Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is less of a game and more of a reality TV show where you work on set. You’ll create the members of its cast and support them from the sidelines, but you won’t have much control over the important decisions your Miis make. It’s a really fun premise if you’re willing to leave things up to the Tomodachi gods, but if you’re a Sims or Animal Crossing fan trying out the series for the first time, you might be thrown off by how seemingly random everything is. Similarly, if you’re not an artist, the game’s customization features might come across as intimidating.
While there’s technically no right way to play Tomodachi Life, there is a right way if you want to have fun, and it mostly involves just chilling the hell out about these things. As someone who was very locked in on the original 3DS Tomodachi Life back in its heyday, here are my tips for getting the most out of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.
Treat it like a TV show
There won’t always be a problem to solve or a Mii to feed in Tomodachi Life, and that’s okay! Revel in the enjoyment of watching your Miis run around the island, and make sure to zoom in on them to see what they’re up to. Sometimes you’ll find them drawing each other in the sand, gossiping, or doing aerobics.
Take breaks
Unlike a lot of traditional cozy games, Tomodachi Life is meant to be played for short periods of time. Don’t expect to play this game in 10-hour marathon sessions without getting bored — instead, check in daily for new items in the shops, and pop back in a few times per day if you’re eager to solve extra Mii problems.
Expand your collection
One of the main appeals of the Tomodachi Life series is how many items there are to collect, and Living the Dream definitely doesn’t cut corners here. If you include color variants, this game has an impressive 9,814 items to collect, and trying to find them all is a great way to keep things exciting (especially when you’re stuck playing the same minigame for the hundredth time).
Give your Miis anything and everything
Unlike in the original Tomodachi Life, Miis can now be given treasures alongside the usual goods, and this opens up a bunch of possibilities. Giving your Miis the Shiny Beads or Koala Plush you have lying around can lead to some pretty entertaining conversations and other scenarios. Try it!
Customize everything (even if you’re bad at art)
If you’ve been online at all over the past few days, I’m sure you’ve been bombarded with Tomodachi Life masterpieces that might make the game’s customization feel a little intimidating. But even if you’re not an artist, it’s fun to give it a good shot. My Mii adores the horrible pet borzoi I drew for them, and I’m pleased to report that I now adore it, too, even if it’s a little hideous.
Take advantage of TomodachiShare for easy Mii-making
The game’s Mii customization can be equally intimidating, especially if you’re hoping to create realistic clones of your favorite fictional characters. If you’re looking for help, it’s worth checking out the website TomodachiShare. It’s a great place to find step-by-step Mii tutorials, and it’s how I was able to put an unexpectedly realistic Isabelle from Animal Crossing onto my island.
Just go with the flow
Miis are naturally going to make some pretty wacky decisions, and they’re oftentimes going to end up with crushes that might not be canon to the media they’re from or whatever. The best thing you can do is go with the flow: say yes to Miis’ relationship inquiries, encourage them to meet each other, and just let your island devolve into chaos.