JRPG’s have never been quite my style. I could never get invested into games like Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy (probably due to being a Pokemon kid). But Nintendo’s Miitopia has done something for me that even Pokemon has never managed to do: let me put famous political figures against each other in a fantastical, magic-filled RPG battle.
Coming May 26th is the newest version of Nintendo’s Miitopia, but until then, they’ve given us the free demo to start on. Progress made during the demo will automatically transfer to the full version once you’ve purchased it.
Miitopia is a simple, “baby’s first JRPG”. You make use of the Nintendo Switch’s ‘mii’ creation system to make a cast of characters in a basic fantasy setting. Most players will create a cast around their family’s set of Mii’s. The allure of Miitopia is getting to insert people you’re close to into that sort of story. Kids are able to see their personas become wizards and warriors, battling against the evil ‘Dad’.
When checking it out, I made use of Miitopia’s gimmick the only way I knew how. I was cackling as soon as I’d realized I could use the same Mii multiple times for different Miitopia characters. Pretty soon, the Hero, Chef Obama, set off with his friend Warrior Obama to defeat the Dark Lord Obama. And there were still many new Obamas to meet.
One unique aspect I enjoyed about Miitopia was its relationship system. Many JRPG’s have one, but I enjoyed Miitopia’s simplicity. Whenever you stayed at an inn, you could set a couple Mii’s to be roommates. Doing so would raise their relationship level. There are many things high relationships can do, like extra attacks, healing, and more. Neglecting a relationship could sometimes breed resentment. This would result in debuffs instead, making the player desire cooperation and peace amongst their party. Incentivizing peace is a cute mechanic that maybe more games could work towards. Though be careful, if you’re like me, you might become alienated by the possibly incestuous notion of two Obamas raising their relationship levels together.
The combat in Miitopia is turn-based. You can select one of three basic actions: Attack, Skills/Magic, and Snacks. This makes the combat very easy to digest. Players of any age would be able to understand what does what without much difficulty. As what would often be an introduction to the JRPG genre, this simple design serves that purpose well. Combat is also integrated with the relationship meters far more than expected. Characters with high relationships are sometimes able to use random, special abilities to aid you in combat. It can create cool little moments where your characters come together when they’re in a tight spot. Making the characters connect with each other in combat can help the player feel a lot more invested in the characters and relationships they’ve developed, making the game as a whole far more enjoyable than initially expected.
Miitopia is a great game for all ages. You can sit down and crank out a couple battles and manage a relationship or two all in one short session. It’s a great casual introduction to the genre and I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would. It’s a pretty quick download and I’d recommend it to just about anybody looking to kill a bit of time.
Check Out the Miitopia Nintendo Switch Trailer:
Miitopia launches in stores, in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch and on Nintendo.com on May 21 at a suggested retail price of $49.99. A free demo is available.
For more information, please visit the game’s website.
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My name is Devon Huge. I'm passionate about writing, art, games, and lists that are one item too long.
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