Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream! Thoughts

30 Apr, 2026

Very hyped when it was announced - I was late to Tomodachi Life on the 3DS, but I have an extremely fond memory of getting it before I went on a trip (to use up COVID travel vouchers or something). I think there was Wi-Fi but I planned to be offline anyways, and after we got to our accommodation in the afternoon, I spent the rest of the day putting all my lovely OCs in it. I don't think of that time in my life in general as a particularly great one, so I'm glad I have a memory like this from there.

Anyways, I didn't think I would pre-order, but I played the demo and I was like. Well. I also got to show it off to my friend who was working the day it was released lol (I think I successfully convinced her to get it too). I've played a good 50 hours as of right now so I wanted to ponder about it.

Love

• Being able to watch my Miis live out their lives - I loved checking out those bubbles that would pop up over places like the park or observation tower in the 3DS game and see my Miis do random stuff like play with their gifts or hang out with friends. It was sadly limited to particular places, but on the Switch I can now watch them 24/7! (living up to the 'Eye in the Sky' nickname I chose, intending for it to be temporary but I think I'll keep it for real. It makes me think of Terraria's Eye of Cthulhu).
• Very customisable Miis, but also still Mii-like options - I guess the fear was from Switch Sports when Miis were replaced by another kind of guy. But like Miitopia, they kept the Mii which I'm pleased, and with new additions tried to keep with it which I really like. And I like how there's the option to go crazy with customising (face paint) too.
• Miis being Miis - Basically like, being a little childish, naive, etc. I cannot tell you how much of a parental urge I felt when I saw my Miis play tag with each other. I also love how if you levelled up a Mii in a group and you're giving them a present, if you let it hover over another Mii, they'll put out their hands for it. It's not for you!!
• Island Dictionary - I didn't think I would care too much about it, but it's grown on me. Yes, I want to make my Miis talk about Kiriko Yukoku, being bad at video games, and a clay pot.
• Island Customisation - Well, it's mostly because I like being able to add in stuff that Miis can interact with... But it's still cool that I can make a little hangout spot or put out some seasonal decor to my liking, and especially add in your own creations. Now all my Miis will know who Memetchi is.
• A little more input over Mii identities and relationships - Very happy about this, like for example I can finally put my nonbinary OCs in a Tomodachi Life game!!!
• Removing some other parts of Mii identities - Like last names. A lot of my OCs do not have last names, and same with a lot of video game characters I like...
• Super cute random events - My favourites are thanking a particular Mii roommate and when two Miis with guitars present you with a duet. Also just got an event (otaku meet-up) and they were gushing about Bradley Bain lmfao I love it.

