The fun of a simple StreetPass

Since the release of the Wii (and even earlier, depending on who you ask), Nintendo has had a reputation. Not among the most popular of associations, the Big N's machines are considered the kid-friendly option among modern day video game consoles. Generally this means games on the 3DS and Wii U are colourful and simple, feature cartoonish violence, and don't often veer into the more "adult" arenas of scoring headshots and hookers. But you should never let simplicity fool you.

The StreetPass function of the 3DS might be the console's best software. It's something that rewards you for venturing out into the real world much more effectively than any Pokéwalker ever could. Simply passing by people with a 3DS allows you to play simple games that are, at the same time, kind of fascinating. Needless to say the turn-based battler Find Mii can play in a near infinite sort of way, since the people you meet via StreetPass could be wearing any one of several colours of shirts. Shirt colour determines their magic power and how strong any team of two (in Find Mii II) is.

The console's StreetPass function also fosters a sense of community, even if it may be a bit one-sided. Many of the people you meet via the feature are likely to be met but once, but seeing your StreetPass Plaza full of unique Miis is strangely rewarding. It also makes your 3DS feel strangely social.

Ultimately, StreetPass is just plain fun. And really, along with more recently being branded the "kiddie" line of consoles, Nintendo's had a well-deserved reputation for that for far longer.

Away game special: A thought passed on the street

What makes The 3DS' street pass feature so fresh is that its inputs are user generated content. Sure, the minigames that you play with other people's Miis use the mechanics of their various genres, but there's a much bigger element of randomness involved. After all, there's no telling what you'll wind up having to work with.

As an example, Find Mii is a game that uses standard turn-based RPG mechanics. At the same time, your heroes' abilities depend entirely on the colour of their shirt. However, you have no control over their shirt colour. As such, the most important variable in the game is what colour the people you street pass prefer.

Given the technology behind the recent Skylanders games, it's easy to wonder if we might one day see a game that allows people to trade customized NFC figurines. Even further, if some day a game might exist that could integrate such custom figurines into a pre-existing story or experience.