View source for Mii

{{short description|Avatar on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps}}
{{Other uses|MII (disambiguation){{!}}MII}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
[[File:Default Miis.jpeg|thumb|The default Miis with masculine and feminine features,<ref name="genderless-miis" /> as seen on the [[Wii]]]]
A '''Mii''' ({{IPAc-en|m|iː}} {{respell|MEE}}) is a customizable [[avatar (computing)|avatar]] used by [[Nintendo]] on their [[video game console]]s and [[mobile app]]s, first being introduced with the [[Wii]] console in 2006. Since their introduction, Miis have also appeared on the [[Nintendo DS]], [[Nintendo 3DS]], the [[Wii U]], the [[Nintendo Switch]] and [[Nintendo Switch 2]], as well as various [[Nintendo mobile games|apps for smart devices]] such as the now-defunct ''[[Miitomo]]''. The name Mii is a portmanteau of "Wii" and "me", referring to them typically being avatars of the players.

Miis can be created using different body, facial and clothing features, and can then be used as characters within games on the consoles, either as an avatar of a specific player (such as in the [[Wii (video game series)|''Wii'' series]]) or in some games (such as ''[[Tomodachi Collection]]'', ''[[Tomodachi Life]]'' and ''[[Miitopia]]'') portrayed as characters with their own personalities. Miis can be shared and transferred between consoles, either manually or automatically with other users over the internet and local wireless communications.

On the 3DS and Wii U, user accounts are associated with a Mii as their avatar and used as the basis of the systems' social networking features, most prominently the now-defunct [[Miiverse]]. On the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, a Mii can still be used as an account avatar, but avatars depicting various Nintendo characters are also available. Miis are also used as profile pictures for [[Nintendo Account]]s and can be used in Nintendo smart device games such as ''[[Super Mario Run]]'', ''Miitomo'' and [[Mario Kart Tour]]''.

Games such as ''[[Wii Sports]]'', ''[[Wii Sports Resort]]'', ''[[Wii Sports Club]]'', ''[[Nintendo Switch Sports]]'', ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', ''[[Go Vacation]]'', ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U|New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]'' use Miis as playable characters.

== History ==
Nintendo's idea of a free-form personal avatar software was discussed at the [[Game Developers Conference]] in 2007, a year after the [[Wii]] was released. There, [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] said that the personal avatar concept had originally been intended as a demo for the [[Famicom Disk System|Family Computer Disk System]], where a user could draw a face onto an avatar. Miyamoto commented that the concept could not be turned into a game and was discarded.

In late 1999, during the [[Nintendo 64]] era, the [[64DD]] (a disk drive peripheral for the N64) was launched in Japan. Released in 2000, ''[[Mario Artist|Mario Artist: Talent Studio]]'' featured an avatar maker, which includes clothes and a built-in movie editor. The player can optionally utilize the [[Game Boy Camera]] and the 64DD's Capture Cassette to put their own face upon the avatar. Nintendo had produced a short film using the game's avatar maker to demonstrate its capabilities. ''Talent Studio'' was one of Nintendo's first public debut of avatar creation.

The next avatar implementation was for the [[Nintendo e-Reader]] and [[GameCube]]. Along with the [[Game Boy Camera]], it also includes an avatar maker. Miyamoto showed another short film they made with this software at E3 2002, under the name ''Stage Debut''. This software, renamed to ''Manebito'', was discontinued prior to release.<ref name="Iwata Asks: Wii Sports"/>

Around the same time as the development of the [[Wii]], producer [[Yoshio Sakamoto]] was working with [[Nintendo Software Planning & Development|Nintendo SPD]] on a game for the [[Nintendo DS]], which was conceived as a women's fortune-telling game that was inspired by the 2000 ''[[Hamtaro]]'' video game ''[[Tottoko Hamtaro: Tomodachi Daisakusen Dechu]]'' for the [[Game Boy Color]]. The game featured an avatar maker that functioned similarly to the ''Mii Channel'' on the Wii, and the avatars themselves bear a striking resemblance to the Mii in terms of appearance, including the use of interchangeable facial features and adjustable body height and weight. The avatar concept from the game would eventually develop as the Mii, which would become a staple of the Wii (as well as future Nintendo consoles and handhelds), while the game itself was reworked as ''[[Tomodachi Collection]]'' for the Nintendo DS.<ref>{{cite web |title=社長が訊く「トモダチコレクション」 |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/interview/ccuj/vol1/index.html |trans-title=Iwata Asks: Tomodachi Collection |language=ja |publisher=Nintendo |date=June 11, 2009 |access-date=June 3, 2021 |archive-date=June 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626112027/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/interview/ccuj/vol1/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Nintendo designer Yamashita Takayuki attributes his work on ''Talent Studio'' as having been foundational to his eventual work on the Mii, which was necessitated by the development of the game ''Wii Sports''.<ref name="Iwata Asks: Wii Sports">{{cite interview | title=Wii Sports | interviewer=Satoru Iwata | first1=Katsuya | last1=Eguchi | first2=Keizo | last2=Ota | first3=Yoshikazu | last3=Yamashita | first4=Takayuki | last4=Shimamura | publisher=Nintendo | url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/wii/wii_sports/ | access-date=September 5, 2014}}</ref>{{rp|2}}

