Skip to main content

Tomodachi Life

My best friend’s wife married his brother and they had a baby.
Tomodachi Life Game Cover
72%Game Brain Score
humor, gameplay
story, music
79% User Score Based on 40 reviews
Critic Score 71%Based on 18 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo 3ds
View Game
Tomodachi Life Game Cover

About

Tomodachi Life is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Nintendo SPD Production Group No. 1 and was released on April 18, 2013. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Tomodachi Life is a communication game for the 3DS in which players can convert their Miis into Tomodachis (or create new ones) and put them in a wide range of scenarios ranging from charming to utterly ridiculous. A key feature of the game is its text-to-speech tech which outputs user generated text as computerized speech in seven languages (EFIGS, Japanese and Korean).

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Tomodachi Life screenshot
Skip User Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews
humor8 positive mentions
  • Tomodachi Life is a fun and entertaining life simulation game that allows players to create and interact with unique Miis, leading to humorous and unexpected scenarios.
  • The game features a variety of engaging activities, including mini-games, character interactions, and the ability to customize Miis, which keeps the gameplay fresh and enjoyable.
  • It offers a light-hearted and relaxing experience, making it suitable for players of all ages, especially children, who can enjoy the whimsical nature of the game.
  • The game is region-locked, making it incompatible with certain 3DS consoles, which can lead to frustration for players who are unaware of this limitation.
  • Many players have reported issues with the game cartridge not being recognized or arriving broken, leading to a poor initial experience and the need for returns or refunds.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive over time, with some players feeling that the lack of a clear objective or storyline limits long-term engagement.
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as intentionally hilarious, featuring quirky elements like rap battles, absurd word associations, and amusing character dreams that contribute to its zany charm. Players appreciate the randomness and oddity of events, although some find the novelty wears off over time, leading to a repetitive experience if the humor doesn't resonate. Overall, the game offers a mix of consistently funny moments and relaxing gameplay, appealing to those who enjoy its unique comedic style.

    • “I'm pretty sure it was intentional, but at places this game is hilarious.”
    • “Highlights for me so far are the rap battles that happen in the evening between characters (where my Mii likened himself to a rapping fridge), word association battles (where the items chosen by characters seem to have no association to each other), and you can even sometimes enter a character's dreams which are always funny and random (my favorite involves a character being a piece of seaweed at the bottom of the sea).”
    • “As well as this, Mii News releases a bulletin at 7 AM and PM, which are normally very random and funny.”
  • gameplay
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is described as humorously weird and relaxing, allowing for extensive character customization and unique interactions, such as shipping characters. While players enjoy the creative freedom and engaging mechanics, there are calls for more customization options and features like same-sex marriage. Overall, it offers a fun and engaging experience, though some players wish for more frequent gameplay variety.

    • “It's a nice way to break up the gameplay, but it doesn't happen all too often.”
    • “I played over 70 hours of this; I made various human characters and even watched a humanized version of Rarity from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic get married. You can basically ship characters you like with this. This game is probably one of my favorite 3DS games of all time.”
    • “[Humorously weird, relaxing gameplay, trying to collect every item on the island.]”
    • “I had to buy this as my download copy got completely corrupted by a faulty 3DS SD card, losing 70 hours of gameplay. I played over 70 hours of this, made various human characters, and even a humanized version of Hitler. I watched Hank Hill and a humanized version of Rarity from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic get married. You can basically ship characters you like with this, but I just wish it had more customization and gay marriage.”
    • “[Humorously weird, relaxing gameplay, trying to collect every item on the island].”
  • story
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is characterized by its lack of a traditional main plot, allowing players to enjoy a continuous cycle of watching Miis grow and engage in various programmed activities, which many find appealing.

    • “The beauty of this game lies in its lack of a real main plot, creating a never-ending cycle of watching Miis grow up and engage in their programmed activities.”
    • “The storytelling is incredibly immersive, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters as they navigate their unique lives.”
    • “Each character's journey feels personal and engaging, making every interaction meaningful and memorable.”
    • “The story feels disjointed and lacks a cohesive narrative, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “Character development is minimal, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters.”
    • “The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real emotional impact.”
  • music
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is praised for its diverse genres and ability to enhance the overall experience, with players appreciating the option to customize their soundtrack. Many reviews highlight how the music complements the gameplay, creating an immersive atmosphere that resonates with the game's themes. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that adds significant value to the gaming experience.

    • “The soundtrack is incredibly diverse, featuring a wide range of genres that perfectly complement the gameplay.”
    • “Each track is expertly crafted, enhancing the emotional experience and immersing players in the game's world.”
    • “The music not only sets the tone but also dynamically changes with the gameplay, creating a truly engaging atmosphere.”
    • “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The audio quality is subpar, with some tracks sounding muffled and poorly mixed.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by heartwarming moments, such as players experiencing milestones like moving into a house together and having a baby, which can evoke strong feelings and even bring players to tears.

    • “They will have a house to themselves, and much later on, they will have a baby together, which is very heartwarming and made my sister tear up when her Mii-self had a baby.”
    • “The emotional depth of the characters really resonated with me, making their struggles and triumphs feel incredibly real.”
    • “I was genuinely moved by the storyline; it brought back memories of my own experiences and made me reflect on my relationships.”
Skip Critic Reviews

71%Critics’ scoreBased on 18 critic reviews

70h Median play time
70h Average play time
70-70h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs
Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Tomodachi Life

Games Like Tomodachi Life

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Image
91%154reviews

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

2020Open World Simulation
Nintendo Switch
Youtubers Life Image
77%14.1kreviews

Youtubers Life

2017Casual Simulation
LinuxPCMac OS+2
Dandelion: Wishes Brought to You Image
85%606reviews

Dandelion: Wishes Brought to You

2014Simulation
PCMac OSWindows
Kynseed Image
84%2.7kreviews

Kynseed

2022Open World Role Playing
PCSteam DeckWindows
The Sims 3 ImageThe Sims 3 ImageThe Sims 3 Image
85%17.1kreviews

The Sims 3

2011Casual Role Playing
Playstation 3Xbox 360PC+9
More games like Tomodachi Life
Skip Game News

Surprise! Tomodachi Life's 3DS Soundtrack Has Been Added To Nintendo Music

February 3 on nintendolife.com

The Gays Are Ready And Willing To Take Over Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream

January 30 on thegamer.com

Tomodachi Life Living the Dream finally lets you be queer

January 30 on stevivor.com

Random: Bubbles Or Hugh? The Tomodachi Life Nintendo Direct May Have Been Different In Your Region

January 30 on nintendolife.com

Tomodachi Life Sequel Limits Image-Sharing, Expands Inclusivity

January 29 on insider-gaming.com

All the details from the Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Direct!

January 29 on gaming-age.com

Devs promise to fix my biggest gripe with Tomodachi Life in latest Nintendo Direct

January 29 on videogamer.com

Nintendo fulfills a 12-year-old promise by bringing non-binary characters and queer relationships to Tomodachi Life, and immediately breaks hearts by killing the game's screenshot-sharing features

January 29 on gamesradar.com
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Tomodachi Life is a role playing game with comedy theme.

Tomodachi Life is available on Nintendo 3ds.

On average players spend around 70 hours playing Tomodachi Life.

Tomodachi Life was released on April 18, 2013.

Tomodachi Life was developed by Nintendo SPD Production Group No. 1.

Tomodachi Life has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its humor but disliked it for its story.

Tomodachi Life is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Youtubers Life, Dandelion: Wishes Brought to You, Kynseed, The Sims 3 and others.