Nintendogs
Nintendogs is a video game, similar to a virtual pet, made for the Nintendo DS. The player is given the ability to interact with virtual puppies via the DS stylus, touchscreen and microphone. It began as a project for the GameCube, but was later scrapped and re-worked for the dual-screen portable. The game made its debut at the 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo as a tech demo for the system. At one time, the U.S. version was going to be called Puppy Times.
The game has been well received by critics, and in the May 2005 edition of the notoriously unforgiving Famitsu magazine, Nintendogs received a perfect 40/40 score. Only four other games have attained this score: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Soul Calibur, Vagrant Story, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. It was also one of the first DS games to earn an Editor's Choice award on Gamespot, the other being Advance Wars: Dual Strike.
Gameplay
The gameplay variety in Nintendogs makes for great interaction between the user and the puppy. Using the touchscreen, the owner can play with, train, pet, and wash the dog. Using the microphone that is built into the DS, the player can create voice commands that the virtual puppy will understand and (assuming it is properly trained) follow. Outside of the player's house, the puppy can be put on a leash and taken for a walk around the neighborhood. Competitions are also an entertaining aspect of the game, as one can play frisbee with the dogs and enter them in agility contests or obedience shows.
Nintendogs supports two link-up methods through the built-in wireless network for Nintendo DS. A player can link his or her system up with another person who owns a copy of Nintendogs, face to face, to let the players' puppies play together. One can also enable the link up system in the game option, then close the DS. Instead of putting the DS to sleep, it will continue looking for other Nintendogs users.
The available dog breeds
In the three North American editions, there are a total of 18 different dog breeds. There are 6 exclusive breeds available to each edition from the get-go. The rest of the breeds (the other 12 unavailable from the beginning of a given edition), can eventually be unlocked, making all 18 eventually available in any given edition.
As for the three Japanese editions, there is one less breed per edition at the get-go, making for a total of only 15 different dog breeds. Each edition contains 5 breeds that are exclusive to that game from the get-go. The 10 not available from the get-go in any given edition, just as in the North American editions, can be unlocked at a later time, making all 15 eventually available in any given edition.
Once you first begin the game, you start out in the kennel. There is a list of dogs you can get (depending on the version) and you may choose one. Once you choose which one you want, you buy that dog. Once you buy the dog of your choosing, you go to your apartment and start to bond with your dog. You can purchase a total of three dogs.
The different breeds of dogs initially found in each North American edition are as follows::
Lab & Friends
Chihuahua & Friends
Dachshund & Friends
Template:Spoiler The Dalmatian and Jack Russell Terrier are hidden unlockable breeds in the US editions of the game, making a total of 20 dogs available in that version.
- Dalmatian- To unlock the Dalmatian, you must find a Fireman's Hat.
- Jack Russell Terrier- You can unlock the Terrier, you must find The Jack Russell Terrier book on a walk.
The different breeds of dogs initially found in each Japanese edition are as follows:
Shiba & Friends
Chihuahua & Friends
Miniature Dachshund & Friends
Template:Spoiler The Jack Russell Terrier is a hidden unlockable breed in the Japanese editions of the game, making a total of 16 dogs available in that version. Template:Endspoiler
The different breeds of dogs initially found in each UK edition are as follows:
Labrador & Friends
Chihuahua & Friends
Dachshund & Friends
In the latest list of games given ratings by the ESRB, a new game has been added by Nintendo of America: Nintendogs: Holiday Edition, given an "E" for Everyone rating.
Record sales
Nintendogs is the fastest selling Nintendo DS game to date. In the first week of its release in Japan (4/18 to 4/24), its sales totaled over 168,000 units (Nintendogs: Shiba & Friends - 75,000 units, Nintendogs: Miniature Dachshund & Friends- 49,000 units and Nintendogs: Chihuahua & Friends - 44,000 units). This title game also boosted the Nintendo DS system sales by over 4.2 times the previous week to 95,000 units, up from 22,000 ([1]). In that one week, the DS sales were more than the combined total of PSP and PS2 sales for the month of March in Japan. These record sales were related to a combination of the release of four chart topping DS titles (three of them being the Nintendogs titles, and the other being a Naruto game that sold 87,000 units) and the release of pink and blue DS systems.
Gallery
External links
- Official Nintendogs site (Japanese)
- Official Nintendogs site (English, US)
- Official Nintendogs site (English, UK)
- Flash Video Demo of Nintendogs
- Some Screenshots of Nintendogs
- Nintendo Kennel Club
- BBC News article
Nintenblogs
Many people have made blogs about Nintendogs. Some of these were based on the advanced copy, so they discontinued it at the release day. These are marked with a *. ** designates that it hasn't been updated in a while.
More to Come