During a Financial Results Briefing Q&A with investors in 2008, [[Satoru Iwata]] mentioned that the licensed use of the Mii trademark is as valuable to Miyamoto as that of the Mario brand, implying that the company would only narrowly consider any offers from game developers to implement Miis in their games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/events/080425qa/05.html|title=Financial Results Briefing Q & A|website=www.nintendo.co.jp}}</ref>

==Mii creation==
[[Image:Mii channel.jpg|200px|thumb|The [[Mii Channel]], the first application used to create and view Mii characters on the [[Wii]]]]
Mii characters are created and stored in the [[Mii Channel]] or the Mii Maker, which are pre-installed on the [[Wii]] and the [[Nintendo 3DS]]/[[Wii U]] consoles respectively, as well as the Mii creator software located in System Settings for the Nintendo Switch/Nintendo Switch 2. While the user can assign a gender (or Mii styles representing genders since the Nintendo Switch 2), name, [[birthday]], [[Color preferences|favorite color]], and mingle preference to a Mii, the majority of the interface used for Mii creation focuses on the appearance of its [[face]] and [[head]]: the user is given a variety of different [[hairstyle]]s, [[human eye|eye]], [[nose]], and [[mouth]] shapes, and other features such as [[facial hair]] or [[wrinkle]]s, to select from. Most of the facial features can be further adjusted, including their size, position, color, and alignment. Accessories such as [[hat]]s and [[glasses]] are also available to add, and the Mii's [[Human height|height]] and [[Body weight|build]] can also be adjusted. The Mii Maker installed on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U can use [[Facial recognition system|facial recognition]] to generate a Mii, which selects facial features based on a photograph of a person's face taken with the system's and [[Wii U GamePad|GamePad]]'s cameras respectively. The features can then be fine-tuned by the user.<ref>{{cite web |last=Plunkett |first=Luke |title=Using Magic, The 3DS Can Make A Mii Using A Photo |website=Kotaku |url=http://kotaku.com/5652733/using-magic-the-3ds-can-make-a-mii-using-a-photo |date=October 1, 2010}}</ref> These versions also have more options than their Wii counterpart. Because the selection of facial features is considered by some to be limited,{{citation needed|date=April 2011}} users are encouraged to develop [[caricature]]s of real people instead of accurate depictions.

===Additional options in games===
Certain games have also added additional features in their Mii makers that are otherwise made as part of the game or as secondary features, allowing for more customization options than the standard Mii maker software can provide.

====''Tomodachi'' series====
The ''Tomodachi'' series (which includes ''Miitomo'') contains options to input a first and last name for the Mii in addition to the Mii's given name (which is known in-game as a nickname), the ability to customize the Mii's voice and personality, and (in the Japanese and Korean versions only) options for choosing a blood type for the Mii based on the [[blood type personality theory]]. Miis created in the ''Tomodachi'' series games (apart from ''Miitomo'') can be transferred over to the system's Mii Maker, and Miis created via the Mii Maker can also be transferred into the games themselves.

====''Miitopia''====
''[[Miitopia]]'' added additional hair and eye color options for the Mii, which were later adapted for the Switch and Switch 2's Mii creation software. The remastered version of ''Miitopia'' for the Switch added the option of wigs and even makeup customization options that could be applied onto an existing Mii, allowing for the creation of more sophisticated looking Mii characters. Miis created in the Switch version of ''Miitopia'' can be shared online via "access keys", which allows users to use Miis created by others to be used in-game with one's own ''Miitopia'' save data. This feature is only usable with an active [[Nintendo Switch Online]] subscription.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Discover how Mii characters can join your Miitopia adventure on Nintendo Switch |url=https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2021/April/Discover-how-Mii-characters-can-join-your-Miitopia-adventure-on-Nintendo-Switch-1962572.html |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Nintendo of Europe SE |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Miis can be transferred from the system's Mii creation software (Mii Maker in the original game and the Switch's Mii creator in the remaster) to the game itself, which can be used as playable characters, non-playable characters and even as background characters. Miis created in both the original and remastered versions of ''Miitopia'' can also be transferred from the game into the system's Mii creation software, however wigs and makeups (and even additional hair and eye color options in the original game) will not carry over.

