Miitopia for Nintendo Switch: The ultimate guide

In the February 2021 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo announced that the 3DS title Miitopia would be receiving the port treatment on the Nintendo Switch. Miitopia for Nintendo Switch was released on May 21, 2021.

Miitopia is a classical JRPG with a twist — every character in this adventure is a Mii! Players can choose who they want to accompany them on their adventure, whether it be Miis of friends, family, or celebrities. It was originally released in Japan in December 2016 and worldwide in July 2017 on the Nintendo 3DS system.

The game received middling reviews from critics, but was well-loved by users on Metacritic. Its true potential on 3DS couldn't have been known, though, as it was released in Europe and the Americas several months after the Nintendo Switch was released on March 3, 2017. For many, this will be their first taste of Miitopia and is considered one of best Nintendo Switch games after the extremely positive demo reception.

Miitopia for Nintendo Switch

If you want all the gameplay of a JRPG without the tedious and confusing story, this is the game for you. Players can build their own cast of characters and embark on a journey to save the world, all while building bonds with their party members.

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What's the story?

Miitopia is set in the fictional realm of the same name, where Miis lived in peace ... that is, until the Dark Lord took almost everyone's faces away and put them onto monsters roaming the land! The protagonist must work together with a cast of characters created by the player to defeat monsters and save the faces of Miitopia's residents before facing the Dark Lord himself.

What's the gameplay like?

In typical JRPG fashion, players must venture across different areas and fight monsters, who are (disturbingly) sporting the stolen faces of the Miis in Miitopia. Players will choose their own job class and personality type and those of their party members. Engaging with monsters in battle and defeating them causes loot in the form of food to drop.

After every section on the map, the Miis visit an inn to recuperate and freshen up. Miis can eat dropped food and increase one of six stats: HP, MP, Attack, Magic, Defense, and Speed. Miis can be picky about the food they eat, though, resulting in boosts or drops in the affected stats. Becoming stronger through meals gives your Miis the ability to defeat tougher monsters, which results in better food. This gameplay loop of fighting monsters and increasing your stats at the inn will carry you throughout the game.

The inn itself is a huge component of the game and can greatly affect how well you do in battle. Miis can request to buy new gear or weapons, which improve their attacks and defense. Most importantly, though, is the relationships Miis have with each other. Sending Miis to bunk in the same room causes their relationships to improve, resulting in party members helping each other out in battle. Maintaining and repairing relationships is important, as your Miis may get in each other's way if they dislike each other.

How many job classes are there?

Players can choose from one of six classes when they start the game, with more jobs being unlocked as they progress through the game.

Does the game work with amiibo?

Players can encounter a self-proclaimed "Nintendo Fan" within the world of Miitopia, who asks whether the player has any amiibo to show them. Only a select few amiibo figures will grant the player a themed costume, while other amiibo grant the player three tickets to use in the inn's arcade. The following amiibo figures will grant the player costumes:

Players can use any of the above amiibo from any series they appear in. The Nintendo Fan does not accept amiibo cards. We will update this space if more costumes are added.

Differences between the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch versions

Nintendo added some extra content available for the Nintendo Switch version of the game. One new addition is the ability to recruit horses as allies, build and maintain relationships with them, and fight alongside them in battle. Horses will function similarly to Mii allies and will offer perks depending on how well they get along with the Miis in the party. The new "outings" feature that improves relationships between Miis can also be used with one Mii and a horse!

The customization aspects of Miitopia have also been vastly improved, with a large variety of makeup options available that allow players to make their Mii allies look even more like the people they draw inspiration from. Wig options are also available, which are a welcome addition as the Mii hairstyle options have always been quite limited. Players will be able to change their Miis' hair color in a way that best reflects their personality.

Miis can be created within the Nintendo Switch Mii Maker, whether from scratch or from a set of pre-determined likenesses that you can edit. If you've got any Miis stored on an amiibo, you can copy them to your game as well. Players can fill in Miis found throughout the various towns with popular Miis created within the 3DS version.

Is there a demo for Miitopia?

There sure is! Just like the Nintendo 3DS version, you can download a free demo for Miitopia on the Nintendo Switch eShop, directly from the full game's eShop page. This will teach you the basics of the game and allow you to build your party of Miis. You'll get to choose one of the six starting job classes and progress through the early stages of the story.

What's even better is that your save data will carry over to the full version if you choose to purchase the full game! So go out and get wild with the new and improved in-game Mii editor. People have already started going wild creating all kinds of snazzy Miis.

When did it release?

Miitopia was released on May 21, 2021 on the Nintendo Switch. It is available on the Nintendo eShop for $49.99 USD.

Anyone can be a Mii!

I thoroughly enjoyed playing it on the 3DS and seeing the witty dialogue between my Miis. Seeing what the new features in the Nintendo Switch version will bring to the table is super exciting. This JRPG doesn't take itself too seriously, and the gameplay loop is super satisfying. I enjoyed learning what all the unconventional job classes had to offer in this fresh take on your typical save-the-world adventure.

Miitopia for Nintendo Switch

Create your own cast of party members with Miis of all kinds and different job classes. Form bonds with them and defeat the Dark Lord.

Buy from: Amazon | Walmart | Nintendo