most mundane of activities, thanks to quirky style that makes hanging out with digital friends surprisingly engrossing.
Tomodachi Life is undeniably charming
Tomodachi Life brings the quirk in spades, but it's not long before the novelty wears off.
Tomodachi Life is more a weird interactive soap than a game, but that doesn't make it any less compulsive. You might not be entranced by the simple, repetitive gameplay, but you'll become embroiled in your Mii's virtual lives, and you'll be surprised, baffled, boggled and bemused by the whole shebang. If you found The Sims or Animal Crossing dull then it's not for you – there's less to achieve and this is even less a game – but for everyone that hates Tomodachi Life there will be others who keep coming back for more.
A bonkers life-sim with bags of personality and lots of charm, the entertaining Tomodachi Life is let down only by its limitations as a gaming experience.
The fact that it's almost impossible to cover every aspect of Tomodachi Life in a single review is perhaps testament to the vast scope of the game. There is so much going on here and so many months of potential enjoyment on offer that this would easily become your most-played 3DS title. But again, that thorny issue remains — is this really a game in the strictest sense? It's closer to being an expanded version of Bandai's famous '90s craze the Tamagotchi, with your main duty being the happiness of your Mii population, rather than any skill-based challenges. In fact, there's precious little skill involved at all — given enough time, you'll be able to see everything this has to offer regardless of how "good" you are at it. Of course, that doesn't make the process any less entertaining or rewarding, but it's worth keeping in mind if you prefer your games to be a little more demanding.Despite concerns regarding its suitability for core gamers, Tomodachi Life is a title which has truly universal appeal; the barrier to entry which exists in many pieces of software — Animal Crossing: New Leaf included — is all but removed here, making this feel more like a casual mobile title. Some will see that as a negative, but under Nintendo's watchful eye, this cookie-cutter concept is expanded and improved almost beyond measure. Tomodachi Life is perhaps best described as the glorious culmination of the Mii concept that was heralded by the release of the Wii back in 2006, and at long last gives your virtual avatar a life of its own — as well as many humorous and entertaining escapades to enjoy.
Ridiculous, hilarious and full of the unique surrealism that Nintendo does so damn well, it's hard not to fall in love with Tomodachi Life and the characters you create. The sedate pace and minimal interaction might not be everyone's cup of tea, but this is guaranteed to be a cult hit. Worth experiencing at least once to see something genuinely funny and unusual, this is the kind of game that reminds you how imaginative Nintendo can be.
You can look inside your characters' minds to see what they're thinking, or even more oddly what they're dreaming (normally involving ninjas and superheroics, obviously).
A life less ordinary.
It is difficult to give Tomodachi Life a direct score, but the game does have the unique Nintendo look, feel and charm. The setup does take some time to progress, and it would require a little effort to truly benefit from the amusing and sometimes surreal moments between friends, family and random celebrities. Having dinner with Shigeru Miyamoto? It is possible. Going out on a romantic beach stroll with Beyoncé? Bit of a "maybe," but still within the realms of 'feasible' in Tomodachi Life. The concept is more of an experience than a game and, as such, is not for everyone - but it is certainly worth a go.
Tomodachi Life has plenty of appealing zaniness and utilizes Nintendo's familiar Miis better than ever before, but the actual gameplay could use some more variety.
Tomodachi Life is more toy than game, but it's an intriguing, colorful, and consistently surprising one.