Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a Perfect Stop-Gap for…

Tomodachi Life fans received major news during the surprise March 2025 Nintendo Direct. In the 30-minute livestream, Nintendo unveiled a wave of exciting announcements, including a new Rhythm Heaven game, a second trailer for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and a shop simulation game set in the world of Tamagotchi. However, for Tomodachi Life fans, the biggest reveal was that, after over a decade, the beloved game is finally getting a sequel, aptly titled Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.

Slated for a 2026 release date, the announcement of a fresh Tomodachi Life is significant for more than one reason. Not only does it appear to bring back the nostalgia of its predecessor, but it may also be perfect for fans of Animal Crossing, offering a similarly charming and immersive experience, albeit with Nintendo's iconic Miis instead of villagers. With fans still waiting for news of a new Animal Crossing game, the Tomodachi Life franchise is a perfect placeholder with its charming social simulation aspects and quirky islanders.

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By Michael Brandon Ingram

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Should Interest Animal Crossing Players

The Release Date for the Tomodachi Life Sequel May Be Strategically Planned

While the Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream trailer was brief, it highlighted key aspects of the game, such as group activities, relationship interactions, and Miis freely expressing their thoughts. Its predecessor featured much of the same core gameplay, with players able to watch their personalized characters live out their lives, forming friendships, bickering, exercising, and even getting married, all while within a tight knight community. Tomodachi Life was so popular in Japan that it sold over 400,000 copies in its first week.

Tomodachi Life has sold 6.72 million units worldwide, making it the 11th best-selling 3DS game ever.

For the Animal Crossing community, whether newcomers to the Tomodachi franchise or not, the sequel's release window should be of interest. To illustrate, Tomodachi Life's 2013 release in Japan and 2014 global release served as a stop-gap between Animal Crossing's mainline entries: New Leaf and New Horizons. New Leaf debuted in Japan in 2012 and was released internationally in 2013, while New Horizons launched in 2020. While the release dates weren't particularly far apart, Tomodachi Life was a cute and innovative social sim perfect for filling the time between New Leaf and New Horizons.

Like the first game, Living the Dream has the potential to offer fans something new between New Horizons and the next Animal Crossing entry. While Nintendo has yet to announce a new installment in the Animal Crossing franchise, its immense popularity makes it unlikely the series will be abandoned, especially after the success of New Horizons in 2020. Perhaps Nintendo strategically chose a 2026 release date for Living the Dream to tide over the Animal Crossing community.

Regardless, Tomodachi Life and Animal Crossing may be a match made in heaven for those who enjoy casual, open-ended gameplay. After all, both games offer high levels of customization, character interaction, and relationship building, all wrapped up in a small yet vibrant, influenceable world. While the games aren’t so similar that they feel repetitive, they undoubtedly share many endearing qualities.

Tomodachi Life and Animal Crossing may be a match made in heaven.

Furthermore, the trailer for the Tomodachi Life Switch game may look familiar to Animal Crossing fans. Although Nintendo has not confirmed this speculation, some eagle-eyed fans have noticed that Living the Dream may be reusing assets from New Horizons, including but not necessarily limited to features like palm trees, flower types, clothing designs, and architecture. With the Tomodachi Life series being called a distant cousin of the Animal Crossing franchise by some, it may be reassuring for Animal Crossing players to see some recognizable visuals and animations when picking up Living the Dream as well.