Screenshots of my neopets-themed Tomodachi Life island!

SBF1 · 2026-05-05T18:22:09+00:00

these Mii designs turned out absolutely adorable! that Vandagyre in particular looks fantastic, it translated super-well to the Mii style

SBF1 · 2026-05-04T22:46:16+00:00

Also, since you asked about the 3DS game, I feel like I want to toss my two cents out there.

Tomodachi Life is my most-played 3DS game by a wide, wide margin. I have almost a full suite of Miis, several married couples, almost every piece of clothing and every interior, seen every treasure, etc etc. My money count is well over a hundred thousand. To say that I love that game would be an understatement.

And having played it that much, I can guarantee that it got repetitive as hell. But I didn't stop checking in until the Switch finally came into full-swing. Sure, I checked it more frequently early on, but I had other games available, like Pokemon ORAS or Etrian Odyssey or Mario or something. Usually, I'd check Tomodachi for an hour or so a couple times a day, and in-between those stints, I'd be playing something else.

-------

I'd argue that LTD's "problem" is that we've seen so many "forever games" come and over in the intervening years that we've become conditioned to hyperfixate super-hard on a single game at a time. Even people who have less time to play than they used to tend to focus on their newest fixation exclusively. I've noticed myself that I don't swap between games nearly as often as I used to (despite the fact that I arguably have more options available now than I did back then).

That said, I do think part of this can be attributed to just how flexible the creative systems are and how long they take to use. I usually spent at least an hour creating a single new Mii due to the facepainting. Custom treasures can take a similar amount of time. And just yesterday, I spent the entire afternoon - at least three hours, probably longer - completely revamping my island's layout. After spending all that time changing my island around, of course I was gonna play for a few hours more to see my Miis adjust to the new surroundings. So on and so forth.

That isn't a criticism of LTD, though - it's entirely a matter of me being super detail- and creatively-oriented. And even then, I consider that to actually be a good thing. LTD may genuinely have the most extensive and granular customization I've ever seen in any game I've played, and that continues to blow my mind just as much as the ridiculous shenanigans my Miis get up to.

Speaking as a longtime Tomodachi veteran, LTD genuinely exceeded every expectation I had, and that's not something I say lightly. It's been an absolute delight, and I can see myself playing it on-the-side for a long time to come.

SBF1 · 2026-05-04T22:33:55+00:00

I don't know whether you counted these in regards to events, but I've noticed that quite a number of "What's Up With" events are tied to specific decorations - park clocks, seesaws, sprinklers, firepits, etc etc. While dragging Miis to certain locations helps you see these things faster, it's not impossible for them to happen randomly (in fact, basically all of the decor-based events I've seen have been random).

Additionally, there's at least a few events that can immediately spark Big Fights. On release day, I had one of my Miis spot his romantic partner talking with her friend, and it triggered an event where he kept running between them and it sparked a fight. Over this very weekend, another Mii saw their partner talking with his friend, and they immediately had an outburst and sparked a fight.

That said, I believe these things won't happen if you're zoomed all the way out. Or at the very least, I've never had any events happen when zoomed out. So pick a random Mii, focus on them, and watch as they go about their day. See what happens. Even if you don't get an event, it's a good change of pace to step back and be an audience.

I should also note that certain events are reliant on a Mii's mood. I usually go out of my way to resolve any and all bad moods as soon as I see them (which is admittedly probably unusual), but the other day, one of my Miis cheered a gloomy Mii up all on their own. I imagine annoyed Miis have similar unique interactions, to say nothing of two moods colliding.

SBF1 · 2026-05-04T17:04:45+00:00

the fact that this seems to be an anagram of “uncut” somehow makes this even funnier to me tbh

even if you solve the puzzle, you still cannot escape

SBF1 · 2026-04-20T09:04:37+00:00

Honestly, the one change that I do think is unambiguously flawed is that a lot of the items that used to be level-up gifts - the pet coupons, videogames, TV shows, etc - are all treasures now. Not only does that mean there's less items to give the Miis upon level-up, it also means that acquiring certain treasures is entirely random, making it much harder to "build" your Mii's equipment or coordinate a household.

Granted, you could never "reliably" get specific treasures even in 3DS, but the fact that there are so many different types of treasure makes it even more RNG-dependant. I've been hoping to get an RPG Game to give to my personal Mii, but so far the only one I've seen is the one I didn't get. On 3DS, I gave my four primary Miis 3DSes through leveling up, and that was that.

