Swapnote
Developer(s)Nintendo SDD
Denyu-sha[1]
Initial release
  • JP: December 21, 2011
  • PAL: December 22, 2011
  • NA: December 22, 2011
PlatformNintendo 3DS family
TypeDrawing

Swapnote, known as Nintendo Letter Box in PAL regions and Suddenly Exchange Diary[lower-alpha 1] in Japan, was a messaging application for the Nintendo 3DS family. Swapnote was released worldwide in December 2011 via the Nintendo eShop. It could have been downloaded at no additional cost and was pre-installed on newer systems. Swapnote was the successor to the PictoChat app for the Nintendo DS line.

In November 2016, Nintendo released a successor called Swapdoodle.

On March 27, 2023, Swapnote and Swapdoodle were made unavailable to download to new users due to the closure of Nintendo eShop services for the Nintendo 3DS.[2]

The original Nintendo 3DS system

Swapnote allows users to send hand-written/drawn messages to either registered friends online via SpotPass or other users locally via StreetPass.[3] The app also allows users to freely embed pictures and sounds into their messages, and change the position and the orientation of the picture and sound icons. Features are unlocked as players continue to send letters, such as the ability to hand-write/draw 3D messages, with additional stationery and features unlocked by spending Play Coins. Additional stationery can be obtained via certain Nintendo related events, such as using specific software, or by saving them from other people's messages.

Updates

On July 5, 2012, Nintendo updated the Swapnote application to feature six different colors of ink, with only one color being available per message.[4] On April 11, 2013, Nintendo updated Swapnote yet again, including the ability to take photos or record audio directly through the application, as well as the ability to undo drawings, and use different colors on each page of a message.[5]

On December 15, 2020, Nintendo of America released a software update titled "Swapnote Remastered" with instructions on how to perform the update on their support website.[6] This was then documented on Nintendo of Korea's support website as well on December 16.[7]

Nikki

A unique, female Mii character known as Nikki acts as the software's hostess and mascot. By standard, Nikki is featured in the tutorial messages that appear when users start-up and use the app over time. Prior to the SpotPass suspension, several Special Notifications sent from Nintendo based on special occasions featured Nikki announcing such occasions, such as Valentine's Day, and these notification messages often came with new non-game-based stationery and AR pictures of Nikki. Nikki's official Mii would also automatically appear in the StreetPass Mii Plaza when these messages were opened. Nikki's name is based on the app's Japanese title, which features the term Nikki (日記), which literally means "diary" in Japanese. As a character, however, Nikki's Japanese name is written in Kana characters (ニッキー[lower-alpha 2]) instead of Kanji.

Due to the character's popularity, Nintendo had released another Nintendo 3DS app featuring Nikki called Nikki's Travel Quiz[lower-alpha 3], although the app was exclusively available to members of the Japanese Club Nintendo rewards program.[8] After the discontinuation of Club Nintendo in Japan on September 30, 2015, the app is no longer redeemable. A Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu theme based on Swapnote called "Swapnote: Nikki and Friends" was released in Japan and North America. Nikki badges would occasionally become available in the Nintendo Badge Arcade app for Nintendo 3DS as part of the "Nikki & Friends" set. The app's host, Arcade Bunny, often expresses his infatuation towards Nikki. Nintendo of America originally used Nikki's physical appearance as a Mii Fighter to market Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Nikki is included in the Wii U version of Super Mario Maker as an unlockable "8-bit" costume. Nikki returns as a host in Swapnote's successor, Swapdoodle. Nikki appears as an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Discontinuation

On October 31, 2013, Nintendo abruptly suspended SpotPass functionality of Swapnote, presumably after an incident in Japan where minors were sharing Friend Codes with people who had exploited the messaging service to allegedly exchange pornographic imagery.[9][10] Additionally, the Special Notes service, which were also sent via SpotPass to promote Nintendo games, has also been suspended. Nintendo issued an apology to those who had been using the application in a responsible manner.[11][12]

Swapdoodle

Swapdoodle (Illustrated Exchange Diary[lower-alpha 4] in Japan), the successor to Swapnote, was released as a free-to-start downloadable title in North America and Europe on November 17, 2016. The series retains several features from the original Swapnote, with the exception of photo and sound attachments and StreetPass sharing, while adding new features including Doodle Lessons, stamps, secret pages. The application could be expanded with purchasable downloadable content, which adds new pen colors, stationery, note capacity and lessons.[13] The downloadable content is no longer available due to the discontinuation of Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS.

In April 2024, SpotPass sharing and other online services will be discontinued.[14]

Reception

Despite being a successor to PictoChat, Swapnote's messaging model is not based on the standard instant messaging model as PictoChat had been, as the application lacks instant messaging features such as keyboard functionality, chat rooms, and live-continuous messaging.[15]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ いつの間に交換日記, Itsu no Ma ni Kōkan Nikki
  2. ↑ Nikkii
  3. ↑ ニッキーの旅するクイズ, Nikkii no Tabisuru Kuizu
  4. ↑ イラスト交換日記, Irasuto Kōkan Nikki

References

  1. ↑ "Swapnote". Iwata Asks. Nintendo. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  2. ↑ "Wii U & Nintendo 3DS eShop Discontinuation". Nintendo Support. Archived from the original on 2022-02-16. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  3. ↑ Wahlgren, Jon (2011-10-21). "Kid Icarus, Kirby Getting 3D Classics Makeovers". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  4. ↑ "Swapnote Updated to Feature Additional Colors - News". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-09-18.
  5. ↑ JC Fletcher on Apr 11th 2013 5:45PM (2013-04-11). "Swapnote update adds photo, filtering features". Joystiq. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2013-09-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "Nintendo Support: How to Update Swapnote". Archived from the original on 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  7. ↑ "어느새 교환 일기 리마스터 버전 배포 안내". Archived from the original on 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  8. ↑ Nakamura, Darren (2015-01-21). "Swapnote's Nikki to return in Nikki's Travel Quiz". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 2015-07-12. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  9. ↑ "Accused Child Predator Allegedly Used Nintendo's Swapnote Service". Kotaku. 6 November 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  10. ↑ "わいせつ画像:ゲーム機で送信させる 女児被害、容疑者を書類送検 ／茨城" (in Japanese). Mainichi Shimbun. 2013-11-06. Archived from the original on 2013-11-08. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  11. ↑ "Notice about service for Nintendo 3DS software Swapnote". Nintendo. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ Andrew Brown on Oct. 31, 2013 5:45PM (2013-10-13). "Swapnote, Flipnote 3D Discontinued". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2013-11-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ "Nintendo reveals Swapdoodle, out today on the 3DS eShop - Nintendo Everything". 17 November 2016. Archived from the original on 20 May 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  14. ↑ "Announcement of Discontinuation of Online Services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software". Nintendo Support. Archived from the original on 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  15. ↑ Swapnote bringing messaging to the 3DS – The Tanooki Archived 2013-11-02 at the Wayback Machine. Thetanooki.com (2011-10-23). Retrieved on 2013-08-23.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.