Miiraculous Conception

On April 18th, 2013, Nintendo Japan released a social simulation game called Tomodachi Life, known in Japan as Tomodachi Collection: New Life. The video game was created as a twist on the well-established Tamagotchi genre, a genre focusing on the care of virtual pets housed in specialized consoles, whose name is derived from the Japanese words "watch" and "egg". Nintendo's Tomodachi Life revitalized the genre by bringing these virtual pets into a pre-existing digital console already equipped with its own set of games: the Nintendo 3DS. The 3DS game not only included digital pets that the player could take care of, but promoted the creation of new characters the player would customize and design, called Mii characters. Often, the player would be incentivized to style their Mii characters after their own friends and family, creating a lively gaming experience personalized to each individual. The Miis would then interact with each other and the player at random intervals, forming friendships, relationships, and even marriages. Many players in Japan and abroad were charmed by the interactivity and customizability of these characters, and the original Tomodachi Life on 3DS is now heralded as an international niche classic, purchased by over 6.72 million people worldwide.

In April 2026, 2 days before the 13th anniversary of Tomodachi Life, an altogether unexpected sequel was released on the Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, surprising millions, subtitled Living the Dream. The new game quickly topped charts on both consoles and gained immense prestige on X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok, Instagram, Tumblr, and various related social media sites. The 2026 game was immediately lauded for its advanced customization features, permitting creative players to make Miis such as this:

Miis like this would go on to live life as if they were human beings, since they do not possess any sense of self-awareness, creating often surreal and hilarious situations in-game. Because of this massive overhaul of customizability, critics and fans alike are saying that Living the Dream is like no other video game ever made.

Testament from co-writer: "As someone who does NOT have Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, I am absolutely devastated and my misery grows day by day. Every time I see someone else playing this wondrous game, I am filled with jealousy-induced rage. I sincerely hope for both me and others who have not been blessed by the gift of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream to be enlightened by it soon."

Overall, April 2026 has met with a strange new wave in gaming, and perhaps a revolution for Tamagotchi-style games with a tinge of the unique brand of surrealist humor so representative of the 2020s.