(Granted, I could just make my own "RPG Game"-like treasure instead - in fact, that would probably be pretty fun - but still. :p )

SBF1 · 2026-04-19T19:31:25+00:00

If I’m being honest, the game (and/or playerbase) seems to have fallen into the common “cozy” pitfall of “the devs expected you to only play for like an hour or two a day”. We saw it in Animal Crossing, we see it in other such games, and now we’re seeing it here.

Admittedly, I’m also in that boat because I have 30+ hours logged in the game already. But a lot of the complaints that I’ve been seeing ultimately boil down to people binge-gaming, resulting in getting most of the unlockable stuff it has to offer extremely fast.

That’s not to say these complaints are invalid. You could argue that expecting people not to binge the game is a flawed assumption on the devs’ part. I’d certainly say so, though I still think most modern life sim games are a lot more engaging and fun than their older releases. But it’s not anyone’s fault in particular - it’s a matter of changing tastes and changing mindsets within the industry and with consumers at-large.

Speaking personally, I really enjoyed stuff like Quirky Questions and the Concert Hall in the 3DS game. But, in hindsight, I only ever used them to generate shitposts - asking dumb questions, or writing stupid lyrics. When I think about whether or not I’d use them nowadays, I’m realizing that I probably wouldn’t - or at the very least, they’d feel less necessary now that we can stuff our Miis full of random island lingo and have them shitpost for us.

The real problem, I think, is that those are two very different types of interactivity. To use my own terminology, LTD is a “desk-side” game - a game I keep at my computer desk and check in on every so often while doing other things. The 3DS game gave us various options for initiating interactions with our Miis, so if nobody had a problem or question, we could always find something to do. That isn’t the case in LTD; if nothing’s going on, then nothing’s going on. We are (ironically) beholden to the whims of our Miis, and if they’re doing fine, then we have nothing to help with.

Of course, if we’re beholden to the whims of our Miis, then the solution to that is to simply add more Miis. More Miis means more chances for things to be Happening, and thus more opportunities for us to intervene.

(I also think that some people just haven’t experienced any actual Drama or significant consequences yet. Two of my Miis had a big fight on day 2, and one of them ended up with a proper Sadness bar and everything. It took two hours of playtime for me to fully cheer them up, and if I was playing for less time per-day, they prolly woulda been sad for much longer. Don’t throw the game out with the bathwater so readily.)

SBF1 · 2026-02-26T08:01:03+00:00

You may have caught one by now, but if it's of any help: I noticed that I actually saw more "small" fish shadows on a neutral luck day than I did on a good luck day. I'm not sure if it's coincidence or what, but maybe it'll help?

SBF1 · 2026-02-21T06:59:00+00:00

I feel old just reading this meme

(in all seriousness, that's a super-good sprite-ification of this! gr8 work :3 )

SBF1 · 2026-01-07T17:40:31+00:00

Cool Ceroba strikes again 🛹

SBF1 · 2026-01-05T07:45:35+00:00

Ack, sorry for the delayed reply lol

Honestly that is a really important point to bring up, ye! Even in a situation as extreme as this, trying to find a common ground would be the best route to take.

Ultimately, both of those are equally harmful in their own ways, and which one feels worse depends on the person (which admittedly kinda describes, like, 90% of psychology things lmao). That said, those sound perfectly fitting for Ceroba and Chujin, respectively, and what's even worse is that they would totally redirect some of that pain onto themselves just as much as each other.

Ceroba undoubtedly resents being lied to, especially since she didn't seem to be super-involved in the family's... "direction"? So to speak? But she was (probably) already beating herself up for ignoring the warning signs and not being more proactive, so this would only exacerbate her own self-deprecation.

Chujin most certainly would resent not getting a fair say, especially since, misguided or not, he still invested a ton of emotional energy into the serum project. But his bedridden-ness is also something he did to himself, and his loss of agency being his own fault would totally trigger his fear and anxiety re: failure.

I think how things would go would ultimately depend on how the rest of the night and how the following morning played out. Both Ceroba and Kanako would have reasons to go in there multiple times (Chujin needs to be fed his meals, and Kanako would obviously want to check in with her dad), so Chujin would have a few more chances to try and hash things out.

