Miitomo, Nintendo's First Smartphone App, Is Finally Launching in the US
Miitomo, Nintendo’s first foray into the smartphone apps world, made its long-awaited iOS and Android debut mid-March – but only in Japan. It’s now ready to be released in the US and other parts of the world.
The app will become available in the States and other countries tomorrow, March 31st, 2016. The list of other countries includes the following: Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Australia, New Zealand.
“With Miitomo, Nintendo takes its first step into the world of smart devices,” said Scott Moffitt, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Nintendo America. “Miitomo brings the special Nintendo charm and polish that people around the world love to an entirely new format and audience.”
What sort of app is this Miitomo?
The quick answer is this: it’s a social experience that lets you start conversations with friends.
Create a custom Mii character and it will ask you a question; something you’d never think to ask yourself, says Nintendo. Answer your Mii’s question and the answer will be shared with your friends. They’ll be able to join in the conversation and you might uncover some interesting and unexpected things about them.
“Miitomo is a uniquely entertaining mobile experience that only Nintendo can deliver,” said Scott Moffitt. “Featuring Mii characters, users will be able to interact with their friends in an entirely new way that transforms communication into a form of play.”
Customize your Mii as you see fit
The Miitomo app features Nintendo’s Mii characters, which first debuted on the Wii console. When you create your very own Mii, you can customize it to look like you do, or to look like you would want to look like. You can:
Earn or buy Miitomo coins
Log into the app every day, answer your Mii’s questions, and you'll earn coins for free. Alternatively, you can use real-world cash to purchase coins.
These coins can be used to purchase items from the in-game shop. You can, for example, use coins to purchase new clothing for your Mii or to play the Miitomo Drop minigame. Said minigame is quite simple: drop a Mii into a play field and watch it bounce around as it fall towards a variety of platforms. Depending on where it lands, you will win a prize.
New "My Nintendo" rewards program launches alongside Miitomo
"Aiming to be much more than a standard rewards program, My Nintendo is a comprehensive service that rewards users for interacting with Nintendo products and services in a variety of ways," Nintendo explained in a press release.
"Miitomo users who link the app to their Nintendo Account will be able to take advantage of My Nintendo to enhance their experience. Platinum Points can be earned by interacting with Nintendo apps and services, including Miitomo. Gold Points are earned when purchasing digital versions of games from Nintendo.com or Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Both Platinum and Gold Points can be redeemed for rewards like games, download content, in-app items and eShop discount coupons."
Miitomo was a big hit in Japan
The main question that comes to mind is this: should you get Miitomo? Is it any good? Judging by the fact that it was a big hit in Japan, the answer to that question is yes, you should give Miitomo a try.
Back in October 2015, when Nintendo announced that it plants to enter the mobile gaming market, the news wasn’t well received. The internet was full of comments from fans who were unhappy with Nintendo’s decision. And as if that wasn’t enough, Nintendo’s shares fell by about 9%.
Despite the criticism and despite the fact that Nintendo’s first mobile app isn’t a game, Miitomo turned out to be a big hit (something that reminds me about Batman v Superman). Three days after its launch in Japan, Miitomo had been downloaded more than 1 million times, becoming the most-downloaded free app in both the App Store and Google Play. Once this news hit the public, Nintendo’s shares went up by 8.1%.
Learn more about Miitomo on its official website.
Including Miitomo, Nintendo plans to release approximately five smart device applications by the end of March 2017.
The app will become available in the States and other countries tomorrow, March 31st, 2016. The list of other countries includes the following: Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Australia, New Zealand.
“With Miitomo, Nintendo takes its first step into the world of smart devices,” said Scott Moffitt, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Nintendo America. “Miitomo brings the special Nintendo charm and polish that people around the world love to an entirely new format and audience.”
What sort of app is this Miitomo?
The quick answer is this: it’s a social experience that lets you start conversations with friends.
Create a custom Mii character and it will ask you a question; something you’d never think to ask yourself, says Nintendo. Answer your Mii’s question and the answer will be shared with your friends. They’ll be able to join in the conversation and you might uncover some interesting and unexpected things about them.
“Miitomo is a uniquely entertaining mobile experience that only Nintendo can deliver,” said Scott Moffitt. “Featuring Mii characters, users will be able to interact with their friends in an entirely new way that transforms communication into a form of play.”
Customize your Mii as you see fit
The Miitomo app features Nintendo’s Mii characters, which first debuted on the Wii console. When you create your very own Mii, you can customize it to look like you do, or to look like you would want to look like. You can:
- Choose from a wide range of facial features.
- Use your smartphone to snap a photo and turn that photo into a Mii.
- Customize how the Mii speaks.
- Choose a personality for your Mii.
- Dress your Mii by mixing and matching all sorts of clothing items.
Earn or buy Miitomo coins
Log into the app every day, answer your Mii’s questions, and you'll earn coins for free. Alternatively, you can use real-world cash to purchase coins.
These coins can be used to purchase items from the in-game shop. You can, for example, use coins to purchase new clothing for your Mii or to play the Miitomo Drop minigame. Said minigame is quite simple: drop a Mii into a play field and watch it bounce around as it fall towards a variety of platforms. Depending on where it lands, you will win a prize.
New "My Nintendo" rewards program launches alongside Miitomo
"Aiming to be much more than a standard rewards program, My Nintendo is a comprehensive service that rewards users for interacting with Nintendo products and services in a variety of ways," Nintendo explained in a press release.
"Miitomo users who link the app to their Nintendo Account will be able to take advantage of My Nintendo to enhance their experience. Platinum Points can be earned by interacting with Nintendo apps and services, including Miitomo. Gold Points are earned when purchasing digital versions of games from Nintendo.com or Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Both Platinum and Gold Points can be redeemed for rewards like games, download content, in-app items and eShop discount coupons."
Miitomo was a big hit in Japan
The main question that comes to mind is this: should you get Miitomo? Is it any good? Judging by the fact that it was a big hit in Japan, the answer to that question is yes, you should give Miitomo a try.
Back in October 2015, when Nintendo announced that it plants to enter the mobile gaming market, the news wasn’t well received. The internet was full of comments from fans who were unhappy with Nintendo’s decision. And as if that wasn’t enough, Nintendo’s shares fell by about 9%.
Despite the criticism and despite the fact that Nintendo’s first mobile app isn’t a game, Miitomo turned out to be a big hit (something that reminds me about Batman v Superman). Three days after its launch in Japan, Miitomo had been downloaded more than 1 million times, becoming the most-downloaded free app in both the App Store and Google Play. Once this news hit the public, Nintendo’s shares went up by 8.1%.
Learn more about Miitomo on its official website.
Including Miitomo, Nintendo plans to release approximately five smart device applications by the end of March 2017.
