microscopiq

It’s safe to say Nintendo’s Miis have penetrated popular culture. And why not? They hit an incredibly great sweet spot between being expressive while staying easy to create and customize (and not-too-kiddy). But as much as they look like you, they never quite will be. That’s because you never really control your Mii. Sure, you can make them swing a racket, throw a punch, even guide them as they go cow riding. But when the closest you come to taking full control of your Mii is grabbing their unruly head between your thumb and forefinger, you know something must be afoot. And I think that’s intentional.

Miis ain’t you and that’s what makes them special. Unlike more traditional avatar worlds like Second Life, World of Warcraft, and the soon-to-be PS3 Home, your Mii has a life of its own — they’re always just slightly beyond your command. It makes them whimsical, it makes having them visit your friends’ Wiis make sense, it makes you always wonder what they’ve got up to when your Wii is off. And, oh, making this doppelgänger not freaky is an accomplishment, too, because they usually are. Very.

Of course, all this could change in an instant should Nintendo decide to put your Mii under your full control in a traditional virtual world. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. As it is, Miis inhabit a space somewhere between a Nintendog and your character in Animal Crossing; their closest contemporary might be The Sims. But they aren’t Sims because you have such an intimate relationship with them — you don’t give vague instructions and see what they do, you don’t change their environment and see how they react, but you do control them very deeply in constrained situations: say, putting a golf ball into a hole or popping a body into bubbles. And that makes them peculiar. In a good way.

It’s an interesting place to be because nobody has quite been there before. The design challenges are as fascinating as they are complex and what they will bring is anyone’s guess. But here’s hoping the world Miis inhabit continues to be odd. Because it’s clear that Nintendo has something that really resonates here — creating a strong connection between the player and their avatar by making it look like you, while being someone else entirely.

Find out how Miis came to be at wii.com and witness the passion they inspire on flickr.

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