Have you ever wondered if your favorite TV show character would fall in love with your best friend over a shared interest in student newspapers? Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, released for the Nintendo Switch 2 last month, could turn those bizarre questions into reality.

A sequel to the 2013 3DS title Tomodachi Life, the eccentric life simulator has managed to hold the No. 1 spot in Nintendo’s digital game store for over three weeks straight.

So, how has a sequel over a decade in the making become so popular?

For students like Natalia Longoria, a senior studying graphic design at DePaul, a major reason is nostalgia.

“I used to play the original on my 3DS when I was in middle school, so I was really excited to play Living the Dream and relive some of those memories,” Longoria said.

One look at the reveal trailer for Living the Dream, which has garnered 1.5 million views on YouTube, reveals numerous recounts from commenters who played the series when they were younger and have been anticipating a new addition ever since.

The game revolves around creating your own autonomous characters, or “Miis,” to populate a world and interact with one another.

Longoria said she plays with a mix of real-world people like her friends, boyfriend and parents, as well as fictional characters like SpongeBob and Carrie. “I just like the scenarios, drama and the prompts you can give them, which can be anything,” she said.

While Tomodachi Life may have less household recognition than other Nintendo properties, it has developed a cult fanbase over the years through its unique mechanics and quirky humor.

“I love how they kept things from the first game that made me love it,” said Steph Posey, a junior studying animation at DePaul. “I like the synthesized voices and the weird stuff the Miis get up to.”

One aspect of the franchise that fans adore is the freedom players have to create characters and have them say whatever they want.

“The dictionary system is so funny with how the Miis will just randomly use the stuff you tell them. It’s great,” Posey said.

Despite how much the player can influence the game’s characters and events, many of the standout moments from Tomodachi Life result from the Miis independently forming relationships with one another and having unique conversations.

“Seeing how they interact is so funny, especially if you get an unlikely pairing. Right now, in the game one of my real friends is best friends with Gojo from ‘Jujutsu Kaisen,’” Posey said.

Outside of actual play, clips from players have gone viral online. Jes Klass, a game design professor at DePaul and Nintendo enthusiast, has enjoyed the fandom surrounding the game even though she hasn’t participated herself.

“Right now, I’ve been enjoying the content others are making, since who doesn’t love seeing Trixie Mattel from ‘Drag Race’ fall in love with Frodo from ‘Lord of the Rings’?” Klass said.

Many fans are already bracing for another 13-year wait for a new entry. But given Nintendo’s recent forays into reviving dormant franchises such as Metroid and Star Fox, it’s possible this trend may continue and that a sequel could release before the nostalgia for this game sets in.

A mix of social media virality, nostalgia and expertly crafted game systems, has helped Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream to live up to the series’ reputation both on its own merits and as part of a series fondly remembered by many.

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