• Everyone (only available to members 18 and older)
• Friends only (available to members 13 and older)
• Blocked (available to all members, and automatic for anyone under the age of 13)

Many people feel like the DS’ touch screen is nothing more than a gimmick, and if you judge the system solely on how third-party developers have utilized the touch screen, you’d be right in that assumption. The real test, however, comes down to how Nintendo innovates and makes the most of the system’s strengths. If you were to judge the system on what Nintendo has done, then it’s safe to say that the sky is the limit. Nintendogs not only shows that the DS can handle nice visuals, but that it can also provide engaging gameplay that’s simply not possible anywhere else.

There are three different versions of Nintendogs: Lab & Friends, Chihuahua & Friends, and Dachshund & Friends. Each version actually contains every breed, but there are only certain dogs available from the get go in each specific title; the rest have to be unlocked. For example, Lab & Friends’ initial selection of puppies includes a Lab, Miniature Schnauzer, Toy Poodle, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Miniature Pinscher, and a Shiba Inu. As you earn more cash, you can purchase additional animals and train them together, or if you want to focus on one animal at a time you can take them to the puppy hotel.

Nintendogs starts off at the kennel, where you select your puppy. If you’re picky it’s even possible to choose its sex, as well as disposition, allowing you to find a dog that will be suited to activities you enjoy, or one that matches your personality. When you get your dog home, you’ll need to teach your puppy its name by speaking into the microphone. The voice recognition is okay, but you will find yourself repeating a command quite often – which is pretty realistic, given that you’re dealing with a puppy. After giving the animal a name (my dog was named Mr. Pooples) you’ll want to teach your dog some tricks. When your dog performs an action that can be learned, like shaking paws, rolling over, sitting, or one of the many other moves, a light bulb appears indicating a learnable trick. By tapping the light bulb and giving the trick a name, your puppy will eventually learn the trick and perform it when told to. Of course it’s up to the dog’s mood whether or not it’ll actually do the move for you, but in theory, it’s learned.

Taking care of your pet is a huge part of the game, but it’s not as tedious as it sounds. You’ll need to lavish your pooch with affection by scratching its head, ears, nose, or belly with the stylus. Of course you’ll need to feed your pet and make sure it gets plenty of water as well. Items can be purchased at the store and using them is as simple as a few taps of the stylus. Bathing and brushing your pet is also a necessity since puppies can get dirty, and nobody loves a dirty dog.

Puppies have lots of energy and love to use the bathroom, so taking them for walks is a necessity. Before leaving for a walk you can plan your route around town, though how far you can go is limited by your dog’s stamina. As you and your pet get more exercise, you’ll be able to walk further and explore new areas. Should your pet need to relieve itself, they’ll simply squat and do its business. If your puppy leaves a souvenir on the sidewalk you’ll want to pick it up or you’ll be scolded for your laziness. Playing at the park is also lots of fun, as it is here that you’ll be able to practice tossing a Frisbee, watch your pooch interact with other dogs, or just play catch with a ball.

Taking care of a pet costs money, and a Nintendog is no different. Eventually you’re going to want to enter your pet in competitions to not only win money but show off your skills as a trainer. Obedience trials measure your dog’s ability to follow commands; the disc competition sees how many Frisbees your pup can catch; and the agility trial is an obstacle course of sorts that you’ll have to guide your dog through. These are fun events, but the game is so laid back that you’ll probably have fun just chilling with your newfound friend.

The puppies are the stars of the game, so it was important for Nintendo to make them as lifelike as possible, and boy did they succeed. Of course they are as cute as can be, but the amount of detail in each animal is amazing, right down to the sheen of its fur. Very few games on consoles have matched the fluid and realistic animation of Nintendogs. The puppies can run, roll, jump, sleep, play, and even interact with each other in a lifelike manner. It’s so convincing that you really feel like you have your own pet after awhile, and this is coming from someone that doesn’t even like pets.

In addition to looking realistic, the dogs also sound like the real deal. Each pooch has its own unique bark, and after a while you’ll actually be able to recognize them by the sounds they make. When your puppy runs up to the screen and puts its paws up, whimpering because it’s happy to see you, even the most cold-hearted gamer (like me) will melt just a little.

There’s very little to dislike about Nintendogs, but there are a few things that could have been better. The voice recognition can be a little iffy, and it does get a little old repeating the same commands over and over again. It’s certainly not horrible, but it doesn’t meet the same high standards of the rest of the game. The music isn’t awful, but it’s not anything you’re going to be hunting down to purchase on CD. It’s mostly elevator music that does a good job of staying in the background and not annoying you.

Anyone that’s looking to sit down and play for extended periods of time is out of luck, as Nintendogs is designed for short gaming sessions. Only three competitions a day can be entered, and the game knows if you’ve fudged with the clock, so you can’t cheat ahead to the next day. Your pooch also needs rest, so after a walk and some exercise it’ll probably need a nap. If you have more than one dog, you can just play with the one that’s awake, but sometimes that’s just not what you wanted to do. This pacing is deliberate, and it’s done to encourage you to play the game for weeks and months, rather than burning out in a few days. If you neglect your pets, they will run away, though the game’s not demanding to the point where you must check in multiple times a day, but looking in on them once a day is a good idea.

Nintendogs owners can allow their pets to play with each other via a wireless connection, and you can even give gifts if you’re a giving person. There’s not a whole lot to this mode, though it’s cool if you’ve got several friends with the game. Hopefully for the inevitable sequel it will be a little more fleshed out, allowing you to compete with people from all over the world via the Internet.

So why is Nintendogs so great? For starters, it’s very unique – no virtual pet has ever been so lifelike. It’s also very accessible – your mom, girlfriend, younger siblings, even your grandparents could play this game, and have a great time doing so. Finally, it’s a refreshing experience for anyone that’s tired of hijacking cars, shooting aliens, or managing sports teams. If you’re even the least bit curious about Nintendogs, it’s worth a purchase.

You really don’t feel like you’re playing a game, and that’s the whole point.

The dogs had to look real for the game to work, and they look great.

The dogs sound very good, but the music could have been better.

It’s fun and relaxing. Not many games can make that claim.

You could play Nintendogs for months. Again, not many games can make that claim.

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