When Nintendo first announced that it would finally start producing mobile apps and games, fans around the world rejoiced. After all, games like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda have always been exclusively tied to Nintendo's systems - but, with the mobile market now open to the publisher, who's to say that Link or Mario couldn't pop up on an iPhone?
Nintendo's first mobile app...well, it couldn't be farther from those games. Miitomo, released late last year in Japan, is essentially a variation on standard social media apps, with Nintendo's Mii characters replacing the generic avatars. Despite the initial disappointment, however, Japanese fans learned to love Miitomo - the app now sports over 1 million users in Japan alone.
For months, fans in both Europe and the United States have been waiting for their turn to try out Nintendo's first app. Now, after months of waiting, they'll finally be able to: the official Nintendo UK Twitter account revealed that the Miitomo app would make its official Western release on March 31.
For anyone who's ever made a Mii on one of Nintendo's consoles, Miitomo won't be hard to jump into: players first create their own customized avatar, including its looks, voice and personality. Once that's done, the Mii will ask players a series of questions - once answered, the question and its reply are shared with your Miitomo friends, who then generate automated replies based on your answer.
It's not so much a game as it is a hybrid quiz/social media app - you won't be directly controlling your characters as they wander around the game's virtual spaces. It's a strange idea, sure, but it makes sense that Nintendo would want to play it a little safe with its mobile market debut. Don't worry: Mario, Link and the rest of the Nintendo gang are sure to appear on the App Store at some point, but until then, Nintendo's just dipping its toes in the water.
If you've been curious to see what Nintendo's first app is, you're in luck: Miitomo is set to release on Android and iOS this Thursday, March 31.