=== Special Miis ===
Nintendo periodically released special Miis, usually during E3 or to commemorate game and franchise anniversaries. For a limited time between March 13 and 30, 2007, Wii owners in Japan were sent Mii versions of comedian [[Sanma Akashiya]] and [[tennis]] player [[Shuzo Matsuoka]]. The duo had been featured in Japanese promotions for the Wii, highlighting Miis themselves.<ref>{{cite web| title = Nintendo Japan Offering Celebrity Miis| date = March 13, 2007| url = http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/03/13/nintendo-japan-offering-celebrity-miis| access-date = June 16, 2007}}</ref> Miis of [[Satoru Iwata]] and [[Reggie Fils-Aimé]] (the presidents of Nintendo and Nintendo of America, respectively) were released on the 3DS for the 1st anniversary of the handheld console. During 2013, Nintendo released special Miis of [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] and [[Kensuke Tanabe]], and during [[E3 2013]], also released special Miis for [[Takashi Tezuka]], [[Koichi Hayashida]], [[Eiji Aonuma]], and [[Hideki Konno]]. Their Miis feature gold pants, as opposed to a gray pair, and cannot be edited or copied. If owners transfer them to another Wii or Wii Remote, they will be removed from their original location, instead of traditionally making another copy.

In late 2011, Nintendo released ''[[Swapnote]]'' (known as {{nihongo|''Itsu no Ma ni Kōkan Nikki''|いつの間に交換日記|Suddenly Exchange Diary}} in Japan and as ''Nintendo Letter Box'' in other regions) for the Nintendo 3DS, which features an original character named Nikki (ニッキー) who serves as a guide for the application. She appears in the software as a uniquely styled female Mii as well as a drawing version of her character in most appearances. Since her introduction, Nikki has gained a relatively small fan base of her own right, especially in Japan. Nikki would later appear in a few other Nintendo games and apps, such as {{nihongo|''Nikki no Tabisuru Quiz''|ニッキーの旅するクイズ|Nikki's Travel Quiz}}, a 2015 Nintendo 3DS travel guide app that was exclusively distributed via the now-defunct [[Club Nintendo]] in Japan, ''[[Nintendo Badge Arcade]]'' for the Nintendo 3DS in late 2015, ''[[Swapdoodle]]'' (known as {{nihongo|''Irasuto Kōkan Nikki''|イラスト交換日記|Illustrated Exchange Diary}} in Japan), the successor to ''Swapnote''/''Nintendo Letter Box'' for the Nintendo 3DS in late 2016, and in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' as an Assist Trophy.

== Wii ==
=== ''Mii Channel'' ===
{{main|Wii Menu#Mii Channel}}

The ''[[Mii Channel]]'' is the app that allows Mii creation on the Wii menu. It can store up to 100 Miis, and [[Wii Remote]]s are also able to store and transfer up to ten Miis to other consoles. It is also possible to see other Miis from TV shows and games.

=== Uses in games ===
{{See also|List of video games featuring Miis#Wii}}

Miis are intended to be an extension of the player, and in keeping with this spirit, the user can use them in several Nintendo titles for the Wii. ''[[Wii Sports]]'' is perhaps the best-known example of this,{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} and it adds a further personal touch to Miis by saving game statistics and records for individual Miis. Miis will make cameo appearances as computer-controlled opponents, teammates, or within the audience. Miis have been used to serve as game file icons (profiles) within several games. Often appearing as just a head for identification, this Mii has no impact on the actual gameplay other than to identify a player in another way besides the name, or representation based on looks.

