tomodachi-life game sourced
Tomodachi Life
A Nintendo 3DS life sim in which player-made Mii characters live in an island apartment building, form friendships, quarrels, and romances on their own, and ask the player to solve their problems.
core loop
add Miis to the apartment -> Miis develop friendships, crushes, and quarrels -> they raise problems such as food, clothes, or advice -> solve problems to fill happiness and earn money -> level-up gifts and new island venues unlock -> couples marry and have children
design notes
The player is an omnipotent observer who cannot control Miis directly and instead answers their requests, so most of the comedy comes from autonomous pairings and quarrels among Miis whose looks, names, voices, and personalities the player designed. Key relationship changes pass through player consent: the player approves a confession before it happens and resolves fights indirectly. The apartment holds up to 100 Miis, and a filled happiness meter levels a Mii up and earns it a present, so care is paced by a stream of small templated problems rather than decaying meters.
relations
8 stored edgesRelationship values
Miis form friendships and conflicts on their own; pairs can grow closer, fall into fights, or break up, and the player intervenes only indirectly.
Romance and family
Opposite-gender friends of similar age may develop crushes; the player approves the confession, couples can marry and have a child who later moves in or leaves via StreetPass.
Villager requests
Miis raise problems such as wanting a food or outfit, needing relationship advice, or asking for a minigame; solving them raises happiness and pays money.
Milestone unlocks
Adding Miis and completing objectives unlocks shops, an amusement park, a concert hall, a café, and other venues.
Personality traits
Each Mii receives a personality at creation that shapes its behavior.
Real-time clock
Island time follows the 3DS clock; at night the player can listen to sleeping Miis' dreams.