Kelvin Hawkins
Staff Writer
On March 31, Nintendo released its new mobile app, “Miitomo,” on the Google Play and Apple app stores. It is a social media app that allows all users to make their own character, called a Mii, and interact with other users online.
The app is free to all users and has a range of activities for all ages.
The app was downloaded over 500,000 times within a day of being available. The Mii character was originally only available to owners of a Nintendo 3DS or Wii U.
Now, these digital caricatures are now available to anyone with a smartphone. Nintendo 3DS and Wii U owners are now able to connect with their friends that do not own current Nintendo gaming systems through the app.
When users begin to set up their “Miitomo” account, they have the option to create a new Nintendo account or to connect one they may have from their 3DS or Wii U.
New users can also connect the app to their accounts from Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter.
A picture of the user can be taken and used to help create their Mii, or the user can manually create the Mii with the help of the game’s multiple presets. There is a range of settings to define the Mii’s personality as well. The MI’s are customizable all the way down the voice.
“Miitomo” proves to be very interactive as it continuously asks multiple personal questions ranging from your favorite food to your spirit animal, which is then usually followed by the users’ friends replying and commenting.
The constant interaction creates subjects for more conversations and interactions between users and their friends. Josie Thrasher, a senior mathematics education major from Roanoke, said, “I really like how you can customize your character and how easily you can talk with your friends about all these new subjects you usually never think about.”
Users can even earn coins, that are used to buy more customization items, by performing certain actions and playing minigames. The user is even given customization coins for customizing the Mii.
Nintendo is no stranger to its games being huge hits, but “Miitomo” is the new social media app that very well may be just as common as Facebook and Twitter in the near future.
