Wii Warm Up: How important is Mii integration?

by David Hinkle { Mar 19th 2008 at 9:00AM }

A lot of games, both upcoming and already released, support the use of Miis. Miis are great, as we've all certainly made our fair share of them. But, we were wondering just how important is Mii integration? It doesn't really add much to games, as it's pretty much just the ability to slap a cartoonish mug where it otherwise doesn't belong. Some of you probably can't live without it, though.

Is Mii integration a feature you look for in a game now? What's your favorite game to support Miis and why?

Tags: mii, miis

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Brian @ Mar 19th 2008 9:18AM

I couldn't care less for the Miis. I find them a waste of time.

Ghen @ Mar 20th 2008 11:01AM

hear hear. Complete waste of time.

They'd only be a slight waste of time if they allowed ES:Oblivion customization and downloads... But the current iteration is just appeasement to the shovelware companies so they don't have to make their own mascots.

kevin @ Mar 19th 2008 9:24AM

I can take or leave them - it's fun for light games like Sports and Fit, but I don't think it fits as well in other games. I know some people wanted Mii integration with Brawl and Mario Kart (and got it in the latter), but I'll probably just stick with the included characters - they look better than anything I can make anyway.

natureboy46 @ Mar 19th 2008 9:25AM

I think that Mii integration is a nice bonus but it certainly isn't a deal breaker. I do think that it highlights the need for Nintendo to update the Mii creation tools because right now they are just too simple.

I think my fave game for integration would still be Wario Ware - it's the perfect game for it because it's also one of the games that gets a lot of play with my usually non-gaming friends. That alone is a great way to get people playing.

converge666 @ Mar 19th 2008 9:31AM

I didn't realize how important it was until you asked the question, here are my examples:

1. MLB Power Pros - I got my Wii on day 1 and with all the games I have picked up since then the one I have played the most is MLB Power Pros. When I got it and I found out that you couldn't use Mii's in season mode AND you couldn't assign them positions I was very disappointed.

2. Mario & Sonic Olympics - We never use the Nintendo/Sega characters we only ever use our Miis.

3. Mario Kart - i'm assuming we'll follow Mario and Sonic here and use our Mii's in this game as well.

So to answer the question, I think it's very important.

NewJohnny @ Mar 27th 2008 12:58AM

Deca Sporta also has no Mii support. The latest footage shows the ability to pick team members, which makes it that much more disappointing.

holmes @ Mar 19th 2008 9:36AM

i think mii integration is good when you're measuring your own personal performance. in wii sports, the game is tracking how well you do at the sports in the game. same with wii fit. but for a game like metroid prime, mii integration wouldn't work.

honestly, using the miis in every game would have been standard nintendo overkill, so i'm very happy to see they didn't beat the idea into the ground. i still find it novel.

Geoff @ Mar 19th 2008 9:39AM

I think it's pretty important when you consider just how annoying it is to NOT have it on games that really need it.

Take Carnival Games, for example. One of the biggest selling third party Wii games (pitifully), and it features Mii-like characters playing little motion controlled carnival games.

But did it use Miis? Nope. You had to spend a few minutes creating another Mii-like character using the game's own inferior character creation tools, that couldn't be made to look just like your Mii ... instead of just using the Mii you'd already made.

Rumor says they even asked Nintendo for the ability to integrate Miis and were shot down.

And yet we get Mii integration in places like Mario Kart and even Metroid Prime 3 ... where it doesn't matter at all, since those games are character-based, not based on little cartoony player created characters.

Games that need Mii integration NEED it.

Garu @ Mar 19th 2008 9:40AM

While playing Wii Sports Baseball this weekend, I had Dr. Zaius, Bill Clinton, Cleveland (from Family Guy), ALF, and Butthead (sans Beavis) ALL on the same baseball team!

Needless to say I love the Mii integration. And I like how in some games, like Mario Kart, if you don't want to use it, you don't have to.

And if you did have Mii use available in Brawl, then you could play against a friend and actually see them! I added David Hinkle's friend code and I think being able to play against him and see him would be cool.

So what's not to love?

On a side note, I played Brawl on the WiFi connection yesterday and it was painfully slow! Ugh!

Garu @ Mar 19th 2008 9:40AM

Nigeria: Cody ChesnuTT Defense Force @ Mar 19th 2008 9:42AM

I want that Tupac Mii. I'll probably make one later, post it on the Mii channel, and try to gain some virtual, anonymous fame.

The Mii's aren't that important. And with the few games I've got (Birdman, Nights, Umbrella) it would look really out of place. I'm not so obsessed with myself that I need to see mii on the screen.

Though, disregarding the question of Mii integration, I like watching them march in the Mii parade. I have over 80, I think. Sometimes I play some O Fortuna in the background at full bass and just watch them march. For a good 5 minutes. I'm productive like that.

