Back in 2013, I went to my very first Tokyo Game Show alone, with only my trusty 3DS XL to keep me warm. What was I playing on it, you ask? Well, it may surprise you to know that it wasn’t Pokemon or Zelda or any of Nintendo’s big game series. It was none other than Tomodachi Life.
There was something oddly cathartic about being able to create Miis based on real life people like friends and celebrities, or whatever cartoon characters you could think of, and have them all live in a neighborhood together and become friends. You’d be in charge of feeding them, assisting them in forming relationships with each other, and help to resolve conflicts as they arose.
It was also one of the weirdest games I’d ever played. From the disconcerting appearance of the Miis, to the robotic vocaloid nature of their voices, Tomodachi Life was not exactly the kind of game you’d hear a lot of capital G Gamers talking about. When I eventually grew bored of the game, I put it down feeling satisfied and content with the experience I had. I certainly didn’t think Nintendo would make another game like that. It was so freaking weird, after all. But here we are.
In the year of our lord 2026, Nintendo is making another Tomodachi Life game, and it looks just as weird as I remember it. What’s even better is that Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is set to release in April, and Nintendo is so into the idea of this game they’ve even dedicated a whole 20-minute Direct to it.
This Tomodachi Life Direct might be one of the funniest things I’ve seen this month, and this is coming from someone who’s just binged all of The Studio on Apple TV. It starts off simple, with the creation of a Mii named Angie. We follow Angie through the different social interactions you can have in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, such as meeting new people, helping her neighbors connect, and going shopping.
Things take a turn, though, when she meets Patrick and instantly falls in love. She confesses her love, but he rejects her, sending her into a depression spiral. But it’s not all bad, because her good friend Hugh Morris (a man dressed as a clown, and I’m convinced Hugh Morris is supposed to sound like “humorous”) shows up to lift her spirits. Angie looks up at Hugh Morris, stars in her eyes, feeling so grateful and seen and before you know it, she’s in love once again.
This time, Angie plans out her confession carefully. She invites him on the ferris wheel with her. She’s blushing, she can barely get the words out, she’s stuttering. But she does it! She bravely tells him she loves him! Hugh Morris is about to respond, but not before Jess hops into the ferris wheel car with them and tells them to hold it right there, she’s in love with Hugh Morris too. Angie is in shock, but before she can respond, we get another plot twist. Dr. Winters has been hiding under the seats this whole time! And she’s in love with Hugh Morris too!
Hugh Morris is put on the spot as he’s forced to choose one of them. Unfortunately for Angie, he picks Dr. Winters and she is once again depressed. Thankfully, her other good friend Mocha decides to move in with her and the two become happy roommates who are able to support each other in times of need.
From the whole damn soap opera that was the Hugh Morris love square, to the weird and sometimes creepy voices of the Mii (“We haven’t met, have weeeeeee?”), the entire Tomodachi Life Direct had me trying my hardest to stifle my laughter at my office desk. Seriously Nintendo, you have no right being this funny while I’m at work, but I loved every minute of it.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream also represents a step forward for Nintendo in terms of inclusivity and diversity. The original game came under fire for not including same-sex relationships and marriages, and Nintendo had pledged to do better if they ever made another game in the series. With Living the Dream, you’ll now be able to create non-binary characters and also set their dating preferences to male, female, or non-binary. It’s a small step but it’s nice to see Nintendo finally making good on their promise after all these years.
Most of all though, I’m just happy to see that Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is still unapologetically weird as its predecessor. Nintendo certainly hasn’t pulled any punches here or tried to water it down; it’s every bit as unsettling and odd as you remember it, and that’s exactly how it should be. I’ve got high hopes for a lot of the new game releases for 2026, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream ends up stealing all my free time away.
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream will be available for Switch on April 16.