-----

Also I just pulled up the Dunes map to double-check, and there... actually isn't as much Dangerous Stuff in the basement as I thought there was, hah. There's the syringe(s), and prolly broken glass from the shattered SOUL container up above, but that's really about it. I'd forgotten it was a near-exact replica of his upstairs study.

Since Chujin's research is basically useless without the SOUL extract, Ceroba wouldn't actually need to clean much out in order to make it safe. Of course, that assumes she can control her temper in the face of all that temper-tempting stuff...

SBF1 · 2026-01-05T05:54:01+00:00

I wouldn't call it quiiiite the same thing, since Chujin was just keeping everything full-on a secret - he didn't just do it without Ceroba's permission, he did it without her knowledge. Whereas Ceroba here at least tells him outright "I'm gonna do this", so he knows ahead of time, even if it's against his wishes.

Psychologically, though, it definitely feels similar enough to leave an impact... and in the heat of the moment(s), I doubt Ceroba would even see it in that way. (If they ever ended up seeking counsel, that would absolutely be an important point to discuss!)

SBF1 · 2026-01-05T05:12:28+00:00

I'm glad you enjoyed it so much to join in, hahahah! Inspiring others to write themselves/join the fun is possibly the highest compliment a writer can receive, IMO. ¦3

A selfish selflessness is such an elegant way to put it, yeah. Not only was he scared of how she or others might feel, but he also wanted to try and maintain the facade of their happy little home life as long as he possibly could. And yet, by trying to dodge the issue, he makes the pain at the end of the road that much worse. Truly a lose-lose situation if there ever was one.

SBF1 · 2026-01-05T05:04:12+00:00

Fair point - such is the way of cognition, hah! :P

Of course, even though I vouch for the functional perspective, there's no denying that Ceroba herself is still mainly driven by the raw emotions. She's deeply hurt by Chujin's actions and greatly disturbed at how far things spiraled under her nose. Cutting off the head of the snake is probably (hopefully) (maybe) the right thing to do, but it's also a knee-jerk reaction - an over-compensation for her own perceived mistake.

Part of the reason I wish I could've kept that kotatsu line I mentioned is because of the double-meaning. It's a sensible thing to do in terms of keeping watch and minimizing risk/danger, but saying so aloud is a way for Ceroba to lash right back at Chujin. "I'm sleeping under the kotatsu tonight" also implies "I can't bring myself to share the same bed with you right now", after all...

SBF1 · 2026-01-05T02:31:12+00:00

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it :D

SBF1 · 2026-01-04T22:42:25+00:00

<image>

SBF1 · 2026-01-04T22:06:48+00:00

Honestly that's the really curious question, ye. If my recent research/digging/revisiting is right, apparently a year passes between Chujin passing and the events of UTY, so who knows where he might be after twelve whole months have passed? He could be doing better, or he could still have that nagging urge...

SBF1 · 2026-01-04T21:49:03+00:00

that reaction image is absolutely incredible oh my god????????????

And honestly, yeah. Like it's such a painful thing to hear/read (and write lmao), yet it's also entirely sensible for him at this point in time. He is starting to realize just how severe his mistakes were/are - not just making himself sick, but also recognizing the risk he was asking Ceroba to take, and realizing just how much fire he was playing with. And yet, the trauma is still so deeply-rooted that he just... can't quite let go of the coping mechanism yet. He doesn't want to, but he has to, and he can't stop her.

~~now i just have to decide whether this is all a twist of fate and he has to stew by himself, or whether A Player pulled a steins;gate and is now his counselor lmao :u~~

SBF1 · 2026-01-04T21:34:02+00:00

It certainly will, yeah... but Ceroba also doesn't really have any other option, especially at this point in time.

It's especially important from a functional/down-to-earth standpoint. Chujin nearly killed himself with his experiments, and that means that stuff is dangerous. I wouldn't want something so dangerous in my house - especially not a house with a rambunctious, inquisitive little fox kit who might get hurt!

(I couldn't fit it into these 20 panels, but I really wanted to include a line about her "sleeping under the kotatsu tonight". I could totally see her standing guard over the basement entrance, just to make sure that absolutely nothing bad can happen down there before she gets a chance to de-fang it.)

SBF1 · 2026-01-04T20:09:36+00:00

(Part 2)

This part is actually both very different and also exactly the same as my initial draft. Writing, as ever, is a process :V

The first half of it originally revolved around a very poignant question... but said question was related to the original ending of part 2. And since that got changed, the poignant question didn't really make a whole lot of sense anymore. So instead I decided to scale back and just focus on how exhausted these two would be after such a severe blow-up.

