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Since the launch of the Nintendo 3DS over five years ago, one of its most unique and forward-thinking innovations has been its passive communication system, a feature Nintendo dubbed “StreetPass.” By constantly sending out discreet wireless signals, the handheld shares information with other nearby systems, even while in sleep mode, stuffed in a backpack, and generally ignored for most of the day. Unlike smartphones and the PlayStation Vita, which need to connect to the internet to download information from friends, this passive system is always searching for new data within your immediate vicinity. This means players can come home to find there are suddenly new model homes to explore in Animal Crossing, new guild cards in Monster Hunter, and new ghosts to race in Mario Kart, all from 3DS-carrying friends and strangers they may have walked past at some point.
More than just adding doodads to existing titles, Nintendo has put out an assortment of games over the years that have put StreetPass front and center, directly translating the people you come across into tangible benefits. These are collected in the 3DS’ built-in StreetPass Mii Plaza. Some of these games can be played idly while watching TV or talking on the phone. Others require more focus and attention. With the release of five brand new StreetPass games, I thought this would be a good time to revisit and review all 13 Mii Plaza games.
Puzzle Swap
This jigsaw-puzzle collection where random people on the street have all the pieces comes pre-installed on every 3DS, so if you own a Nintendo 3DS, you already own this. Mostly a showcase for the system’s stereoscopic 3-D screen, each completed “puzzle” reveals a 3-D diorama you don’t really get to interact with. Puzzle Swap is possibly the most frequently updated piece of software in the entire 3DS library, with new “puzzles” added a few times a year since launch. So every time you ask, “Have I called my mom lately?” you should probably also ask, “Have I checked Puzzle Swap lately?” Both miss you very much.
Commitment level: Low. People hand you pieces of a picture, and you’re done. Admire the pictures, or don’t, at your leisure.
Price: Free!
Find Mii
This is the other game that comes built-in with every 3DS, so just play it already. It’s a simple turn-based dungeon crawler where each person you StreetPass is a member of your party, and their unique magic ability is based on the color they’re wearing. People you pass more often gain strength each time, so that annoying kid on your morning train who listens to The Shins way too loudly might just be your best ally against the forces of evil, and neither of you ever need discuss it.
Commitment level: Medium. There are branching paths to be completed on repeat plays through, but only if you want all the special hats for your Mii. And why wouldn’t you? Some of these hats are fantastic.
Price: Free!
Mii Force
As a side-scrolling shoot-’em-up, Mii Force is one of the most welcoming StreetPass game to newcomers. There’s no need to worry about rules, setting, or strategy. Just shoot everything. Your ship’s weapons are defined by the shirt colors of the people you’ve StreetPassed, so if you prefer flame-throwers to homing missiles, keep track of your neighbors and coworkers who prefer red and be sure to casually pass them by every day.
Commitment level: Medium. There are plenty of optional goals to clear, but just holding down the attack button will get you pretty far.
Price: $5 for Mii Force alone. $15 for a bundle containing Mii Force, Flower Town, Warrior’s Way, and Monster Manor.
Flower Town
All of your new StreetPass buddies line up to water the flowers in your garden. That’s pretty much it. You can take on jobs to grow specific flowers, take photos of your lovely garden, or collect rare pots for your plants, but the bulk of it is just watching people water your flowers.
Commitment level: Low. Even with a full plaza, getting everyone to water your seeds only takes a few seconds. But carefully selecting jobs and cross-breeding seeds—that can take a while.
Price: $5 alone. $15 in bundle.
Warrior’s Way
Every person you meet is a feudal warlord, and their army is made up of every person they’ve ever greeted in their own StreetPass Mii Plaza. Going to war is a simple game of rock-paper-scissors, dividing your armies into three head-to-head factions, but victory can be easily assured by having a huge army of your own. If you live in a densely populated area or attend conventions where you can StreetPass people on a regular basis, growing your army should take no time at all. There’s a Risk-style adventure, too, but it’s more of the same rock-paper-scissors, just with slightly more attitude.
Commitment level: Low. Once you have a large enough crowd in your plaza, the battles are a simple numbers game.
Price: $5 alone. $15 in bundle.
Monster Manor
Each person you meet gives you a new room to fit into your haunted mansion and explore. There’s a lot of interaction to be had in combating ghosts, customizing your weapons, and strategically arranging rooms to find the best treasures. The more often you StreetPass someone, the more room options you have, so passing the same people every day makes this game a whole lot easier and reduces the frustration of having rooms that just won’t fit.
