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3DS Tomodachi Collection (Friend Collection) coming to the West! (Wallstreet Journal)

K

kubus

Member
Wow, I never thought they would localize this. The game is full with Japanese culture, it would take ages to localize it for a western audience. Unless they plan to keep the Japanese things, which would probably confuse the hell out of the casual player. Or we'll get 4Kids Pokemon syndrome, with onigiri being referred to as donuts, lol.

I imported Shin Seikatsu when it came out in Japan, it's a really funny game. Only problem is that it really requires you to have lots of friends to get the most out of it. It's also a bit weird to recreate your family and friends as Miis and then see them getting relationships with each other... It becomes kind of awkward to play :p.

edit: This reminds me, I used to have a tumblr blog where I kept some sort of diary of the happenings in my Tomodachi Collection: Shin Seikatsu island. If you want to know what the game is like, you can check it out here. I haven't updated it in ages, though.
 
sakipon

sakipon

Member
kubus said:
Wow, I never thought they would localize this. The game is full with Japanese culture, it would take ages to localize it for a western audience. Unless they plan to keep the Japanese things, which would probably confuse the hell out of the casual player. Or we'll get 4Kids Pokemon syndrome, with onigiri being referred to as donuts, lol.
Click to expand...

I doubt I'd touch the game if they did this. It usually feels way too fake and forced.

I wonder who they consider to be the target audience in the West.
 
R

randomkid

Member
This is a game I'd actually love to see Revelations: Persona'd. Have you seen how weird and vaguely terrifying some of the trailers look? Trying to pass things off as American would make things even more hilarious. No cut content of course but I would love to see a weirdo localization attempt and am pretty excited that we'll hopefully get the chance to play, I've always been 1000 times more interested in this than Animal Crossing.
 
K

kubus

Member
Grizzo said:
I don't really get it, it looks cute and all, but is it really a game? From what I've gathered all you do is watch your mii do things? And it's a single-player game only?

Either way, I'm intrigued. Color me excited!
Click to expand...
I posted a link above to a blog where I kind of chronicled what happened on my Tomodachi Collection island, completely with screenshots. It gives you some idea of what to expect of the game.

The big difference between Animal Crossing and Tomodachi Collection is that you're not in control of the characters on the island, as opposed to AC. You can make new Miis that move into the apartment building, and from there you can 'monitor' them and help them. When they're hungry, they will ask for food, when they want a new outfit, they will ask you to buy some new clothes.

The island has different shops and locations where activities and events can take place. Many of these are based on the time of the day or the day of the week (at least, that's what I figured). You will find your Miis hanging out in the park, going for a stroll on the beach, trying to sell things at the town square, having coffee together at the cafe, etc. Sometimes you can interact with them, but most of the times you can only observe them and hear them talk. For example, I regularly catch my Mii and my friend's Mii gossiping about the other Miis on the island, and it's quite funny.

When the Miis are in their apartment, they can invite you to play minigames with them. When you win, they can give you a gift, which you can then give to other Miis. This could include cold medicine, a throwaway camera, stuff like that. Miis will also visit each others room, have fights, become friends or lovers, and eventually marry. When Miis are dating, you can also help them decide what kind of date they should invite the other Mii to and then you can follow them around. It's quite cute. You can choose whether a Mii should pursue a relationship or not, so if you don't want to ship a certain couple, you don't have to worry about that happening automatically.

At night the Miis go to sleep and you can occasionally peek at their dreams. Some really crazy things happen in these dreams, and there are tons of them. It's hilarious :).

The downside of this all is that the novelty can wear off quickly. At some point you will have seen all the activities and you will have heard most of the dialogue. The game unlocks new locations and activities as you play, but eventually you will have seen those too. AC will keep you entertained much longer in that aspect.

It's a very funny and quirky game, but like I said earlier, it encompasses a ton of Japanese culture. From food, to the karaoke songs, to the activities, to bathing, etc. Everything has some sort of Japanese coating. I really wonder how Nintendo would go about handling this, if they really are localizing this game. There's also the issue with the Japanese speech engine. I think the game would lose its charm if they would remove that.

Hope this helps some people to understand what the game is about :).
 
T

Tyeforce

Member
kubus said:
I posted a link above to a blog where I kind of chronicled what happened on my Tomodachi Collection island, completely with screenshots. It gives you some idea of what to expect of the game.

