Tomodachi Life is an adored game series that truly blossomed into a nostalgic classic. It started in 2009 with a Japan-only version named Tomodachi Collection, and then came Nintendo’s international release of Tomodachi Life for the Nintendo 3DS in 2013 (Japan) and 2014 (North America and Europe).

Nintendo has always had the iconic concept of Miis, cute cartoon-looking creatures that resembles humans in looks and behavior. In the Tomodachi series, we get to play a goofy life sim where we create and take care of Miis, each having their own food tastes, clothing preferences, personalities, and so forth.

Like many others, I grew up with Tomodachi Life, and I still play the 2014 release to this day on my trusty Nintendo 3DS. When Nintendo answered our wishes after over a decade with a first look on the sequel, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, I brimmed with joy and got it as an early birthday gift.

It has been roughly four months since the release of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream. It received both hype and skepticism right away, especially from those who grew up with the game series. So the question that remains is… “Is Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream worth playing today?”

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Customization
One of the first features that was majorly recognized was the customization improvements of a Mii. You can now dye hair in the Mii creation menu instead of having to obtain hair dye spray like in the 3DS version, combine details from other presets in order to create a diverse look, and have unnatural skin tones for more original Miis. I thought this was a great addition to the slightly limited 3DS Mii customization. It felt like you could pour out your creativity more, with new hairstyles, eyes, nose shapes… even ears for Miis to have!

The customization also went beyond looks. When it came to identity, Nintendo delivered new features that were highly requested by the fan community. In the Switch sequel, you can now create non-binary Miis, as well as edit their dating preferences, making it possible for them to have LGBTQ+ relationships. The Nintendo team had also improved the family system to prevent relatives from accidentally falling in love with each other, a complicated issue in the 3DS version.

All in all, there are nothing but positives with the customization, new features and additional improvements alike.

Creation Tool
The Creation tool is a feature in Tomodachi: Living the Dream that is one of a kind. With the creation tools, you can draw anything to life. Miis’ personal belongings, clothing, foods and drinks, pets, landscapes… even Miis themselves. Something that YouTubers and Twitch streamers would do was to sit down with the brand new Creation tool and draw detailed Miis for literal hours!

However, I must admit that this limitless tool has its cons as well. I liked it initially, as it gives the player a lot of freedom to create a truly unique island. As time went on, I started feeling pressured to create things, especially when a Mii had a specific request. It became less of a fun activity and more of a chore. I have read others saying that it became an even bigger hassle for the ones who aren’t artistic or simply did not wish to have to use the Creation tool, which I understand and agree with.

A simple solution to this could be to have it toggled on/off in the Settings, so one wouldn’t have to be worried about the next Mii’s request being to have something uniquely made by the player. It is quite time consuming, so I am not entirely enthusiastic about the Creation tool.

Gameplay
The gameplay is… interesting. It is clear that Nintendo is going for an entirely new dynamic, with the gameplay being much more idle in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.

In a single sentence, I would describe the gameplay as a quirky sitcom. As the player, there is not much to do after creating your Miis and designing the island that they live on, so you mostly observe your Miis’ daily lives. The experience is very relation-based, with most situations and cutscenes being about Mii relationships and friendships, which is a contrast to the unexpected, practical gameplay of Tomodachi Life on the 3DS.

There are missing features from the 3DS version that were loved by the fans, for example how you could have your Miis perform songs (with or without edited lyrics) at a music hall, where the title “Living the Dream” also originates from. Another example would be the meaningful mini-events you could do together with your Miis, such as Judgement Bay at the Beach and playing a pixel-RPG at the Amusement park in the evenings.

Two other things I have mixed opinions about are the Mii limit and removed filters.

The maximum limit for Miis in this sequel is 70, whilst being 100 on the 3DS release. After experiencing how long it takes to create Miis and various items through the Creation tool, it is understandable in a way. Another thing I was curious about was the fact that the Nintendo team had completely removed all verbal filters, but after playing around, I realized that the unhinged dictionary my Miis now had were worse than the censored Tomodachi Life on 3DS. It doesn’t make the Switch release very family friendly, and it was not a worthy deal to make at the cost of removing online gameplay because of the vulgarity that a random island may or may not have.

The gameplay is lacking in a lot of aspects because of this new system of observation rather than immersion. Instead of calling Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream a direct sequel, it’s feels fitting to call it a new game of its own.

Final Thoughts
The Tomodachi game series has a nostalgic place in my heart. Tomodachi Life on the Nintendo 3DS was so addicting, I could barely wait for the next day to see what would unfold. Would there be a new love blooming between two Miis? What kind of funny songs would I want to write for my Miis’ solos or groups? Do I feel like adding a specific Mii to cause peace or chaos? How about letting my Miis decide on what to do the entire day, creating havoc for me to solve?

None of these thoughts were there with Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream. I have played the game since its release on April 16 2026, sometimes taking a small break from it because of the predictable Mii interactions, lack of varied gameplay, and time consuming designing… and even after coming back from a week’s break, the save file would remain almost the same as when I left it.

Although Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream has additions I appreciate, such as the expanded Mii customization options, I would not be able to recommend the sequel. It is good for creative gamers who enjoy taking their time to design a sandbox island at the cost of good gameplay, but otherwise, buy Tomodachi Life on the Nintendo 3DS if you’d like the full experience.

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Have you given the Tomodachi game series a try yourself? Whether on 3DS or Switch, which version do you enjoy? What clicks with you and what doesn’t? I’d be happy to read any thoughts from fellow Tomodachi fans!