Miis are primarily used in games such as ''[[Wii Sports]]'', ''[[Wii Play]]'', ''[[Wii Fit]]'', ''[[Wii Party]]'', ''[[Wii Fit Plus]]'', ''[[Wii Music]]'' and ''[[Wii Sports Resort]]''. Players can also use their Miis, however, in other [[Video game development party#First-party developer|first-party games]], most noticeably within ''[[WarioWare: Smooth Moves]]'', ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games]]'', ''[[Mario Party 8]]'', ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', ''[[Mario Super Sluggers]]'', ''[[Animal Crossing: City Folk]]'' (using their Mii's head as a mask) and in ''[[Go Vacation]]''. The Japan-only [[Sega]] game ''[[Jissen Pachi-Slot Pachinko Hisshôhô! Hokuto no Ken|Pachinko: Sammy's Collection]]'' is the first [[Video game development party#Third-party developers|third-party]] game to incorporate Miis, while the Wii version of ''[[FIFA 08|FIFA Soccer 08]]'' is the first third-party game released in North America, Europe and Australia to use the ''Mii Channel''. Many other games, like ''[[We Ski]]'', and ''[[Guitar Hero World Tour]]'' and ''[[Sonic Colors]]'' also use Miis.

While a Mii's head always remains the same, its body varies between games. For example, in ''Wii Sports'', the Mii's body is stylized, with spherical floating hands and bearing no arms, and Mii audiences or [[Central processing unit|CPU]]s floating with spherical bottoms with no legs instead, but in ''Wii Fit'' its body is designed to look more natural, and its weight will be determined by the weight ''Wii Fit'' found of the player in ''Wii Fit'' tests. Sometimes Miis will wear outfits in context with the game. In ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' and [[Super Mario Galaxy 2|its sequel]], the Miis can be optionally used for the planet's icon that represents the save file, the other option being to use ''[[Mario (franchise)|Mario]]'' characters for the planets. Only the Mii's head is shown and it's shown in a sphere shaped like the planet. In ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', Mii racers can be dressed in [[jumpsuit]]s, or Mario style overalls for males and a Peach style dress for females, in ''[[Dr. Mario Online Rx]]'', Miis appear in medical clothing, and in ''[[Metroid Prime 3: Corruption]]'', where they appear as [[Bobblehead|bobblehead doll]]s, they will be dressed up in bounty hunter [[Samus Aran]]'s [[Samus Aran#Equipment|Power Suit]]. In ''[[MLB Power Pros]]'', Miis are designed to look like regular Power Pro-Kun avatar, with legs detached from the main body. In ''[[Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2]]'', the Mii's body is formed more like a regular human. This design was, however, criticized by [[IGN]]'s Lucas M. Thomas, who sarcastically commented that "[it] doesn't look disturbing at all."<ref name="e32008.ign">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/07/17/e3-2008-feet-on-dance-dance-revolution-hottest-party-2 |title=E3 2008: Feet-on Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party 2 |access-date=August 2, 2008 |first=Lucas M. |last=Thomas |date=July 17, 2008 |publisher=IGN}}</ref>

While Miis are not playable in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', the creator of the series, [[Masahiro Sakurai]], explained that Miis were originally considered to be playable in the game, but the idea was decided against due to fears of [[bullying]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/mii-fighters-were-almost-part-of-smash-bros-brawl-1593073406|title = Mii Fighters Were Almost Part of Smash Bros. Brawl|last=Nakamura|first=Toshi|date=June 19, 2014|website=Kotaku}}</ref> They would eventually debut in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U''.

=== ''Everybody Votes Channel'' ===
{{main|Everybody Votes Channel}}
Miis were incorporated in the downloadable ''Everybody Votes Channel'', where Miis represented the voter. Up to six different Miis could be registered within the channel to use in voting. The channel was discontinued along with the Check Mii Out channel by Nintendo on June 28, 2013, as they moved on to other next-generation projects.

=== ''Check Mii Out Channel'' ===
{{Main|Check Mii Out Channel}}

Another Mii-centric channel, the ''[[Wii Menu#Check Mii Out Channel|Check Mii Out Channel]]'', also known as the {{Nihongo|Mii Contest Channel|Miiコンテストチャンネル|Mī Kontesuto Channeru}} in [[Japan]], [[Europe]], and [[Oceania]], was released on November 11, 2007. Perhaps an evolution of an idea shared by [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] at the [[Game Developers Conference]] in 2007, this channel allowed players to upload their Mii characters and share them with other users. There were also popularity contests, in which players would design a Mii that would personify a specific idea or character and then vote on the Mii that would best fit the suggestion.<ref name="CMO">{{cite web|title=Nintendo Says 'Check Mii Out' With Creative New Channel for Wii.|date=November 8, 2007|url=https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/dFaMvKhPDAdzWvzHwYHa3yJOP5C5aY5F|access-date=December 15, 2009|archive-date=November 6, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081106175407/http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/dFaMvKhPDAdzWvzHwYHa3yJOP5C5aY5F|url-status=dead}}</ref> The channel was available for free download on the ''[[Wii Shop Channel]]'' from November 12, 2007, until June 27, 2013, when Nintendo discontinued the channel along with the Everybody Votes channel.

