Nintendogs – NDS – Review

Ya know, I read the other day that
the DS has sold over six million units worldwide while the PSP has only sold
two million. Yes, I know they haven’t launched the PSP in Europe yet. But
there’s no way that our friends across the Atlantic are going to buy four
million PSPs. Keep your emails at home people, I like the PSP too, but my
point is, even though the DS is outselling it’s Sony rival, there still seems
to be that "one" game that neither system has released – you know, the one
everyone has to have. The one that sells systems because it’s so good.
Well sorry Sony fans, your game has not been released for the PSP yet, but for
the owners of the Nintendo DS, your time has arrived.

Most people like puppies, many
love them for their innocence and playful personalities. Sure there are people
out there that don’t care for dogs, but only a select few actually hate and
despise them. If you are buying this game, chances are you like dogs.

"Betcha can’t breed just one!"

Nintendogs is probably the most
well-rounded DS game out there, using all of the unique functions that make
the DS great, players start off the game by selecting a puppy from one of
several breeds. Initially, there are three puppies in each breed, each with
their own personality traits. Some puppies are outgoing and friendly, while
others are selfish and stubborn. Each puppy temperament provides it’s own
unique set of training issues but their end results can be rewarding. Once you
have selected your puppy, you will bring it home and start to bond with it.
Using the stylus and touch pad you scratch the puppy’s ears and rub its belly
in order to welcome the puppy into your home and make it feel safe. To be
perfectly honest with you, I was at a local game store a couple of weeks ago
where they had a demo of the game going. I let my four-year-old son play with
the stylus during the belly rubbing phase and I don’t know if I have ever seen
my boy so engrossed in anything in his short life. It became so addictive to
him in such a short amount of time that he cried for ten minutes after I pried
him away from the thing. Luckily there was a Nintendogs pamphlet that the
clerk gave him in order to quell his crying. My point, this game can really
get you addicted very quickly.

"As if they could get any cuter."

Next, the game allows you to take
advantage of the in-play microphone by naming your dog and repeatedly calling
it by its name till it understands you. As you continue through the game you
are encouraged to train your dog and teach it tricks so the use of the mic is
not a one-time deal. You will be calling out commands to your dog as well as
its name; aAgain, taking full advantage of the DS’s tricks. As you continue to
work with your dog, you will find that once you have brought a puppy into your
home, it does require love and constant attention. In fact neglecting the
puppy and not playing with it on a regular basis will breed the kind of dog we
don’t want. I guess you could say that this is a real test for anyone wanting
to get a new puppy. "If you don’t feed your DS, Billy, how can your mother and
I trust you with a real dog?" Like a real puppy, your DS dog can only take so
much training and playing before it will tire and you need to let it rest. You
will find that a half hour is often needed between walks otherwise your dog
will simply not want to do anything. It is a baby after all. This also brings
in a different style of gameplay, short bursts of play as opposed to
marathon-long gaming.

The more you work with your dog
the healthier and stronger it becomes allowing for longer play time and
training. You will eventually find yourself walking around to parks and
training facilities. Go to the park and begin your Frisbee playing. Go to the
training facility and work on those tricks. Get where I’m going with this?
Eventually you will enter your dog into competitions and begin winning prize
money. Money you can use to buy items and dog toys and … more puppies!

"Let this meeting of the United floor
pee’rs commence."

Setting the DS to identify other
Nintendogs within the WiFi range makes this title that much more fun. If you
happen to run into one of the other million Nintendog owners out there, your
puppies will play together and an exchange of sorts will commence. More
importantly, only by meeting up with these other Nintendogs, will other breeds
of dogs become available in the kennel. I love how you can set your DS to bark
mode to identify these other Nintendogs. This game is original, addictive and
those puppies are so lifelike.

Gameplay: 9.3
You use all of the DS’s functions
to their fullest. The game encourages you to play it regularly and the
honest-to-goodness bond you will make with your dog is so endearing. You use
the microphone to blow bubbles in order to play with your dog for goodness
sakes.

Graphics: 9.1
The game has the finest graphics
the DS has made so far, including the different fur striations of the various
dogs, and the almost-lifelike reactions of the dog as you pet its head, rub
it’s belly and let it lick your hand. Those big puppy dog eyes, this game is
so neat to look at.

Sound: 8.7
Little puppy dog noises, the
pleasant audio music that hums along as you go about your day.

Difficulty: Medium
The hardest part of the game is
the little twitches that sometimes occur when you are using the microphone.
Other then that, the game does require a commitment from you to ensure that
the little lives of the puppies are healthy and fulfilled.

Concept: 9.4
A totally original game. I would
have never even thought a game like this was possible. Your dog actually goes
to the bathroom while you are on walks.

Multiplayer: 9.0
That first time your DS barks at
you signaling that there is another Nintendog in the area is worth the price
of the game in itself. Being that the game is sooooo special, you can only
interact with DS owners who are also playing Nintendogs.

Overall: 9.3
I will defend this title to anyone
who doesn’t see it for its complete originality, creative gameplay and darn
cute puppies. This is the game that will sell another million Nintendo DSs.