Roto13 @ Mar 19th 2008 9:43AM

I'd like to be able to attach my Mii to my profile in Brawl. Oh, well.

I like using Miis for stuff. It doesn't make-or-break a game for me, though.

Nam-Ereh-Won @ Mar 19th 2008 2:35PM

Actually, you can stick your Mii on your Brawl Profile. Get on Wifi go to With Friends, then Friend Roster. Select your name and then you can change your profile image to that of a Mii.

Roto13 @ Mar 19th 2008 3:01PM

I know that, but I want it attached to my offline profile as well.

Brucie B @ Mar 19th 2008 9:48AM

Mii's Are Too Cool!!!! lol

*Need to be able to Customize Mii's a lil More... Can we get some gear for are lil hommies too!

Shadow31 @ Mar 19th 2008 10:15AM

Miis need more content, both for creation and use... but please keep them out of already established games. They have no place in games like Mario Kart (though the subtle use in Metroid Prime 3 was a bit humorous). However, I do enjoy games like Wii Sports... and they're nice to use as avatars... if they could make them more useful, I wouldn't complain.

Brad @ Mar 19th 2008 10:24AM

Mii's are a cute idea, but I believe they were executed in the wrong way. So far, I've not seen an in-game Mii that doesn't look exactly like the one I created in the Mii channel.

"Well, duh" you say? The problem with this being that it doesn't seem like developers have the choice to do otherwise. If they want to take advantage of the Miis then by association they have to design their games to match. This may be good for some games, but it probably dissuades more mature games from trying to use them.

If Nintendo had implemented the Miis as XML, a developer could re-create the Mii in their game's style, much like a web designer or blogger can re-format an RSS feed in their site's style.

Tim @ Mar 19th 2008 10:35AM

The Mii is one of the things that I (and my family) have found to be extremely entertaining. We have even gone so far as create Mii's for other family and friends. We find it very entertaining to see our friends and family in the bowling alley or on the baseball field.
I think it is VERY important to incorporate them into other games as well. Of course this isn't a valid option in the adult games like Resident Evil or Call of Duty, but for the more kid-friendly games, they should be incorporated.

Michael_of_sweden @ Mar 19th 2008 10:37AM

Mii's are really cool. Way cooler than the simple avatars in PSN and Xbox Live. I'm looking forward to bring my Hitler and Miss Piggy to Mario Kart Wii

Josh @ Mar 19th 2008 10:52AM

It's actually kind of annoying. I really don't want to see Miis racing in Mario Kart and I'm hoping they don't get added to Animal Crossing when it arrives. They're cool for games that are entirely about Mii integration (Wii Sports, Wii Fit, and to some extent, Wario Ware, etc.) and are cool as icons or the save file planets/galaxies that SMG used them for, but beyond that I could stand to not have them show up elsewhere.

vidGuy @ Mar 19th 2008 10:57AM

I mentioned this when we were discussing Brawl's exclusion of Miis, so I'll just repeat some of that.

When the Mii concept was introduced, Nintendo's statements suggested that they would be included in the majority of Nintendo's games and would be available to third parties. I'm not seeing that happening and it is sort of disappointing. Miis are supposed to be your personal in-game character, not just an avatar. You were supposed to be able to take your Mii through a brawl with Mario and friends, then pop in a new disc and go kart racing. Play football against the pros, then smash Luigi against an electric fence on the soccer field.

While I personally don't mind if Miis are in a game or not, I do recognize that they have been a large draw for the casual market. What's the point of making a character that looks like you if all it does is play Wii Sports? Miis should be included in absolutely every Wii game possible, at least as an option.

Co @ Mar 19th 2008 11:18AM

Well said, I concur.

manaman @ Mar 20th 2008 4:07AM

Likewise, I concur.

John Rios @ Mar 19th 2008 11:25AM

Love Miis, but shouldn't be shoe-horned into games they don't belong in. It could really ruin the overall feel of the game's world.

SoshiKitai @ Mar 19th 2008 12:01PM

Important? To me?

REALLY IMPORTANT!
Now I'm not saying I won't buy a game that has no Mii integration... but as a creator, and lover of personally-created avatars: Mii-integrated games makes me HEAVILY consider buying the games.

Why the heck not?
Now I know a lot of heavy-gamers on this site find Miis annoying and stupid... but that's because:

1. You haven't played with family and friends (notice the AND) for more than an hour

2. You never made your Mii REALLY look like you (don't try to make yourself look cool. Cuz you're not)

3. You haven't made more than ten

... if you did, you'd at least APPRECIATE them. You don't have to love 'em, you just have to find the humor and fun in them.