== Nintendo DS ==
Although the platform lacks native support for Mii creation, a few games on the [[Nintendo DS]] console do support Mii functionality, and will work in conjunction with the Wii's ''Mii Channel''.

=== Uses in games ===
{{See also|List of video games featuring Miis#Nintendo DS}}
Miis can be transferred from a user's Wii to supported Nintendo DS games via the Mii Channel. A code must be entered by the user to unlock the feature on the ''Mii Channel''.

The Nintendo DS game ''[[Personal Trainer: Walking]]'' uses Miis to allow players to track their progress in the game. Players are also able to create Miis in-game.<ref>[http://www.siliconera.com/2008/10/21/personal-trainer-walking-brings-mii-making-to-the-ds/ Personal Trainer: Walking Brings Mii Making To The DS]</ref> The Nintendo DS version of ''[[Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time]]'' also uses Miis.<ref>[http://www.gamekyo.com/newsen29154_final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-echoes-of-time-sur-wii-ds.html Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles : Echoes of Time for the Wii & DS] A new Nintendo DS game, Friend Connection will have Mii support.</ref>

The life-simulation game ''[[Tomodachi Collection]]'', only released in Japan for the Nintendo DS, also uses Miis and has a built-in Mii editor. Miis from the user's Wii's Mii Channel can be transferred to the game, and vice versa.

== Nintendo 3DS ==
=== Mii Maker ===
The {{Nihongo|''Mii Maker''|Miiスタジオ|Mī Sutajio|lit. "Mii Studio"}} is the app that allows Mii creation on the [[Nintendo 3DS]]. It can store up to 100 Mii characters, much like the Wii, and includes more facial features than the latter console. The Mii Maker installed on the Nintendo 3DS can use [[Facial recognition system|facial recognition]] to generate a Mii, which selects facial features based on a photograph of a person's face taken with the system's cameras.

=== Uses in games ===
{{See also|List of video games featuring Miis#Nintendo 3DS}}
Unlike the Nintendo DS, which features limited support of Mii characters, its successor the Nintendo 3DS features Miis as a standard. Similar to the Wii's ''Mii Channel'', the Nintendo 3DS features its own Mii-creating application called ''Mii Maker'', which is more advanced than the ''Mii Channel''.<ref>{{cite web| date= September 29, 2010| title=September 29, 2010 Nintendo Conference 2010 | url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/event/conference2010/presentation/textE/05.html | access-date= January 3, 2011}}</ref>

Mii characters can be created manually with ''Mii Maker'' as on the Wii's ''Mii Channel'', but they can also be created automatically through the use of the Nintendo 3DS's cameras. The system captures an image of a subject's face, and the application converts the image into a Mii likeness using integrated recognition software. Automated Mii character designs can be manually adjusted. Mii characters can also be imported from the Wii to the 3DS or from the 3DS to the Wii U, however, Miis cannot be sent from the 3DS to the Wii, as ''Mii Maker'' features an expanded selection of design parts that are not available on ''Mii Channel''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110123102529/http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/news/24986/ Import Miis from Wii to 3DS one-way only - News - Aussie-Nintendo.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

The Nintendo 3DS can generate and read [[QR code]]s that represent Mii characters. QR codes and pictures of Mii characters can also be transferred to an [[SD card]] in any picture format, and be used in various ways, such as posting them on a web page. Miis on the Nintendo 3DS can also be used in conjunction with the device's built-in [[augmented reality]] software – the software includes a mini-app named 'Mii Pics' which allows the user to take a photo of their Mii within a regular photo, using an augmented reality card included with the system.

The first Nintendo 3DS game to include support for Mii characters is ''[[Pilotwings Resort]]''. Miis obtained through StreetPass appear as [[non-player character]]s in ''[[Nintendogs + Cats]]''. Mii characters also appear in ''[[Pokémon Rumble Blast]]'', ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', and many more games. The [[Nintendo eShop]] exclusive game ''[[Dillon's Dead-Heat Breakers]]'' also allows players to create an "Amiimal", an animal with facial features based on their selected Mii.

