Tomodachi Life is a quirky, life-simulation game that offers a lighthearted and enjoyable experience, but some players may feel that the game can become a bit too easy or predictable after a while. Whether you’re looking to make your game more challenging or simply want to add more complexity, there are several ways to keep things fresh and engaging. Here are some ways to make Tomodachi Life more challenging:
1. Limit Your Mii Creation and Acquisition
Tomodachi Life allows you to populate your island with a variety of Miis, whether they are created by you or imported from other sources. One of the most straightforward ways to add challenge is to limit how many Miis you allow into the game. Instead of filling up the island right away, challenge yourself by starting with only a small group and gradually adding more over time.
If you want to take this up a notch, consider setting a rule where you can only accept Miis that meet certain criteria, such as being a certain level of happiness or achieving a specific goal, like forming a relationship or having a baby.
2. Increase the Difficulty of Relationships
Building relationships is a central part of Tomodachi Life. To make the game more challenging, avoid rushing relationship progress. Make it a point to not interfere too much when it comes to helping Miis with their love lives or friendships. Rather than offering advice immediately or helping them when they’re upset, allow them to face their issues on their own. This will create more unpredictable dynamics and may lead to more conflict, making the game more engaging.
3. Keep the Happiness Bar Low
Happiness is the key to your Miis’ well-being in Tomodachi Life. Miis’ happiness is also linked to how they interact with each other and how well they are cared for. To create a more difficult experience, intentionally keep your Miis’ happiness levels low. Don’t always give them food or toys to make them happy, and limit your involvement in their needs. This will increase the frequency of conflicts and issues between Miis, which will require more management on your part.
4. Control the Number of Items You Use
Items play a big part in making Miis happy, leveling them up, and improving their relationships. To increase the difficulty, limit the number of items you use for Miis. For example, restrict the toys, foods, and outfits you offer. Avoid using items that directly improve relationships or increase happiness, forcing you to manage Miis through their natural behaviors and emotions instead.
Also, resist the temptation to constantly upgrade apartments or buy gifts for your Miis. This will create a more challenging scenario where Miis are forced to interact with each other and solve their own problems without relying on you to bail them out.
5. Disable the Fast-Forward Function
One of the easiest ways to make Tomodachi Life feel less challenging is to fast-forward through events, which can make everything feel like it’s progressing too quickly. To increase the difficulty and make the game feel more immersive, avoid using the fast-forward feature. This will allow events to unfold in real-time, and you’ll need to be more attentive to the needs of your Miis as they evolve.
Since Tomodachi Life is designed to run in real-time, keeping track of each Mii’s activities and emotional state will require more effort and patience, which adds complexity to the game.
6. Avoid Over-Caring for Your Miis
While it’s tempting to constantly check in on your Miis to ensure they are happy and well-adjusted, avoiding this can increase the game’s challenge. Instead, focus on letting your Miis live their lives without excessive intervention. Allow them to experience struggles and frustrations without always stepping in to resolve their problems immediately. This will lead to more spontaneous and unpredictable events that make the game feel less controlled and more challenging.
7. Introduce Random Challenges
You can create your own challenges to increase difficulty in Tomodachi Life. For example:
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No Gifts Rule: Don’t give Miis gifts or items for a set period of time, forcing them to rely on their natural circumstances for happiness and development.
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No Asking for Help: Try not to help Miis when they ask for assistance with problems, such as fighting with other Miis, needing advice, or asking for help with romantic proposals.
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Limit Certain Mii Types: Make the game more challenging by limiting the types of Miis that can be created. For example, set a rule where only Miis with specific personalities or occupations can be created, or you could have a “no celebrity Miis” rule to restrict the types of interactions available.
8. Limit the Number of Babies or Relationships
Instead of letting every Mii automatically form relationships and have children, impose a limit on how many babies your island can have. Maybe only a few couples can have children, or you can set a rule where no one can have a child until they’ve reached a specific happiness level. This will make the process of growing your island slower and more intentional, and it will also force you to carefully manage the relationships on your island.
9. Enable Natural Conflicts
Let natural conflicts arise without interference. Let Miis fight with each other, and instead of stepping in immediately, allow them to resolve their differences on their own. This can lead to more tension and drama on the island, forcing you to manage their relationships with more care. Conflicts can be unpredictable, and they may prevent Miis from forming relationships, which makes the game more difficult.
10. Set Personal Challenges
Set specific personal challenges for yourself to make the game more interesting. For example:
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Survival Mode: Try to get a Mii to survive and thrive on the island without using the store, special items, or extensive help from you.
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Ultimate Matchmaker: Try to get two Miis to fall in love, but set up a series of difficult conditions (such as not letting them meet in person until certain conditions are met).
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Mii Creator Limitations: Challenge yourself by creating Miis only with specific characteristics like certain personality traits or occupations, forcing you to adapt your strategies for success on the island.
11. Increase Emotional Reactions
Another way to make Tomodachi Life more difficult is by paying attention to how Miis react to one another. If you avoid managing their relationships and interactions, they may experience more frequent emotional reactions such as jealousy, anger, or disappointment. These feelings can negatively affect relationships and complicate your island management, forcing you to step in at the right time to resolve the emotional turmoil between your Miis.
Conclusion
Making Tomodachi Life more challenging is about introducing self-imposed limitations and letting the game play out in a more organic, unpredictable way. Whether you decide to limit your Miis’ happiness, introduce personal challenges, or reduce the amount of assistance you give to your islanders, these steps will force you to think more critically about how you manage your island and relationships. By embracing the chaos and spontaneity of your Miis’ lives, you’ll find that Tomodachi Life becomes a more engaging and rewarding experience.