Nintendo's first smartphone game is coming to the USA this week

"With Miitomo, Nintendo takes its first step into the world of smart devices", said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing in a press release.

To sum it up: Nintendo is releasing Miitomo on March 31 in the U.S. and several other countries. On that day, users with an iPhone, iPod Touch or a device running Google's Android operating system can expect to be able to download the app from the iTunes or Google Play Stores.

Those who create their account and preregister before the aforementioned date will get Platinum Points for the new My Nintendo rewards program which launches simultaneously with Miitomo.

Coinciding with My Nintendo and Miitomo, Nintendo will re-launch their online store to allow over 2,000 games to be directly downloaded to your console of choice (3DS, Wii U).

You may have been a little disappointed when Nintendo launched Miitomo, its first mobile game, only in Japan.

Though it's a messaging app, Miitomo connects with the entire Nintendo ecosystem, even if it doesn't appear to compliment Nintendo's other offerings.

Both the app and the My Nintendo service will use the new Nintendo Accounts. Though free to download, it does arrive with some in-app purchases, most of which pertain to decorating and accessorizing the Mii avatar.

Indeed. Indeed. It's a kind of game-ified social network starring Nintendo's Mii avatars. Conversations are driven by questions that you send to another friend's Mii character. PC Advisor readers had been hoping to see Super Mario, Zelda or Pokemon, but Nintendo has instead introduced Miitomo, which lets you create Mii characters like those found on the Wii and use them to interact with friends. Later in the year, Nintendo is expected to launch a more substantial mobile experience with Pokémon GO.

Miitomo is the first in a line of Nintendo experiences coming to mobiles. Releasing Nintendo property games on non-Nintendo platforms is a relatively unusual move for the company, and marks a shift in market strategy.

When you first start Miitomo, it's immediately recognizable as a Nintendo title.

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