Commitment level: High. There’s a lot of strategy to be had, and looking away for more than a moment could lead to a ghost feasting on your face.
Price:$5 alone. $15 in bundle.
Battleground Z
An arena-based beat-’em-up where you rescue other Miis during a zombie outbreak. The weapons you receive are based on the “hobbies” of the people you meet, so a person who likes “shopping” gives you a pair of shopping bags while a person who likes “watching movies” gives you… a ray gun?
Commitment level: High. Battles can drag on for a while, and players need to be paying constant attention in order to succeed.
Price: $5 alone. $8 for a bundle containing Battleground Z and Ultimate Angler, or $7 if you already purchased any of the other StreetPass Mii Plaza games.
Ultimate Angler
It’s a fishing game! Throw out some bait, and reel in the fish when it bites. Each fish likes certain baits, and types of bait are based, of course, on the shirt color of each Mii you meet. (There are a whole bunch of details for each Mii—why do these games keep using shirt color?) Players can also collect and improve their fishing rods and show off prized catches in tanks that nobody will ever look at.
Commitment level: High. With multiple fishing spots at multiple islands, it’ll take a while to catch them all.
Price: $5 alone. $8 for a bundle containing Battleground Z and Ultimate Angler, or $7 if you already purchased any of the other StreetPass Mii Plaza games.
Slot Car Rivals
All the excitement of radio-controlled car racing without 90 percent of the stuff you actually do! Hold down accelerate, release as you corner, hold it down again, repeat. The game goes by ridiculously quickly, as any arcade racing game should, but those few seconds are oddly satisfying. The more racers you compete against, the better gear you’ll have in your next race.
Commitment level: Low. You’re in, you’re out, move on to the next one.
Price: Your choice of either Slot Car Rivals or Market Crashers for free. Each is $3 if you already own the other. $9 in a bundle with Feed Mii, Ninja Launcher, and Mii Trek.
Market Crashers
Buy and sell stocks in this cartoon alternative to the 2008 market crash. More people in your Plaza means more frequent stock tips, helping you buy and sell more effectively. The Miis are so cute, you’ll almost forget about every horrible news story you’ve ever heard come out of Wall Street.
Commitment level: Low. It’s quick. You only use two buttons (buy and sell), and watching your Mii get dwarfed by their fat stack of coins will help you understand why Donald Trump keeps putting his name in giant gold letters everywhere. It just feels really good.
Price: Your choice of either Slot Car Rivals or Market Crashers for free. Each is $3 if you already own the other. $9 in a bundle with Feed Mii, Ninja Launcher, and Mii Trek.
Feed Mii
Peeking behind the scenes of Find Mii, Feed Mii tasks you with filling the bellies of your Mii friends before they head out on their dungeon crawl. Shirt colors determine which ingredients are at your disposal, because shirt colors determine everything.
Commitment level: Low. While you can fiddle around to try new recipes, whipping up a meal for your crew only takes a few taps.
Price: $3 alone. $9 for a bundle containing Feed Mii, Ninja Launcher, Mii Trek, and either Slot Car Rivals or Market Crashers.
Ninja Launcher
In order to defend your ninja village from ancient evil, you must be launched out of a cannon (just go with it). Of course, in order to fit in the cannon, you have to strip down to your Underoos. Your new StreetPass buddies have attached your ninja gear to kites, so you’ll need to line them up in your flight path to get dressed for combat.
Commitment level: Medium. The game goes by about as fast as launching somebody out of a cannon should, but the challenge ramps up quickly.
Price: $3 alone. $9 for a bundle containing Feed Mii, Ninja Launcher, Mii Trek, and either Slot Car Rivals or Market Crashers.
Mii Trek
Explore exotic jungles searching for hidden treasures, but you can only travel as far as the collective walking distance of the people you’ve StreetPassed. See? The 3DS’ built-in pedometer finally came in handy. Occasional wild animal attacks are represented by photo-cutouts, standing out in the cartoon jungle like a powder-blue suit at junior prom: maybe a good idea, maybe not, but definitely “quirky.”
Commitment level: Medium. The jungle paths branch often, and finding the treasure can take a lot of trial and error. Also, progress depends on the people you interact with being active themselves, which is not a safe bet when you’re talking about people with a dedicated gaming device on their person at all times.
Price: $3 alone. $9 for a bundle containing Feed Mii, Ninja Launcher, Mii Trek, and either Slot Car Rivals or Market Crashers.