Level Up Your Mii In Nintendo’s Friend Connection

With only a few weeks until Tomodachi Collection (Friend Connection) comes out in Japan Nintendo started spilling details. On the surface the DS game feels like a mix of The Sims and Animal Crossing.

Players start the game by making or importing a Mii that lives on an island with other Miis. However, you don’t walk around as a Mii. After you set their personality traits and pick clothes the Miis act on their own. You care for them by prying into an apartment complex to feed them and offer clothes. The island can support 100 Miis created by you or obtained from another Tomodachi Collection player.

You earn money for taking care of your Miis which can be spent on… taking care of your Miis. Necessities like meals and clothes cost virtual dollars. Feeding Miis increases their satisfaction level and they really level up.

Interestingly, Tomodachi Collection feels specifically geared towards Japan with items like fortune cats, ramen, and curry rice. There are some Nintendo themed items too like the a legendary looking ocarina. While this is a Japanese release, Nintendo tends to have a more international approach when it comes to game planning. If Tomodachi Collection is planned for other regions it’s going to have to be heavily localized sort of like Personal Trainer: Cooking. I still think Nintendo will localize Tomodachi Collection since they registered a trademark for Friend Connection in Europe.