Miitopia review: the chilled-out game you need right now

And although the very concept of Miis feels like a relic from a bygone era at this point, there is something very charming about this feature, especially since it allows you to cast anyone you want - be that a friend, family member or famous person - in the role of your choice.

For example, inspired by a recent binge of Kim’s Convenience on Netflix (very much worth a watch), my team of Miitopia companions is packed out with sitcom characters (or, at least, as close as I could get to them in the game’s Mii Maker tool).

The story of Miitopia is a relatively simple one, with a villainous Dark Lord stealing the faces of innocent townspeople, spurring your main Mii into action, inciting an epic quest that will send you out into the world to battle monsters and recruit more Mii to your cause.

Each time a Mii joins your party, you’ll be able to give them a job and a personality type (e.g. nervous thief, angry cleric), with these decisions altering the things they say and the abilities they have. When your party stops to rest, you can also pair up your Miis in rooms together, with these couples building interpersonal bonds which will allow them to help each other out in battles.

The battle system is turn-based, not unlike a Pokemon battle in some ways, but there is a handy option to let the battles run automatically so you don’t have to constantly be choosing which moves to dish out. Each enemy that you defeat sends a Mii’s face back to its rightful owner, and earns your party some experience points to boot, allowing them to level up and improve their stats.

Your Mii characters will also express interest in buying new weapons and outfits that will change up their look and boost their stats, and they can even pair up to go on little outings between battles that will earn you some extra rewards. For a game that is so clearly designed with kids in mind, there’s an impressive amount of RPG depth if you go looking for it.

Where to buy Miitopia:

• Buy Miitopia from Amazon (£34.99)
• Buy Miitopia from Smyths Toys (£34.99)
• Buy Miitopia from GAME (£39.99)

If you played the original Miitopia on 3DS, you’ll notice some changes that come with the Switch version. There is now a horse that you can customise the look of, take into battle and build a friendship with. And further customisation has been added to the Mii options, allowing you to add wigs and makeup into the mix. Both of these are pretty fun additions, which make the Switch version a worthwhile endeavour for returning fans.

The only major negative about Miitopia is the fact that it does get quite repetitive, with its 30 hours of content beginning to feel like a bit too much at some points. That being said, there’s always a twist in the tale waiting around the corner, and humour baked in at every turn, meaning that it’s very easy to enjoy this experience overall.

The graphics may be simple and the story isn't particularly stunning, but it's just so sweet and enjoyable to take your adorable Mii characters out on adventures and gradually make them stronger. The musical score is nicely varied, too, adding a bit of depth to proceededings.

Whether you’re an adult or a child, a long-term fan of RPG titles or a newcomer to this world, we’d wager that Miitopia has some simple, charming fun that you’ll enjoy. It’s a very chilled experience, too, which might be just what you need right now. Enjoy!

Miitopia is out now for Nintendo Switch and 3DS.

Searching for something else to enjoy? Play our previous Game of the Week picks:

• Biomutant is a post-apocalyptic Kung-Fu Panda
• It Takes Two is the perfect game to get you through lockdown
• Qomp, the unexpected sequel to Pong!
• Nier Replicant - great game, rubbish name

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