Strange

• Random restrictions to customisation - I first noticed this when I tried to get heterochromia on my MonHun player Mii, but they didn't have the option?? I suppose I could use face paint, but I thought that was kinda weird anyways. Then, as I was making other Miis, I noticed that some of the fringe/back styles in the sets were not in the separate categories (for example, you couldn't use a particular fringe from a set to mix with a different back). Weird.
• Roommates I like the roommate idea, but I feel like its execution isn't really great. For example, I don't really like how even if two Miis move in together into one home, the general area at the bottom is automatically set to the max of 8, which kinda makes it seem a little lonely... I'm also a little sad how the rooftop balcony disappears once you add more than 2 people in a single home - it's cute! I also kinda wish there were like marriage homes or something like that for married Miis. Honestly, I didn't think this was gonna be a big deal because I personally don't care much for marriage IRL, but it's mainly because it gets a bit hard trying to figure out rooming situations when one half of a couple wants to room with someone else because then I'm dealing with two people (because spouses automatically move together), and right now on my island it's basically the same ~10 or so people moving in and out with each other at an honestly daily rate (I guess it's my fault for encouraging them to move so frequently anyways lol, but they could also make the prompt happen less so?). Because other roommates seem to accept whoever else comes along/leaves, it really doesn't matter that much but that feels sad to me. Also I feel like it would be cute anyways to have something tangible for married couples to hang out in and whatever.
• Babies/Children of Miis The reason why I mentioned the marriage homes in prev point was because I feel like the babies/children part was very quick and whatever? I've only had one couple have a baby so far, but it was basically a photo album scene like the 3DS version, but unlike the 3DS version, you don't get the little minigames taking care of the baby at first, which I liked lol. I reckon though a marriage home/similar would probably work with taking care of the baby minigames, though I can also dream of housemates also taking turns to care for it... I also really liked how with the 3DS version, the children of Miis can be sent off to live elsewhere, but instead of being turned to nothing they basically became Tomodachi Life's Streetpass gimmick as explorers which I thought was cool. But in the Switch version, you can still send them off, but it's basically done after that. Mii parents in the 3DS version were similarly indifferent to their kids after they left so I don't mind that part, but I yearn for the novelty of them returning for a bit every so often/hearing back from them. I know the Switch doesn't have Streetpass (and the game doesn't let you share screenshots directly!), but I think it would've been cool if they had something like the kid sends back a letter or postcard from time to time (maybe they do! but I haven't gotten to that part yet...). That would be nice...
• Level Up Gifts - Don't get me wrong, I really love the idea of the little quirks and giving my Miis some more stuff to do around the island. And expressions I guess¹. But I feel like the progression/pacing of unlocking types of gifts kinda ruins it a little for me since I am particular about what to give (so my fault lmfao). Out of the types of gifts (presents, little quirks, expressions, and Kid-o-Matic), I only tend to really want to give a couple from the former three (for personality reasons, and I Do Not Care about Kid-o-Matic - see next point) but you have to wait until level 10 happiness to be able to give more flexible/wider-ranging gifts like clothes and pocket money. I'm guessing you can just delete certain presents when all spots are filled but it just kinda frustrates me that that's a thing! Especially when the spots can also be taken up by treasures and creations you give to your Miis! So once I'm done giving what I definitely want to give a particular Mii (which usually cap at about 4-7, I'm having to think really hard about what kind of gift to give, which is kinda annoying to me. A mainly me issue, but still. But it's also good that it's a temporary thing (just need to get everyone past level 10 happiness!).
• Why is Kid-o-Matic its own level-up gift?? I mean, I could do away with it entirely, but at least I wouldn't mind it being a gift within presents or something, but to take up 1/6 of the kinds of level-up gifts is crazy to me... Also it being unlockable before CLOTHES (as a level-up gift). Be serious.
• Australia/NZ = British?? Like I've never used the word naff nor have I heard anyone around me use it...
• Touchscreen during Mii creation - I find it a little strange that you can use the touchscreen for the first part (appearance), but not for the rest (height and size, voice, etc.). Especially with the slide options because I always forget and am tapping the screen incessantly until I realise. Idk.
• Wishing Fountain - I like the freedom of being able to choose what you want first. But you still need certain levels to access certain things anyways, and at this point in the game where I've unlocked and gotten what I've wanted, I find it annoying to go back in and get the rest of the stuff. Also, because now there's nothing I really want to get from the fountain, I don't check in to empty the happiness bottle that often so when I do, it takes like a minute before I can access the selection lol.
• Smaller daily selection for stores - Another comparison to the 3DS game, but I'm sad there's not as many daily options at the supermarket, clothing store, and reno store (where it's actually a weekly thing...). It's not that big of a problem since Tomodachi Life is meant to be played for a long time, but I guess not as exciting to check out the stores daily, especially when your supermarket keeps having 1/4 of the options something you've already bought this early in the game!

Ok, this kinda looks like a negative, 'airing my grievances' kind of post, but I honestly really like Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream and am enjoying my time with it! Because honestly a lot of the Strange points are just nitpicks/personal preferences and not game-ruining (I can really just ignore it). The most enjoyable part of it is just to simply go about my own life just like my Miis are in game and see all the funny changes that happen as time progresses, so I'm looking forward to all that!