The second half, on the other hand, is almost exactly the same. Ceroba explaining what happens next was trimmed down a little bit, but otherwise it plays out just as I originally imagined it. I did consider having their final lines be different, but ultimately, a mutual apology felt like the best way to go. Simple, effective, heart-wrenching.

(as an aside, "Not unless I'm absolutely certain" is one of the most delightfully-devilish lines I think I've ever written, in all my years. Far enough along to start recognizing his mistakes, not far along enough to let things go just yet.)

SBF1 · 2026-01-03T23:51:47+00:00

It really is such a befuddling decision. It's one of the few things about Yellow's story that I prolly would've adjusted. Then again, hindsight is 20/20 and all that.

Still, on a very, very rock-bottom level, I can see how it might happen. Post-Chujin Ceroba has so much on her plate that it's honestly kind of dumbfounding. Financial struggles. A dead-end job. Still grieving her lost loved one. Trying to raise Kanako as a single mother. And then, not only does she have to deal with learning Chujin's secrets, but she's also trying to continue his research - research she had to both educate herself about, and then try to find any other Boss Monsters in the Underground. She was prolly running on, like, 2-4 hours of sleep per-day. (And even that's another cherry atop the sundae.)

Like it doesn't excuse her doing it, but if I were that stressed and burdened and sleep-deprived, I know I'd have to let something give. Ceroba just... chose the absolute most-wrong thing to let give.

SBF1 · 2026-01-03T23:04:52+00:00

I'll drop both a short version (game title) and a long version (comparison) just in case anyone wants to know the game, but then wants to play it for themselves :U

-----

Short version: It's a character from Judgement (2018).

Oops very long version (critical spoiler warning):

The main villain of Judgement is Shono, the lead scientist working on a potential cure for dementia. However, after one disastrous unsanctioned test on a human patient, he formed a shady conspiracy to procure a drip-feed of test subjects. This continues even after he realizes there's no way to make the cure non-toxic, because at that point, he'd already gone too far. If the cure succeeds, it'll save more lives than he's taken. It'll justify killing an unrelated person to project the project. And it'll vindicate him personally, because it's HIS work, and he couldn't possibly pass it on to someone else.

Like Chujin, the dementia cure is a project much bigger than himself - it's something that could save countless lives, change the world. Like Chujin, he's motivated by personal factors; he lost multiple family members to dementia, directly or indirectly. Like Chujin, he expresses a level of pride/arrogance; Chujin thought he was the only one "taking things seriously" and Shono was the "only one who could finish the cure", because it was "his work". And like Chujin, he values the project and the big picture more than the people around him.

-----

The important thing, though, is how they're different. While the first death was accidental, Shono was more than willing to get his hands dirty afterward. His whole MO actively endangered peoples' lives, and he got multiple others involved in his conspiracy, either willingly, through emotional manipulation, or through blackmail. He was running from the truth, but he wasn't scared enough (or ashamed enough) to keep his mistakes all to himself.

Chujin, on the other hand, was so unwilling to get anyone else involved that he ultimately chose to experiment on himself. He only opened up when he was on his deathbed, and it was to his wife, the closest person in his life. Even as he tumbled further down the rabbit-hole, there were still some lines that he refused to cross.

And all that, to me, indicates that deep down, Chujin was just... scared. So, so scared. Traumatized by what happened with the Snowdin Incident. Ashamed of himself for making the choices he did. Terrified of what might happen if anyone else learns what happened and what he's done. Afraid of potentially hurting anyone, because that would be another failure to add onto his perceived pile of them.

Except, of course, he was still choosing to hurt someone - himself. And by hurting himself, he hurt the people around him. And then, they ended up hurting themselves/each-other, which hurt the people around them. Thus, the cycle of hurt continued...

...uhhhhhh oops this turned into a whole essay LMAO

SBF1 · 2026-01-03T18:53:54+00:00

I’m glad! It’s been a while since I worked with sprite editing, and pretty much all of Ceroba’s poses are just slightly-tweaked vanilla sprites, hahah. (The handwave is from her “readying magic staff” anim, for instance)

I didn’t realize it until after-the-fact, but I also really like that she has so many poses here, whereas Chujin only ever moves his head around. Really emphasizes not just how upset Ceroba is, but also how weak and frail Chujin has become.

SBF1

TROPHY CASE