“Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream” isn’t a game you can binge for hours straight. Sure, I played it for many hours during my review, but most players will probably just check on their Miis daily instead of spending too long at a time.
Once your island has a few dozen created characters living there, the game shifts from rapid progress to a daily routine. You’ll want to visit often to see what’s happening and to fulfill your Miis’ needs.
Check the Fountain Donations
In the center of your island stands a fountain where your residents drop coins each day. Every morning, you can collect the accumulated money—usually a couple hundred of your local currency, increasing as more Miis live on your island.
Tip: If you’re planning to upgrade your island, you might need to achieve a certain rank first to access the donation collection plate in the morning.
Visit All the Shops
With your earnings, you can visit the supermarket, clothing stores, and furniture shops. You’ll find new stock items and food daily, and once a product is in your shop, it stays there forever—so you won’t miss out on favorites.
Hit the Afternoon Market
This market isn’t open all the time like other stores. Instead, you can visit twice daily to look for limited-edition goods, from rare foods to unique outfits in new colors, often at discounted prices.
Watch for daily mystery bags, which are always worth it. They can contain anything from new clothes and foods to decorating items for your Miis’ homes.
Make Sure Everyone Is Happy
Your island’s residents are unpredictable. Sometimes they just want a snack, need a new outfit, or even have fallen for someone nearby. The urgency of their needs is shown by colored bubbles: yellow for minor needs, orange for more important ones, pink when they’re in love, and purple if they’re dreaming.
Tip: Many times, just placing Miis close to each other can trigger events like new friendships or even love stories. Sometimes, major surprises happen, making this a fun daily activity.
Take Relationships Into Your Own Hands
Relationships develop even when you’re not actively playing, but interaction speeds things up. Spending a few minutes each day pairing Miis together can lead to spontaneous hangouts, new crushes, or surprise cutscenes you haven’t seen before.
Check the News
Your island’s news station updates daily with funny reports. While they don’t offer rewards, these updates often make for good laughs. Keep in mind, you’ll need to clear out old reports as the game limits how many can be stored at once.
Play Some Minigames
The minigames can get repetitive after a while—bowling, coin spins, or quizzes. However, they’re quick to play, and winning can earn you rare items that trigger unique interactions with your Miis.
Sell Things You Don’t Need
You might gather trinkets and rare items from minigames that sell for hundreds of coins at the pawn shop. Even items you lose or find useless can be sold for a small profit, turning your losses into gains.
Make More Miis
Creating a new Mii each day until you reach the cap of 70 is a good habit. List the characters you want to add—whether they’re your favorites, celebrities, or real people—and work through them gradually. Growing your island unlocks new features and options, making the game more fun and engaging.
