Once upon a time, there was a Mii named Albert Wesker. He moved into an apartment building on a wonderful little island run by a lookalike of the island’s first inhabitant, Sam. Wesker wore a pink lab coat because the white ones hadn’t shown up in the store yet, made friends, and spent his free time singing about the Umbrella Corporation at the island Concert Hall.

Wesker made a lot of friends, although none was as close as his best friend, Professor Hershel Layton.

He and Layton hung out often, but they had many other friends as well. All of the islanders accepted Wesker. If someone needed help, he was there! His heroics even made it onto Mii News, right up there with announcements about avocado makers and baked bean thefts.

Of course, it wasn’t all fun and games. Sometimes he and his friends disagreed. Sometimes they even fought. He and Juniper Woods once screamed and threw things at each other until Sam’s lookalike stopped laughing and intervened.

One day, however, Wesker couldn’t concentrate on anything. All he could think about was Franziska von Karma. He was in love.

Distraught, he asked Sam’s lookalike if he should confess his feelings. She knew her friend’s Mii was already involved with Franziska, but since she was a secret Franzesker shipper, she told him to go ahead.

Poor Wesker was rejected.

He was so sad. He drooped in his apartment, a storm cloud formed over his head, and he lamented his unrequited love without end. Fortunately, Sam’s lookalike knew his Super All-Time Favorite Food. One stick of chewing gum later, Wesker felt a lot better.

Several days later, he fell in love with Josette DuPres. Josette, however, was in love with Apollo Justice.

Sam’s lookalike had pity on Wesker and told him about the happy couple before he tried to break them up. She hoped this would spare him the pain of rejection.

And so, time passed. Wesker didn’t pursue Franziska or Josette. He didn’t dare to hope Apollo was doomed by Josette’s canon. He didn’t fall in love again.

Life on the island continued in its typical absolutely-sane fashion. There were weddings, monster sightings, creepy invitations to meet anonymous people on the roof, concerts, and so much more. Wesker’s best friend, Layton, fell in love with Maya Fey.

Meanwhile, Professor Desmond Sycamore also learned the meaning of rejection.

At a glance, it might look as though every Mii was falling in love, but while some preferred to enjoy quiet dates alone as a couple, other Miis just got together at a friend’s house to dance around for hours!

And Wesker was alone.

He didn’t even notice when his first love left her relationship.

Someone noticed, though.

A gentleman never leaves his friends to wallow in heartbreak! Professor Layton asked Sam’s lookalike if she agreed Wesker and Franziska would be a good match, and together, they set them up on a date. Layton put on a disguise and spied on their fun-filled day together, and thus he witnessed a happy conclusion to Wesker’s tale of woe.

Wesker’s story covers just some of the wacky events that have happened to me in Tomodachi Life. Tomodachi Life isn’t my typical sort of game. Even the wildly popular Animal Crossing series doesn’t appeal to me. I’ve had Tomodachi Life for a little over a month now, with a playtime of about 26 hours. It’s the sort of game you play in short spurts.

At this point, I don’t feel as compelled to play it. In the beginning, I could barely think about anything but Tomodachi Life. Now I just check in every now and then to see what adorably weird things my Miis will do.

Like most players, I was introduced to the game when Nintendo announced it through a special Nintendo Direct that made me wonder if the creators were on drugs.

Whatever was behind its creation, it was awesome. That video is the main thing that made me want this game. It convinced me to branch out into a genre I normally disliked for the sheer insanity of Tomodachi Life. And I don’t regret my decision one little bit.

There isn’t really a lot to do in the game. You’ll mainly spend your time taking care of your Miis–you’ll buy them food, clothes, and new apartment interiors… you’ll play little mini-games with them… you’ll help them out when they’re sad, sick, or just troubled… At different times during the day, you can buy things from special markets, participate in events, or play a simplistic, retro-style RPG called Tomodachi Quest.

Then there are dreams. Mii dreams are even stranger than actual dreams, and they give you items.

A lot of the entertainment comes from just watching your Miis and listening to the crazy stuff they say. Of course, part of the appeal is watching them (whether they’re based on people you know or on fictional characters, like most of mine) do things completely out of character, like when Wesker and Layton became best friends. At the same time, since you set their personalities when you create them, there are times when a Mii does something so in character, it’s startling. Franziska worries she’s too cold but decides not to do anything about it. Professor Detective Bobby Fulbright… is just Fulbright…

I’ve since gotten him a white suit.

Since you can give them custom phrases to use, it gets even weirder. Layton randomly declares, “Look, a puzzle.” I’ll pass Apollo’s apartment and hear a distant, “I’M FINE!” I’ll stop in at Prosecutor Blackquill’s apartment and be greeted as Sam-dono, or receive an “Objection!” from Phoenix Wright. It never ceases to make me smile. And there’s just something sweet about Miis expressing their relief that I’m all right when I haven’t played for a while.

It may not be a game for everyone, but if you’re interested in the humorous antics of an island full of Miis and a game you can pick up for a few minutes here and there, I definitely recommend Tomodachi Life. Let me just leave you with one last image from my island–an Ace Attorney group shot!

To enjoy more Tomodachi Life madness, check out my second article about it.

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