Currently, the most notable game to feature Miis in their entirety is ''[[Tomodachi Life]]'', the sequel to the Japan-only ''[[Tomodachi Collection]]'' for the Nintendo DS. This is also the first game to give Miis complete lines of dialogue as well as the first game to allow players to choose what Miis say. ''[[Miitopia]]'' is another Mii-centric game title for the Nintendo 3DS.

===''StreetPass Mii Plaza''===
{{Main|StreetPass Mii Plaza}}
A feature on the Nintendo 3DS, the {{Nihongo|''StreetPass Mii Plaza''|すれちがいMii広場|Surechigai Mī Hiroba}} makes use of the handheld's StreetPass feature, which data can be transferred between nearby Nintendo 3DS consoles in standby mode. As Miis are gathered in the plaza, they can be used in numerous minigames, with the initial two being Puzzle Swap and Find Mii (known as StreetPass Quest in PAL regions). In Puzzle Swap, players can exchange pieces of several jigsaw puzzle panels based on Nintendo games, in which there were initially seven, but this number increased with occasional updates. Find Mii is an RPG minigame in which players use the Miis they gathered to fight through dungeons, earning accessories for their Mii. Each Mii possesses a different type of magic depending on their color, and become more powerful if the player meets them more than once. These games can be optionally played with Play Coins, though the results are more random than with Streetpass Miis. On December 6, 2011, the feature was updated to include SpotPass functionality, as well as new puzzle panels, a sequel to Find Mii, a map showing where players met other Miis, Accomplishments and a music player.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crecente |first=Brian |date=2011-12-06 |title=Record 3D Movies on Your 3DS Starting Now |url=https://kotaku.com/record-3d-movies-on-your-3ds-starting-now-5865744 |access-date=2023-12-18 |website=[[Kotaku]] |language=en}}</ref>

Special Miis released by Nintendo and obtained through SpotPass can also be used in ''StreetPass Mii Plaza''. They have access to all Puzzle Swap pieces and provide a level 5 player for Find Mii.

== Wii U ==
=== ''Mii Maker'' ===
[[Image:Mii Maker screenshot.jpg|200px|thumb|Screenshot of the ''Mii Maker'''s creation tool on Wii U]]
The {{Nihongo|''Mii Maker''|Miiスタジオ|Mī Sutajio|lit. "Mii Studio"}} is the app that allows Mii creation on the [[Wii U]]. It can store up to 3,000 Miis and includes the same facial features used on the Nintendo 3DS. The ''Mii Maker'' installed on the Wii U can use [[Facial recognition system|facial recognition]] to generate a Mii, which selects the features based on a photo of a face taken with the [[Wii U GamePad]] camera.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Check out Nintendo's new #WiiU console & its games |url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Wii-U/System-Software/Mii-Maker/Mii-Maker-666619.html |access-date=May 5, 2022 |website=Nintendo of Europe GmbH |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Uses in games ===
{{See also|List of video games featuring Miis#Wii U}}
Mii characters evolve further for the Wii's successor, Wii U. In addition to previous uses on the Wii, Mii characters are wholly integrated into the Wii U's social online network [[Miiverse]], the WaraWara Plaza community where clusters of Mii characters crowd around the hottest games, and being depicted as personal avatars for individual Wii U players,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miiverse Home Screen Dubbed WaraWara Plaza - News |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/32413/miiverse-home-screen-dubbed-warawara-plaza |access-date=May 5, 2022 |website=Nintendo World Report}}</ref> who have the ability for twelve separate Nintendo Network ID User accounts that can be used on a single console at a time. User accounts with Mii representatives are used for both games and apps such as [[Nintendo TVii]]. Mii characters can be transferred from the Wii and/or the Nintendo 3DS to the Wii U, in which in the latter's case transfers between consoles can occur as many times as possible.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 26, 2012 |title=Transferring your Mii to the Wii U |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/11/guide_transferring_your_mii_to_the_wii_u |access-date=May 5, 2022 |website=Nintendo Life |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Mii characters also return as in-game characters for certain Wii U games, which in addition to Nintendo-published launch titles such as ''[[Wii Sports Club]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'', ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U]]'' and ''[[Nintendo Land]]'', they are also included in third-party titles such as ''[[Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed]]''. In the case of ''Mario Kart 8'', about 19+ [[amiibo]] suits can be acquired by tapping a compatible amiibo figure via an NFC reader located on the left-hand side of the Gamepad.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McWhertor |first=Michael |date=November 4, 2014 |title=Mario Kart 8 amiibo support unlocks new costumes for your Mii racers |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/11/4/7157051/mario-kart-8-amiibo-support-wii-u |access-date=May 5, 2022 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>

