Spread the word: #Miiquality

Those of you who read my recent "Open Letter to Nintendo of America" should be well aware of the fact that I'm pretty peeved the company's upcoming--and otherwise completely enticing--3DS title, Tomodachi Life, presumably won't allow players' Miis to form gay, lesbian or bisexual relationships.

I'm not the only gamer upset by all of this, of course. A number of people in this NeoGAF thread about the game, for instance, also have admitted to being disappointed by it--with one of them being someone who goes (there and elsewhere) by the username of Tyeforce.

Tyeforce has done more than just express on an Internet discussion forum his displeasure with Nintendo of America's handling of the situation, though; in the last few days, he's started a movement, basically, that's centered around the theme of "Miiquality."


#Miiquality from Tyeforce on Vimeo.

The gist: if you'd like the brass at Nintendo of America to add same-sex relationships to Tomodachi Life, let them know by using the hashtag #Miiquality while on sites like Facebook and Twitter. (Or, as commenter Rob_in_Baltimore suggested here last week, you also can let them know by contacting them via the company's website or by signing this petition.)

Oh, and don't forget to show your support for (and stay updated on) this issue by following the Miiquality Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr pages--if you're so inclined, of course.

See also: 'The day we've all (or at least three or four of us have) waited for has arrived: Tomodachi Collection is coming to Europe and North America this June'

An open letter to Nintendo of America about Tomodachi Life's presumed lack of gay, lesbian or bisexual relationships

Dear Nintendo of America,

Before I say anything else, I'd like to mention that I've been looking forward to playing this game (some version of it, at least) since the original Tomodachi Collection was announced for the Japanese DS back in 2009.

Given that, it shouldn't be too surprising for you to read that I was more than a bit excited when I heard you'll be releasing that game's 3DS sequel as Tomodachi Life in North America on June 6.

That excitement lost some of its luster a few days after that announcement was made, though, when it finally sank in that the game will very likely force me to "play straight" (you know, as opposed to "playing gay" as I'd obviously prefer to do).

Although I was pretty sure that would be the case the second I heard about Tomodachi Life's impending North American release, it didn't really bother me until I watched the Nintendo Direct broadcast devoted to the game and it struck me that I'd more than likely have to watch my male Mii woo (and possibly marry and maybe even have kids with) female Miis over and over and over again should I decide to pick up a copy of the game.

I'm sure that sounds like a silly complaint, especially since what we're talking about here is a rather silly video game, but to me it's anything but silly.

In fact, the whole thing makes me feel sad--sad that despite the fact that you're marketing this 3DS game as being all about "your life," that's not going to be true in my case or in the case of any of my LGBT brothers or sisters who similarly decide to buy and play Tomodachi Life.

All I want is for my Mii to be able to date, marry and, yes, maybe even have kids with any of the male Miis (those who aren't designated as family-members, of course) who populate my game--much like how my straight friends' female Miis will be able to date, marry and have kids with their games' male Miis. Is that too much to ask?

I know this game is going to hit store shelves in this country in a matter of weeks and, as such, it's probably too late for you to make the above-suggested changes. I hope, though, you'll consider producing and releasing a patch that makes gay, lesbian and bisexual relationships possible within Tomodachi Life as soon as possible.

I also hope you--and your cohorts at Nintendo of Japan, too--will consider making these relationships possible from the get-go when work begins on this game's sequel.

I say that because this is the kind of thing that could not only make an "old" gamer like myself feel welcomed and appreciated and accepted, but more importantly it could make younger gamers--boys and girls who may be struggling with their budding LGBT realities in all sorts of ways and for all sorts of reasons--feel like they're loved and supported and just as worthy of a big game company's consideration and attention as anyone else.

Thank you for listening,

Bryan Ochalla (aka "The Gay Gamer")

See also: 'The day we've all (or at least three or four of us have) waited for has arrived: Tomodachi Collection is coming to Europe and North America this June'

The day we've all (or at least three or four of us have) waited for has arrived: Tomodachi Collection is coming to Europe and North America this June

Surprisingly, the bigwigs at Nintendo have decided to retain the Tomodachi part of this seemingly crazy 3DS game's Japanese title, although in the Western world the game will be known as Tomodachi Life rather than Tomodachi Collection: New Life.

Oh, and it will hit both European and North American store shelves on June 6. (It'll carry a price tag of $34.99 in the latter region; I'm not yet sure what it'll cost in the former.)

For more information on this zany life sim, check out its first trailer, below.



If you'd like a more in-depth look at Tomodachi Life, both of Nintendo's Western arms uploaded rather in-depth (and completely bananas) Nintendo Direct broadcasts devoted to the game early this morning. Watch the North American one here, and the European one here.

See also: 'We interrupt this program to inform you that Tomodachi Collection: New Life is almost assuredly heading West'

We interrupt this program to inform you that Tomodachi Collection: New Life is almost assuredly heading West

Astute readers will recall that Nintendo bigwig Satoru Iwata recently revealed--during an out-of-the-blue interview with the Wall Street Journal--that the Japanese giant was busy prepping an overseas release for Tomodachi Collection: New Life.

Sadly, neither Iwata nor anyone else related to Nintendo has followed up that stealth announcement with an actual announcement, so all of us Westerners who desperately want to experience some Tomodachi Collection action in our native languages have been left to wonder if Nintendo's head honcho was just pulling our legs during that late-January tête-à-tête.

Based on a bit of information that came to light yesterday, it appears he wasn't being a troll.

What information, you ask? Oh, just a slew of reports from folks in Europe who've received an online survey from Nintendo of Europe that said Tomodachi Collection: New Life is being localized for that region and asked for some input on the title.

Embedded within said survey were a slew of screenshots--one of which can be seen to the right (click on the survey link above or the Tiny Cartridge one below to see more)--and even a video of a (presumably early) English build of the game.

