While Nintendo has generally shied away from the mobile market with their content, but last year they finally announced that they would be bringing mobile games to Android devices, starting with their very first official offering called Miitomo, which was also announced late last year and was stated to get a launch in March. As of today and right on schedule, Nintendo has launched Miitomo for Android in Japan, with other regions soon to follow. For users in Japan who are already able to get their hands on the application, special rewards were to be handed out for use within the app if pre-registration was completed, which included creating a Nintendo account prior to the launch. While the app isn’t quite available here in the U.S., the upside is that means users will still have some time to set up a Nintendo account and likely get the pre-registration rewards.
If this is the first you’re hearing of Nintendo’s first official mobile app, Miitomo isn’t technically a game and is rather more of a social application that has a few game-like elements. With Miitomo, users are able to create a Mii avatar similar to those found on the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Wii U, and they can use those avatars to interact with friends around them. The Mii’s in Miitomo can be customized with different outfits and looks, and you can talk to your Mii and they will talk back as they ask you questions about details such as where your favorite place to eat might be.
Once your Mii has been created and you have answered some of those questions, your Mii can talk to your friends’ Miis and they will sort of have their own little conversations. Miitomo also includes a mini game called Miitomodrop that lets you drop your Mii into a playing field and you can earn in-game items like clothing and other outfit pieces. You’ll also be able to create a series of different images called Miifotos where you can insert your Mii character into some pretty hilarious situations. If you live or are currently residing in Japan, you can head to the Play Store and download the app now.
