StreetPass questions spurred by Nintendo Zone visits

Why is it so much fun to StreetPass someone? And why does playing the little StreetPass games and collecting puzzle pieces feel so rewarding?

After my second visit to a Nintendo Zone (StreetPass relay points at McDonald's/Future Shops/Best Buys), these are the questions that I'm left with.

A large part of the experience is the novelty. As far as I know, there isn't another console feature or set of games that relies on passing other people to use it.

Multiplayer exists for many titles, sure, but StreetPass just requires you to pass by someone who also has a 3DS (sleeping or active) on them.

A few times now, I've brought my 3DS with me to work or shopping and have come home only to found that someone I would otherwise not even be aware of had passed me in my toils or travels. So surprise can be added to the feature's fun appeal, too. It's kind of like getting mail, but in a system where junk mail is practically non-existent.

Come to think of it, that seems to be the bulk of it. The StreetPass feature is powered by surprise meetings with people that remain, for the most part, entirely mysterious. What could be more interesting than that sort of known unknown?

Do you find yourself eagerly awaiting your next StreetPass? Feel free to write why in the comments.

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.