Although I'd like to say that all of this means an honest-to-goodness announcement regarding Tomodachi Collection's Australian, European and North American releases is just around the corner, I have a sinking feeling we're going to have to wait until E3 2014 for that to happen.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

Photographic proof that my love of the DS has been rekindled, too

I know I've been going on and on and on about the GameBoy as of late, but the ol' brick, as I like to call it, isn't the only system currently pinging my gaming radar. Obviously there's the 3DS, as evidenced by the last few "Shall We Do It?" posts I've published, but there's also the DS.

How else can you explain all of the DS games I've picked up in the last three months, a number of which can be seen in the photos below?



The games included in the photo above, by the way, are (clockwise from the upper-left) Dun-Dam: Dungeons & Dam, Awatama (aka Soul Bubbles), 7th Dragon, Zombie Daisuki, Tomodachi Collection and Tetris DS.

Now, before any of you jump to the conclusion that I'm completely bonkers, most of these DS games were picked up on the cheap. I nabbed Tomodachi Collection, for example, for all of three bucks.



The copy of Noora and the Time Studio (aka Nora to Toki no Kōbō: Kiri no Mori no Majo) seen above and below was a steal, too, at just $12.

Sadly, I haven't played any of these games yet due to the fact that Bravely Default has me by the short and curlies at the moment. I'll start playing at least a couple of them once the above-mentioned RPG releases me from its grasp, though, I swear. But which should I play first?

See also: photos of other recent pick-ups

Four DS games I'd like to buy and play in 2014

A few weeks ago, I shared in this post that I'd like to buy a few DS games in the coming year.

Well, 7th Dragon, Maestro! Jump in Music and Nora to Koku no Koubou: Kiri no Mori no Majo (aka Noora and the Time Studio: The Witch of the Misty Forest) aren't the only such titles that are on my radar right now.

In fact, here are four more:

Catch! Touch! Yoshi!--I know I could pick up the North American version of this game--known here as Yoshi Touch & Go--on the cheap, but I really like the Japanese box art so I'm planning to buy that iteration instead. Regardless, I have a feeling I'll like its gameplay, too, once I get my hands on a copy.

Nanashi no Game--Now that this spooky title, published by Square Enix in 2008, has a fan translation, I desperately want to put it through its paces. And who knows, maybe by the time I've finally acquired and finished it, a fan translation will be released for its 2009 sequel (also a Japan-only affair, of course), Nanashi no Game: Me.

Pac-Pix--An odd choice, I'm sure, but I've always been curious about this one--in part because of its extensive use of the DS's touch screen and in part because of its adorably cartoonish art style. The main reason I've yet to add it to my collection is that I have a feeling it isn't the deepest of experiences, but since copies can be picked up for less than $10 I probably shouldn't worry about it so much.

Tomodachi Collection--Another import-only DS game that now has a fan translation--or at least a partial one. Actually, I'd want a copy of Tomodachi Collection even if some of it hadn't been translated into English, as it might help me with my Japanese studies--you know, when I finally back to them.

See also: 'Four Japanese retro games I'd like to buy (and play, of course) in 2014' and 'Four PSP games I'd like to buy and play in 2014'

Welp, it seems I'll be buying a 3DS XL a bit sooner than I initially thought I would

That's because, as some of you likely have heard already, during its latest Nintendo Direct broadcast yesterday, Nintendo of Japan announced that it will release a "PINKxWHITE" 3DS LL (XL to us heathens in the west) in late September.



Will this precious-looking handheld also find its way onto store shelves in other regions in the coming weeks and months? Sadly, I have no idea, although I certainly hope that will be the case. Should it fail to appear in my neck of the woods (that would be North America), though, I'll probably go ahead and pick up a Japanese one, as I'd love to be able to play some of the games--like Dangerous Jii-san Jya--that haven't been or won't be brought to our shores.



The announcement of the pink-and-white 3DS LL wasn't the only nugget of news that caught my attention during yesterday's Nintendo Direct, by the way. Also piquing my interest: This bit of gameplay footage of the next Animal Crossing title, as well as the title's colorful Japanese box art that can seen below.



Similarly thrilling for yours truly were two eShop game reveals. The first was for Denpa Ningen RPG 2, the sequel to the Genius Sonority-developed title that I once described as being "part Teletubby, part Tingle, part Pikmin, part Mr. Driller and part Mii," while the second was for HarmoKnight, a Bit.Trip Runner-esque platformer from the folks behind the Pokémon series. (To see HarmoKnight, which will hit the Japanese eShop on Sept. 5, in action, check out this recent tinycartridge.com post.)



Finally, I have to admit that watching the latest footage of Tomodachi Collection 3DS, which was shown during the waning moments of the aforementioned Nintendo Direct broadcast, made me feel sad that those of us who live outside the Land of the Rising Sun likely will never get to experience its wackiness. Maybe this will be the game that finally gets me to start learning Japanese?

Le sigh: Tomodachi Collection isn't coming to the States

I'm sorry if this is old news to some of you; I was a) on vacation and b) laid up with a bad back when it "broke" (the news, not my back) a few days ago.

Anyway, during last week's E3 event 1up.com's Jeremy Parish asked Tomodachi Collection producer Yoshi Sakamoto whether or not the Animal-Crossing-meets-The-Sims title would be released stateside. Sakamoto's answer:

"Tomodachi Collection is something we're really interested in bringing to the U.S. The problem is that we only built Japanese language generation into the software, and that's a very important part of the game. We can't make it work with English, so we won't be able to release the game here."

A 1up.com commenter perfectly summed up my feelings on the matter when he posted the following in response to Parish's article: "Our stupid, cobbled-together language screws us again!"

(Via 1up.com)