''[[The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild]]'' uses an evolved form of Mii, ''UMii'', to render non-essential [[Non-player character|NPCs]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Clark|first=Mitchell|date=January 4, 2021|title=Nintendo's Breath of the Wild basically uses fancy Miis as NPCs|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/4/22213557/nintendo-breath-of-the-wild-modification-mii-game|access-date=January 5, 2021|website=The Verge|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Breath of the Wild NPCs Appear To Be Based On 'Advanced' Miis|url=https://kotaku.com/breath-of-the-wild-npcs-appear-to-be-based-on-advanced-1845985539|access-date=January 5, 2021|website=Kotaku|language=en-us|last=Gach|first=Ethan|date=January 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Breath of the Wild's minor characters are likely advanced Miis|url=https://www.engadget.com/legend-zelda-breath-wild-npcs-mii-umii-heyimheroic-modding-130508668.html|access-date=January 5, 2021|website=Engadget|language=en|date=January 4, 2021}}</ref>

== Nintendo Switch/Nintendo Switch 2 ==
=== Mii creation ===
[[File:Mii_Maker_for_Nintendo_Switch_screenshot.jpg|thumb|right|Screenshot of the Mii creation software on Nintendo Switch]]
Unlike previous Nintendo consoles and handhelds, the [[Nintendo Switch]] (and by extension, the [[Nintendo Switch 2]])'s Mii creation software is located within the console's system settings menu instead of it being a separate app. It can store up to 100 Miis, similar to the Wii and [[Nintendo 3DS]], and includes the same facial features used on the 3DS and [[Wii U]] while also providing additional options as well as unnatural hair and eye colors. Starting with the Nintendo Switch 2, Miis are no longer defined by a specific gender; instead, the Switch 2's Mii creation software uses two different Mii styles that resembled the two formerly-defined gender types, which can be defined as genders in certain games.<ref name="genderless-miis">{{Cite web |last=Griffin |first=Marc |date=2025-06-04 |title=Mii characters are now genderless on Nintendo Switch 2 |url=https://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-2/603805/switch-2-genderless-mii |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Uses in games ===
{{See also|List of video games featuring Miis#Nintendo Switch}}
Miis can be used on the Switch to represent accounts; users may optionally use a Nintendo character such as [[Mario]] as their avatar instead. Miis can be transferred between Switch consoles and imported from a 3DS or Wii U using an [[amiibo]] figure. Miis can also be imported from a Nintendo Account.<ref name="kotaku questions">{{Cite web | url = https://kotaku.com/nintendo-answers-and-avoids-our-switch-questions-1791402953 | title = Nintendo Answers (And Avoids) Our Switch Questions | first = Jason | last = Schreier | date = January 19, 2017 | access-date = January 19, 2017 | work = [[Kotaku]] }}</ref>

Miis can still be integrated into games as a playable character such as ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', ''[[Go Vacation]]'', ''[[Nintendo Switch Sports]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]''. In the case of ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'', about 20+ amiibo suits can be acquired by tapping a compatible amiibo figure via the NFC reader on the right-hand [[Joy-Con]] or on the [[Nintendo Switch Pro Controller]], similar to that of ''Mario Kart 8'' for the Wii U.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} ''[[Nintendo Switch Sports]]'' introduced an entirely different set of avatars known as "Sportsmates"; Miis can still be selected as an option.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vincent |first=Brittany |date=March 3, 2022 |title=Nintendo Switch Sports datamine suggests more minigames are on the way |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/nintendo-switch-sports-datamine-suggests-more-minigames-are-on-the-way/ |access-date=March 29, 2022 |website=GamesRadar |language=en}}</ref>

Currently, the most notable game on the Switch to feature Miis in their entirety is ''[[Miitopia]]'', a remaster of the 2017 [[role-playing video game]] of the same name for the Nintendo 3DS.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Juilia|date=February 17, 2021|title=Miitopia coming to switch|url=https://www.polygon.com/2021/2/17/22288101/miitopia-nintendo-switch-direct-trailer|access-date=March 23, 2021|website=Polygon}}</ref> The next Mii-centric game title for the Switch, ''[[Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream]]'', which is the sequel to ''Tomodachi Life'' for the Nintendo 3DS, is set for release in 2026, 13 years after the release of the original game and 10 years after the release of ''Miitomo'' in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gameinformer.com/nintendo-direct/2025/03/27/tomodachi-life-returns-after-10-years-with-new-entry-living-the-dream|title=Tomodachi Life Returns After 10 Years With New Entry, Living The Dream|first=Marcus|last=Stewart|publisher=Game Informer|date=March 27, 2025|access-date=April 11, 2025}}</ref>