The big difference between Animal Crossing and Tomodachi Collection is that you're not in control of the characters on the island, as opposed to AC. You can make new Miis that move into the apartment building, and from there you can 'monitor' them and help them. When they're hungry, they will ask for food, when they want a new outfit, they will ask you to buy some new clothes.

The island has different shops and locations where activities and events can take place. Many of these are based on the time of the day or the day of the week (at least, that's what I figured). You will find your Miis hanging out in the park, going for a stroll on the beach, trying to sell things at the town square, having coffee together at the cafe, etc. Sometimes you can interact with them, but most of the times you can only observe them and hear them talk. For example, I regularly catch my Mii and my friend's Mii gossiping about the other Miis on the island, and it's quite funny.

When the Miis are in their apartment, they can invite you to play minigames with them. When you win, they can give you a gift, which you can then give to other Miis. This could include cold medicine, a throwaway camera, stuff like that. Miis will also visit each others room, have fights, become friends or lovers, and eventually marry. When Miis are dating, you can also help them decide what kind of date they should invite the other Mii to and then you can follow them around. It's quite cute. You can choose whether a Mii should pursue a relationship or not, so if you don't want to ship a certain couple, you don't have to worry about that happening automatically.

At night the Miis go to sleep and you can occasionally peek at their dreams. Some really crazy things happen in these dreams, and there are tons of them. It's hilarious :).

The downside of this all is that the novelty can wear off quickly. At some point you will have seen all the activities and you will have heard most of the dialogue. The game unlocks new locations and activities as you play, but eventually you will have seen those too. AC will keep you entertained much longer in that aspect.

It's a very funny and quirky game, but like I said earlier, it encompasses a ton of Japanese culture. From food, to the karaoke songs, to the activities, to bathing, etc. Everything has some sort of Japanese coating. I really wonder how Nintendo would go about handling this, if they really are localizing this game. There's also the issue with the Japanese speech engine. I think the game would lose its charm if they would remove that.

Hope this helps some people to understand what the game is about :).
Click to expand...
Since you've played the game, could you explain just how important the relationship aspect of the game is?

I understand that the original game doesn't support same sex relationships. That's kind of an issue to me, being gay. It doesn't bother me as much in games like Fire Emblem Awakening where it's all made up characters anyway and it's not exactly the main part of the game, but it's different when it comes to Tomodachi Collection because I'd actually be playing as myself (as my Mii, of course), with all the other characters being Miis based on real life friends and all. It seems like most of the enjoyment of this game comes from the fact that you're interacting with Miis based on real life people, and watching them interact in crazy or silly ways. That's what sets it apart from Animal Crossing, as you've explained. However, I feel like I won't be able to fully enjoy the game if opposite sex relationships are continuously forced on me, and if I just opt out of them (if that's even an option) then I feel like I'll be missing out on a big part of the game.

I understand that the game is supposed to put characters in bizarre situations, and being paired up with a female Mii in the game would definitely be a bizarre situation to me, just as something like two relatives being paired together in the game would be bizarre, but the difference with the former is that that's the only option the game gives me. I'd be perfectly okay with the game if it was designed to pair me up with random Miis, regardless of gender, because that's part of the quirkiness of the game. But the fact that I can never be paired with the "right" gender for me really makes me loose interest in the game.

I really, really want to enjoy this game when it's released over here. I've been anticipating it ever since the original DS game was revealed. Maybe they'll add same sex relationships in the localized version, but I doubt it. In the event that they don't...do you think it will affect my enjoyment of the game as much as I fear it will?
 
S

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
I do wonder whether or not localizing Animal Crossing, Friend Collection, and the Disney game might cause some audience confusion or overlap. Animal Crossing is a once-a-gen game because of the way that people play it. I don't think most people who play AC necessarily want 10 similar-to-but-not-the-same-as AC games, really? In general they get their fill, whether it's 20 hours or 200 hours, right? Maybe I'm misreading the market here. I think the Disney game might have the unique appeal of Disney. And maybe with a few more years in between (like having Animal Crossing be early gen and Friend Collection late gen) it'd work better. To be anecdotal about it--I know maybe 15 people who bought and played a ton of AC:NL and maybe one or two of those have an itch for more or similar stuff at this point in time. I think most of them would just wait for the next AC to come out on handhelds. Like, the progression was AC:WW -> long break -> Tiny Tower/Happy Street -> AC:NL -> satisfied for now.
 
O

oti

Banned
Animal Crossing & Disney Animal Crossing & Tomodachi Collection.

Nice. More diversity = More great
 
K

kubus

Member
Tyeforce said:
Since you've played the game, could you explain just how important the relationship aspect of the game is?

