> Entry: 07/05/26
tomodachi life: living the dream - island design tips and tricks
to preface; this is a guide that can easily be applied to all sorts of island designs + many of these tips come from the years i've spent playing games with decoration as a major feature.
1) If you’re struggling to create a layout/shape, use real life towns and cities as a general reference. This is what i did, and it was a massive help in planning each section of my island.
for example, the city i live in is largely grid-based, so i threw in lots of small paths in between the main roads to replicate that design. Your Miis will bug you about adding more paths if they believe your island has too little, so this is another way to keep them happy.
2) another thing your Miis bug you about; don’t be afraid to add huge amounts of vegetation and greenery. It goes a long way in making your island feel alive, and helps heaps with filling empty spaces.
a good thing to note is a good chunk of objects in this game have small animations, and while they aren't very visible from afar, they'll make cutscenes and such feel more "Full", as a way to put it.
3) Speaking of empty spaces, a good method to block any irritating gaps is to add rivers/lakes/any sort of water source. This is another tip the game gives you. You could also add large parks and nature reserves for your Miis to hang out in if water isn’t your forte.
4) Mix and match landscaping tiles to break up the texture; this is an effective way to give your island more visual interest, and can be applied to pretty much any design you decide to go for.
5) Again, references are your best friend. I recommend going for a walk around your neighbourhood and making a mental note about how certain things look to better apply them in game.
many, many little things i’ve seen over the years was added to my island, such as a walking track around the river and giving houses right by easy access to it.
6) don’t even worry about your making your island look “good.” This is the Playing With Touys game. Do whatever you want forever. That being said, look at my Extremely Ominous Monoliths
7) this one is pretty optional but i highly recommend waiting until you've saved up a large amount of money before deciding to revamp your island. because the most ridiculously high prices are given to shit like seesaws and trash cans
that's all i've got for now, but if i can think of anything else i'll be sure to update this guide!
