Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream – A Surreal Sequel Coming to Switch in 2026

Tomodachi Life was the last thing I expected to show up at this week’s Nintendo Direct. Just recently, I wrote about my hope for a remastered version of the decade-old life sim for Switch 2—but never in my wildest dreams did I think the series would actually make a return. Yet, here we are.

Earlier today, Nintendo confirmed that Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream will be launching on the Switch—and likely its successor—in 2026. From the looks of it, this is more than just a simple remaster. It appears to be a bold and ambitious sequel that takes the original’s quirky, dreamlike island experience to a whole new level.

Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream Is Already the Switch 2’s Strangest Game

The moment I saw a Mii-shaped figure lounging on a deckchair, surrounded by palm trees swaying in the breeze, I knew in my gut that this was a new Tomodachi Life. It’s kind of like Animal Crossing’s eccentric cousin—the one your parents complain about at family gatherings for making offhanded, inappropriate remarks. But you love them anyway.

For those unfamiliar with the original, Tomodachi Life let you create Miis and move them into a shared apartment complex on a bizarre, dreamlike island. The Miis could explore nearby locations and participate in random activities, but most of the time, you simply watched their lives unfold through strange, often hilarious cutscenes. You could interact with them in ridiculous ways—helping them build relationships, get married, or just act plain weird. It was basically a reality show with no rules, and somehow, nobody minded the lack of freedom.

What made it truly special was the freedom to populate the island with whoever you wanted. You could have your best friend marry a celebrity, your grandma flirt with a supervillain, or watch your boss bond with a serial killer over a bowl of ramen. It was absurd, and Living The Dream seems eager to double down on that chaotic charm.

A Bigger, Weirder Island Awaits

While the reveal trailer was brief, it hinted at some exciting new gameplay elements. This time, it seems you might be able to explore the island more freely. Perhaps you’ll control a main avatar alongside the island’s Mii residents, or maybe the island itself will dream up the characters for you.

The trailer also shows that each Mii appears to have their own house, suggesting a larger, more customizable world. The island features new facilities, including clothing stores, supermarkets, and furniture shops. Communal areas for activities—like flower-sniffing (not like that, Carol) or spontaneous breakdancing battles—promise plenty of delightfully bizarre interactions.

The subtitle Living The Dream could also hint at expanded dream mechanics. In the original game, dreams were simply random cutscenes, but this sequel may transform them into playable minigames or entire new areas to explore.

Embracing the Absurdity

The beauty of Tomodachi Life lies in its unpredictable, surreal nature. The original could grow repetitive after a dozen or so hours, but it still had a magnetic charm. Checking in on your Miis every few days to see what chaos they’d gotten into—whether they were getting married, forming a rock band, or rotting in bed after eating too much cheese—was part of the fun.

I have no idea what to expect from this sequel, but that’s exactly why I’m excited. Tomodachi Life thrives on the unexpected—surprising, disgusting, and intriguing you in equal measure. I, for one, can’t wait to throw my family and friends into this delightful fever dream and watch the madness unfold.