StreetPass was fantastic — StreetPass is fantastic — and last year our intrepid video producer Zion Grassl went on a personal quest to see how many tags he could get for a glorious little cross-console app…
In early 2023, I was really longing for the days of the 3DS. Partly due to the fact that the 3DS and Wii U eShop would be dropping that year, but also because I was barely able to find any random StreetPass tags the year before. What was once such a common activity that I didn’t think too much about has now become a rare and celebratory experience. Sometimes you just don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, right?
In 2022, I took my 2DS with me to PAX West, GDC, and a few other events in hopes of getting a good chunk of StreetPass tags, but showed up with few results. So in 2023 I wanted to give it a more solid try, I wanted to do everything I could to bring back this cozy, comfortable app for myself and the masses.
So I promised the internet that I would carry this pure orange and white New 2DS XL with me wherever I went, but I couldn’t do it alone.
Since StreetPass only works when two users come into close contact with each other, I would need help from other 2DS and 3DS owners to get mine out as well. This meant that every outing was a potential StreetPass opportunity! Times Square in New York? A Taylor Swift concert? Of course! Games games? Game stores? You bet! Black Friday shopping frenzy? Visit a store? Why not! To really make the most of this, I had to go all out.
After a year of taking more pictures of my Orange/White New 2DS XL than pictures of my partner, I finally made a huge video documenting the whole trip.
But where would I have the most success with StreetPass? Where would I be surprised, and where would I be left out in the cold? How many StreetPass tags could I collect in a year? Can I solve all the puzzles in Swap puzzles and take down all the bosses Find the Mii/StreetPass Quest? Would my 2DS even survive this trip?
I had no idea what I was signing up for when I said to myself, “This was a good idea.” Keeping my system packed and charged with a full battery must have been a challenge in itself, but I’ve done my best to cover the ups and downs so you too can have a better chance at finding your own StreetPass tag in the future.
So after months of searching footage, cutting and polishing with the finest digital sandpaper I could find, I’m finally ready to share with you all the answers above and more. I know an hour and a half is a lot of time to ask of anyone, but I really think you’ll enjoy the ride.
Did you break out your 2DS or 3DS last year? If so, have you had any luck finding the tag? Share your StreetPass trip below!
