Submitted by Marshall Walker on
Nintendo's first mobile game, Miitomo, is hard to review (especially since it is so new). It is a communication app where you create a mobile Mii character (or import an existing one from your Wii U or 3DS) to interact with other players. You do this by building a base personality for your Mii and then answering questions about yourself. When your Mii is finally completed he/she will share your answers with other Mii characters that you invite to be your friends. That's basically it. You can earn Miitomo coins to spend on additional clothes and accessories, and link your Miitomo account to Nintendo's new Platinum Points rewards program.
If you have ever created a Mii on the Wii, Wii U or 3DS then you should be used to the creation screen. You can pick your gender, hairstyle, face shape and so on. All the options are basic Mii-shapes, but it's eerie how simple it is to create a cartoon character that actually looks like you. There is even a voice creation screen where you can adjust the Pitch, Speed, Depth, Accent and Energy of how you speak. This is probably the best part of Miitomo app. You can make your Mii speak in all types of weird voices as you play with the controls. Finally you can use the same type of controls to adjust your Mii's personality. Don't worry if you mess up your Mii, you can edit him/her or create multiple Mii characters.
After your Mii is created you meet yourself and begin answering questions. You can then link your Miitomo app to your Facebook or Twitter to find friends, visit the shop and edit things like your personal greetings.
The customization is interesting because it has the potential to be a hot mess. This shouldn't be a huge problem since your Mii does not interact with everyone using the app, only people you invite or meet face-to-face, but you can make your Mii say anything you want. Whatever you type as your greeting or answers your Mii will speak. You can use up to 60 characters for your greeting and send-offs. I can only imagine what horrible things people will have their Miis spewing once they discover this feature.
The shop includes outfits and accessories that are always available and clothes that expire daily. There are also familiar Nintendo related items, such as Mario's hat, and lots of weird things you can buy. You earn coins to spend in the shop by completing tasks, like answering your first question.
Miitomo seems like it will be best enjoyed if you have an existing Nintendo account. You can only complete My Nintendo Missions and earn Platinum Points if you sync the app to your account. The app also only work if your friends on other social networking sites are using the app. My Mii has been wandering around bored for an hour with no one to talk to.
Newest iPhone FAQs
Miitomo is available now for free on the App Store. It supports all devices running iOS 7.0 or later, and it can be enjoyed by anyone, even if you don't have a Nintendo console.