== Other platforms ==
{{See also|List of video games featuring Miis#Mobile}}
When the freemium mobile app ''[[Miitomo]]'' launched on [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] devices in 2016, it was possible for the first time to officially create Mii characters without the need for a Nintendo console. Mii characters created on the app initially resembled their Wii U counterparts, and used the same attributes. Later versions of the app updated the Mii characters to be more inline with that of the Nintendo Switch, even using the same attributes. [[Nintendo Account]] holders can opt to use the app to create Mii avatars without the need to link their accounts to any Nintendo console, with the option also available. ''Miitomo'' was also used to support Mii avatars on other Nintendo apps for smart devices. For example, an update released for ''[[Super Mario Run]]'' on April 25, 2017 introduced player Mii icon customization options with the support of ''Miitomo'' and its in-game costumes via the same Nintendo Account.<ref name="NL_SMR_v2.1.0">{{cite web | url = http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/04/super_mario_run_version_2_1_0_is_now_live | title = Super Mario Run Version 2.1.0 Is Now Live | first = Mitch | last = Vogel |date = April 25, 2017 | access-date = April 28, 2017 | work = [[Nintendo Life]] }}</ref> ''Miitomo'' was only available in 60 of the 165 countries/territories recognized by Nintendo Accounts when it was discontinued on May 9, 2018.

A few weeks after ''Miitomo'' was discontinued, Nintendo introduced a browser-based Mii editor called Mii Studio on May 24, 2018.<ref name="NL_cite_MS">{{cite web | url = http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/05/mii_studio_provides_an_easier_way_to_create_miis | title = Mii Studio Provides An Easier Way To Create Miis | first = Darren | last = Calvert |date = May 24, 2018 | access-date = May 24, 2018 | work = [[Nintendo Life]] }}</ref> The editor is integrated into all Nintendo Accounts for users in all regions, including regions that originally did not have official support for ''Miitomo''. Mii Studio supports all Mii attributes and standards introduced for the Nintendo Switch. Up to six Mii avatars can be created at a time, including any Mii imported from a linked Nintendo Network ID (also known as NNID).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sickr |date=2018-05-24 |title=Mii Studio Now Available In Your Web Browser |url=https://mynintendonews.com/2018/05/24/mii-studio-now-available-in-your-web-browser/ |access-date=2025-06-18 |website=My Nintendo News |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Other appearances ==
Outside of games, Miis were also used in several promotional and marketing materials by Nintendo. Miis have also appeared in ''[[Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge]]'' at the [[Super Nintendo World]] amusement areas in [[Universal Studios Japan]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood]], where they appear on several screens in the pre-show rooms to showcase ride mechanics and safety precautions.<ref>{{cite web| title = How the Mario Kart Ride Works at Super Nintendo World| url = https://orlandoparkstop.com/news/theme-park-news/how-the-mario-kart-ride-works-at-super-nintendo-world/| first = Alicia | last = Stella | date = February 4, 2021| access-date = February 4, 2021}}</ref> The Miis used in particular were CPU Miis from ''[[Nintendo Land]]'', ''[[Wii Sports Club]]'' and ''[[Wii Party U]]'', which have been used in several Nintendo promotional and marketing materials since.

Miis were referenced in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'', where it is briefly shown on [[Luigi (character)|Luigi]]'s smartphone when he receives an incoming call. The icon in question is a silhouetted image of a male default Mii which is used to represent a no contact icon.

==See also==
*[[List of video games featuring Miis]]
*[[Avatar (Xbox)|Xbox Avatars]]
*[[PlayStation Home]], which also featured avatar creation

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/wii/en_na/channelsMii.jsp ''Mii Channel''] at Nintendo.com

{{Wii}}
{{Wii series}}
{{Tomodachi series}}
{{Nintendo Network}}
{{Super Smash Bros.}}
{{Portal bar|Video games}}

[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 2006]]
[[Category:Japanese mascots]]
[[Category:Mario (franchise) characters]]
[[Category:Mascots introduced in 2006]]
[[Category:Nintendo characters]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. fighters]]
[[Category:Tomodachi (video game series)| ]]
[[Category:Video game characters introduced in 2006]]
[[Category:Video game characters of selectable gender]]
[[Category:Video game mascots]]
[[Category:Virtual avatars]]
[[Category:Wii]]