Miis for me are hilarious! Little tiny mock-creations of favorite characters, family members, famous people, and friends and girlfriends and boyfriends playing baseball as one of them totally screws up and everyone boos at them... just seeing the look on their eternally-same face that completely describes who that person is to you - - - not only very revealing and a great subject over dinner, but funny for everyone.

...now if I can only buy them items to play with in the Mii channel.
My Mii looks as stupid as I do many times, and seeing him do a victory dance or fail awfully with that horrible sadness in his eyes, it actually feels like a stupid-little version of me popped in the game and screwed up just as much as I would! And for some reason: That feels great.

manaman @ Mar 20th 2008 4:09AM

Ha ha ha, I know what you mean.

faityfaith @ May 3rd 2008 8:27PM

how do you unlock your mii in mark kart for the wii. which championship do you have to win. or is based on using you and your friends? please help.

Sonic_13 @ Mar 19th 2008 12:07PM

I think Mii's are a great feature and a critical part of getting people who do not normally play game to actually play them.

I know from personal experience with cousins, friends, and even grandparents that a game like WiiSports or Mario and Sonic becomes more enticing to play when it appears that you're actually in the game.

benmully @ Mar 19th 2008 12:39PM

I think Mii integration is a huge blast of fun! Its great to see little versions of yourself, friends and family competing together. Our Wii is always being used in this way, and playing as yourself adds that little extra and adds to the competition.

gusto @ Mar 19th 2008 12:56PM

guitar hero should have had mii integration. and 1-1 starpower movements.

Anthology @ Mar 19th 2008 1:36PM

I hope that when Animal Crossing Wii finally comes out that our character does NOT have to be a Mii.

Wedge @ Mar 19th 2008 2:37PM

I'm for Mii integration as a general rule.

I do empathize with folks who say that, due to style, Mii's would be out of place in some games.

But some folks are using that point to argue that Mii integration shouldn't be allowed at all in certain games. While I suppose that's a valid way to go...

Here's another.

If a person doesn't think Mii's would fit in a particular game, just don't use them when you play.

Just because Mii's can be used in a game, doesn't mean they have to be used.

Christopher Jones @ Mar 19th 2008 4:45PM

I rather enjoy my mii to be in a game I'm playing. So far my favorite game to include your mii is Mario and Sonic at the Olympics because I (as in my mii) look dead sexy in the leotard-ish suit.

DomoBraden @ Mar 19th 2008 5:04PM

I like the concept of using an avatar of yourself within a game, but it's not very practical for most games, (especially considering the simple appearance of the Mii's). It works fine in Wii Sports and the like, but they're just too simple to fit the style of more graphically intense games. For instance, I think it would be awesome to play as myself in SMG, but with the way that Mii's currently look there's no way that I would want to use them in that way.

On a slightly related note, I think that using your Playstation Home avatar within games could work pretty well, (whenever that gets released...). Imagine playing as yourself in a game like Uncharted. Actually, I think I read somewhere that Sony is already planning on the type of integration.

Also, please don't flame me for mentioning Playstation, I happen to enjoy all consoles equally.

Lilinka @ Mar 19th 2008 5:43PM

I tend to like Mii integration, but there are games where they'd fit, and games where they wouldn't. And so I have to applaud Nintendo's hands off approach, not forcing the issue on developers but allowing developer discretion, just because of the level of detail and the way that Mii's look doesn't lend itself to every game but does lend itself to a childish innocence that works in a lot of games on the Wii. I wouldn't enjoy Mii integration in games like Metroid Prime 3, or Resident Evil 4, because it would ruin the atmosphere, so where we're at now is about right.

zorko @ Mar 19th 2008 9:13PM

I think Miis add value to most games, though they're not a deal breaker. Miis in Brawl would have been fun, since it would be so easy to come up with a generic move set and put a Mii head out there. Miis that took into account the actual height/weight settings from the editor would be even better, but games that factor that in are a rarity.

At the very least I wish every game with a save file would let you attach your Mii to the save file like they did in Mario Galaxy. Especially games that don't let you change the character's name or otherwise differentiate save data between users.

padgon @ Mar 20th 2008 1:38AM

I believe Miis are good for party games that don’t have on-line connection.

Examples:
1- For introducing new gamers is a good thing
2- Do wonders on games like WarioWare: Smooth moves (local party games)
3- I would hate to play against a Mii with disgusting face.

So on local interaction is great, but there are risks for online gaming.

openskys @ Mar 20th 2008 1:45PM

Mii's are GREAT in "fun" games. But leave them out of the gore games that are coming online or in games that purport to be realistic, or just don't make sense.

I like being able to see Mii and my friends playing within the game - it really adds a lot to the enjoyment and I hate it when (e.g. Game Party) I am forced to pick a character within a game where a Mii would have worked just fine!