I understand that the original game doesn't support same sex relationships. That's kind of an issue to me, being gay. It doesn't bother me as much in games like Fire Emblem Awakening where it's all made up characters anyway and it's not exactly the main part of the game, but it's different when it comes to Tomodachi Collection because I'd actually be playing as myself (as my Mii, of course), with all the other characters being Miis based on real life friends and all. It seems like most of the enjoyment of this game comes from the fact that you're interacting with Miis based on real life people, and watching them interact in crazy or silly ways. That's what sets it apart from Animal Crossing, as you've explained. However, I feel like I won't be able to fully enjoy the game if opposite sex relationships are continuously forced on me, and if I just opt out of them (if that's even an option) then I feel like I'll be missing out on a big part of the game.

I understand that the game is supposed to put characters in bizarre situations, and being paired up with a female Mii in the game would definitely be a bizarre situation to me, just as something like two relatives being paired together in the game would be bizarre, but the difference with the former is that that's the only option the game gives me. I'd be perfectly okay with the game if it was designed to pair me up with random Miis, regardless of gender, because that's part of the quirkiness of the game. But the fact that I can never be paired with the "right" gender for me really makes me loose interest in the game.

I really, really want to enjoy this game when it's released over here. I've been anticipating it ever since the original DS game was revealed. Maybe they'll add same sex relationships in the localized version, but I doubt it. In the event that they don't...do you think it will affect my enjoyment of the game as much as I fear it will?
Click to expand...
Hmm, this will be hard to answer.

To clarify how the relationship system works: relationships will never be forced on you. Once two Miis have met and done some activities together, they can ask you (the player) if you think they are compatible with that Mii. Your options consist of something like "Yes, definitely!", "Nothing in particular" and "Nah". If you choose the top option, the Mii will probably ask you the same question a couple of times more before he/she will decide to confess to their crush. Because of this system you have full control of the relationships in the game, so you don't have to worry about being paired with a female automatically.

After two Miis start a relationship, you will unlock some content that is exclusive to couples. This includes dating (visiting the amusement park, strolling the park, etc) and eventually marrying. This is followed by a slideshow with pictures of the honeymoon and after this you will unlock a bigger house. Previously, the two Miis would have their own apartments, but once they're married they will move in together in a house with a kitchen, bathroom and living room. They will still go back to their old apartments once in a while to interact with the 'single' Miis. After this, the next step is having children, but I can't comment on that because I didn't want to go that far in the game.

I can imagine it would be frustrating for you if you can never move onto these 'next phases in life' with your partner Mii. You would be confined to your own apartments forever and you will never be able to catch you and your lover cooking or watching tv together in the game. At best, you will find the Miis playing the Wii U together or listening to the radio when they visit each other. I think it would be very boring and unrewarding to keep playing like that :(.

If this is localized and they don't patch in same sex relationships, I would seriously think twice before buying this if I were you. I know that if I wouldn't be able to emulate my relationship with my boyfriend in the game, I probably wouldn't have bothered with importing it. So there's that :/...
 
D

D-e-f-

Banned
Stumpokapow said:
I do wonder whether or not localizing Animal Crossing, Friend Collection, and the Disney game might cause some audience confusion or overlap. Animal Crossing is a once-a-gen game because of the way that people play it. I don't think most people who play AC necessarily want 10 similar-to-but-not-the-same-as AC games, really? In general they get their fill, whether it's 20 hours or 200 hours, right? Maybe I'm misreading the market here. I think the Disney game might have the unique appeal of Disney. And maybe with a few more years in between (like having Animal Crossing be early gen and Friend Collection late gen) it'd work better. To be anecdotal about it--I know maybe 15 people who bought and played a ton of AC:NL and maybe one or two of those have an itch for more or similar stuff at this point in time. I think most of them would just wait for the next AC to come out on handhelds. Like, the progression was AC:WW -> long break -> Tiny Tower/Happy Street -> AC:NL -> satisfied for now.
Click to expand...

Ask the millions of Japanese people who bought both AC:NL and the two Tomodachi Collection games (and who are now being the Disney game). Maybe they can tell you how it works? *shrugs*
 
T

Tyeforce

Member
kubus said:
Hmm, this will be hard to answer.

