Miitopia Review
The quirky turn based RPG returns on the Nintendo Switch, my full review.
The 3DS exclusive has made its way to the Nintendo Switch packing the same wacky fun you remember and more. This time around the game has a stunningly deep character creation system with the addition of a new “Makeup System.” This, in combination with a world that lets you customize your party, other characters and the main villain, offers up a fun personalized experience. This customizable, zany quest packs in a lot of fun for gamers of all ages. Let’s build a hero and dive-in to arguably Nintendo’s most surreal adventure yet.
A quirky customizable adventure
The story in Miitopia isn’t incredibly deep but it sets the stage for some fun adventuring. Everything kicks off with the arrival of the “Dark Lord” who has been stealing people’s faces. You read that right, the “bad guy” in the game grabs your friends faces and uses them to awaken his army of minions. Each area has you battle enemies and face-off (get it?) against one final boss in the region. Once you emerge victorious from the battle, you’ll win back faces and the hearts of terrified villagers. The story is light but the depth of customization with characters lets you create your own tale.
"The story is light but the depth of customization with characters lets you create your own tale."
A Mii makeover
If you aren’t familiar with what a Mii is, think of it as your own personal full body digital avatar and you get the general idea. They gained their popularity launching alongside the Nintendo Wii in 2006. The digital characters were part of the system’s OS and starred in the wildly popular Wii Sports pack-in game for the Wii. They’ve since appeared in Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Nintendo DS games and mobile apps. With Miitopia making its return from the 3DS it comes packing quite a few improvements, namely the Mii Creator let’s take a look at all it has to offer:
New ways to style your Mii
The biggest addition is the new “Makeup System” giving players an unprecedented number of options. Using this new addition to the creator, the sky is the limit. The tools provided let you create just about any character you can imagine. There are certain limitations, for example you still are bound in creating certain facial features such as noses.
"The tools provided let you create just about any character you can imagine."
If making your own character isn’t your thing, you can always use Nintendo Online to browse other people’s creations and use their designs. The tools at your fingertips are very impressive and you can literally pour hours into creating your own Miis if you so desire.
Graphics and performance
The art style of Miitopia is just as wacky as its inhabitants. I really loved the charming look of the game, it reminded me of playing through a digital scrapbook. I think the intent here was purposeful to help match the zany characters players were likely to come up with.
"I really loved the charming look of the game, it reminded me of playing through a digital scrapbook."
Overall, the game performed very well only dipping under its target of 30fps a few times. These instances were negligible and never took away from the experience.
Gameplay mechanics
Once you’ve created your very own merry band of Miis it’s time to take back the land from forces of evil. At its core the game is a turn-based RPG, letting you to methodically defend and attack baddies. The combat system is very streamlined, only giving you control over your character. The CPU takes the reigns for the rest of your party, but it would have been nice to have the option to battle as all members of the party. It does offer a light challenge and is aimed at younger gamers. The AI does good job of presenting a challenge and not always opting for the same attack pattern.
"At its core the game is a turn-based RPG, letting you to methodically defend and attack baddies."
You can also set the personality trait for the Mii characters in your party and assign them fun roles that change their approach to combat.
The gameplay also introduces a “Safe Spot System” allowing you to pull a character out of the battle. Moving a Mii to safety during a fray lets them recover from status effects, heal or even avoid death. The combat system also features an option to fast-forward the action, this is an especially handy feature if you are running short on time.
Final thoughts on Miitopia
Miitopia is an experience that really requires the creativity and commitment of the player to really shine. It’s a game that relies heavily of the custom characters you construct within it, to get the most out of the adventure. The tools to do so are better than ever with the expansion of the Mii Creator and Makeup System. If you are the type of gamer that loves pouring hours into character creation and party building, there is a lot to love with Miitopia.
Miitopia Pros
+ Deep creative Mii creation tools
+ A customizable adventure from start to finish
+ A quirky, surreal, humours story that tailors to the player
Miitopia Cons
-Linear storyline and character path
-Can’t control other party members
-Content gets repetitive
Overall Game Score
Gameplay: 7/10
Graphics: 7.5/10
Sound: 7/10
Replayability: 6.5/10
Overall Rating:
28/40 (70%)
A copy of the game was provided by Nintendo for the purpose of this review.