Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream review – Wonderfully stupid

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A star rating of 4 out of 5.

When I was a kid, I was a huge Nintendo fan because they always tried new and unique things.

The Nintendo logo always signaled something unique and a little bit different, whether it was the games they created or the consoles they were played on.

Nintendo Switch games are still excellent, but lately they’ve lacked some of the quirky charm Nintendo is known for. Thankfully, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream brings that wonderfully strange magic back.

If you haven’t played Tomodachi Life, think of it like The Sims, but instead of creating realistic people, you’re using Miis – those customizable avatars from Nintendo.

In Living the Dream, you become the ruler of a desert island! You can design it how you like and then populate it with your custom-made Mii characters, watching them live their lives and explore their new home.

The Living the Dream demo has quickly become popular online, with players showcasing incredible creativity by featuring celebrities, characters from other stories, and more in their creations, which have been widely shared on social media.

From the strangely intimate interactions between Sam and Higgs in Death Stranding, to Hatsune Miku casually mentioning “old man yaoi,” Tomodachi Life surprisingly delivers some wonderfully silly and absurd humor.

I know it’s silly, but I’m really enjoying watching the Miis in this game argue and talk about mature topics. As soon as I’m allowed to share, I’ll be sending screenshots to all my friends!

Now, your Mii characters are much more lifelike! They can fall in love, get married, and even start families.

As you progress, you’ll unlock new mechanics for your island, such as new shops and new activities.

The game doesn’t just offer more clothes and decorations for your Mii characters; it also expands what they can do and gives them more to chat about.

Everyone enjoys games in their own way, but I think Tomodachi Life is best played in short bursts rather than long sessions. It’s not really designed for hours of continuous play.

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It’s more fun to play in short bursts – around 30 to 40 minutes a day. Just check on your characters, make small improvements to your island, and enjoy watching their silly behavior, like watching a group of playful, but not very bright, puppies.

More than many games, Tomodachi Life is built for certain types of players, and less so for others.

Tomodachi Life is quite simple and doesn’t hold your hand. It’s a bit like modern art – you get out of it what you put in. The game offers a basic framework, and it’s up to you to create the experience.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is incredibly charming, and I was completely captivated by it.

This game is incredibly funny, with hilarious writing and wildly dramatic cutscenes. It’s a really enjoyable experience now, and it’s sure to become even better as more people start playing.

This game delivers the wonderfully strange and creative experiences I’ve always loved from classic Nintendo titles, and it’s just as enjoyable now as it would have been when I was a kid.

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This game isn’t going to appeal to all players. It lacks a traditional story or exciting action, so if you need those elements in a game, you likely won’t enjoy it.

I enjoy this game, but I don’t think I’ll become as completely absorbed in it as I did with games like Animal Crossing in the past.

I realize Tomodachi Life isn’t really made for someone like me, and that’s okay. I appreciate that it’s been carefully designed for those who will truly enjoy it.

If you’ve been a fan of Tomodachi Life for over ten years and hoping for a sequel, you’re in luck! Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream delivers everything you wanted and is even better. I can’t wait to see all the funny and crazy things players create with it.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream releases on Nintendo Switch consoles on 16 April 2026.

Authors

Alex RaisbeckGaming writer

Alex Raisbeck writes about video games for TopMob, covering both big-name titles and smaller independent games. He’s also contributed to well-known gaming publications like VideoGamer, GamesRadar+, PC Gamer, and PCGamesN.

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2026-04-15 15:36