To clarify how the relationship system works: relationships will never be forced on you. Once two Miis have met and done some activities together, they can ask you (the player) if you think they are compatible with that Mii. Your options consist of something like "Yes, definitely!", "Nothing in particular" and "Nah". If you choose the top option, the Mii will probably ask you the same question a couple of times more before he/she will decide to confess to their crush. Because of this system you have full control of the relationships in the game, so you don't have to worry about being paired with a female automatically.

After two Miis start a relationship, you will unlock some content that is exclusive to couples. This includes dating (visiting the amusement park, strolling the park, etc) and eventually marrying. This is followed by a slideshow with pictures of the honeymoon and after this you will unlock a bigger house. Previously, the two Miis would have their own apartments, but once they're married they will move in together in a house with a kitchen, bathroom and living room. They will still go back to their old apartments once in a while to interact with the 'single' Miis. After this, the next step is having children, but I can't comment on that because I didn't want to go that far in the game.

I can imagine it would be frustrating for you if you can never move onto these 'next phases in life' with your partner Mii. You would be confined to your own apartments forever and you will never be able to catch you and your lover cooking or watching tv together in the game. At best, you will find the Miis playing the Wii U together or listening to the radio when they visit each other. I think it would be very boring and unrewarding to keep playing like that :(.

If this is localized and they don't patch in same sex relationships, I would seriously think twice before buying this if I were you. I know that if I wouldn't be able to emulate my relationship with my boyfriend in the game, I probably wouldn't have bothered with importing it. So there's that :/...
Click to expand...
Yeah...that's what I figured... =( Well, thank you for clarifying. I'll still pick up the game regardless...but damn, I really hope they add same sex relationships if there's all that exclusive content locked behind relationships. And I don't want to have to settle for "fixes" like changing my boyfriend's Mii's gender or anything like that. =/

I don't even understand why this is an issue with the game. The game already pairs up anyone of the opposite sex in the game, regardless of real life relationship (so other controversial relationships including incest are A-OK, so surely Nintendo can't be worried about the controversy behind same sex relationships), and it's entirely by choice, so I don't understand why they've withheld same sex relationships. Even with the feature of having children, there's no reason why they can't just substitute it for adoption for gay couples. Hell, they could even keep it as is with one Mii becoming pregnant and having a baby regardless of gender. It wouldn't make sense, no, but it would fit in with the quirkiness of the game anyway, lol. I'd even be okay with them removing the feature of having children for gay couples if that's the only way they'd make it happen.

I just wish there was some way of making Nintendo aware of the complete disappointment that this game will bring to homosexual individuals if the relationship system remains as is, and I'm convinced that it's just a complete oversight by them, and they're not going to do anything about it. =(
 
Z

ZombiePlatypus

Member
Haven't played this but it kinda sounds like it'd be redundant since we already have animal crossing.

Still glad it's getting released.
 
D

d+pad

Member
ZombiePlatypus said:
Haven't played this but it kinda sounds like it'd be redundant since we already have animal crossing.

Still glad it's getting released.
Click to expand...

They're really not as similar as some folks make them out to be. Anyway, I'm *very* much looking forward to this. Hope NOA lets us know more about it soon...
 
W

Westraid

Member
Grizzo said:
I don't really get it, it looks cute and all, but is it really a game? From what I've gathered all you do is watch your mii do things? And it's a single-player game only?

Either way, I'm intrigued. Color me excited!
Click to expand...
I only played the first one, but yeah, they are single player only games.
You create every single character that will live there, and while they're minding their business when all is fine, they'll come to you when they're hungry/thirsty, want to befriend other Miis or have other demands. Definitely check out the lin and ko video translations if you want a better idea of what the game is all about.
 
G

GamerJM

Banned
I don't want to rain on everyone who is excited for this' parade, but I'm kind of bitter that we're getting this and there still hasn't been an announcement for Dragon Quest VII or Fantasy Life. I'm guessing Nintendo's waiting until after Bravely Default releases or wants to see how well BD does before announcing a localization for either of these but it still has me annoyed.

Still, this game looks.....neat. If anything I'm glad something this unique is getting localized either way.
 
B

BriBri

Member
GamerJM said:
I don't want to rain on everyone who is excited for this' parade, but I'm kind of bitter that we're getting this and there still hasn't been an announcement for Dragon Quest VII or Fantasy Life.
Click to expand...
Message boards appear to be the antithesis of Taoism where posters take a negative out of a positive. Blame Square-Enix and Level-5 more than Nintendo. And two thumbs up to Nintendo for (presumably) localising my favourite game ever.

Edit: that was more of a generalised statement than one aimed directly at GamerJM.
 
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