Nintendogs Preview

It has always been Nintendo’s aim to use the DS as a way to attract a new type of gamer. The touch screen interface was a stroke of brilliance in this regard, but as we all know, consoles rise and fall based on software released for them. Therefore, to attract a new type of gamer, you need to deliver a new type of gaming experience. Nintendogs is that experience.

Essentially a kind of advanced Tamagotchi, Nintendogs is a dog simulator for your DS. It allows you to choose from a range of different dog breeds and adopt them as your new pet. Why not just buy a dog, I hear you ask? Well they’re considerably more expensive for a start, plus you can’t keep an actual dog in your pocket… not unless you wish to starve them of oxygen or have big, roomy pockets.

In the demo we played, we had the choice of three different puppies to play with for a while, and it was utterly delightful. How a game can bring about affection almost immediately is a credit to the game’s creators, but you honestly can’t help but grin as this cute little pup bounds up to your screen, looking for some attention. Interacting with the dog using the stylus is extremely satisfying too, allowing you a full range of activities. On a basic level, you can stroke your pup, but a series of toys allow a full range of fun activities: Frisbees, balls and ropes are all available and it’s easy to tell that they’ll provide hours of fun.

Due to the noise when we played the demo, we only got a limited chance to test the voice commands but Nintendo promise a full range of functionality. However, even without this element, the game is hugely satisfying to play and its addictive qualities are very easy to see. The ability to train your dog will allow you to make it fit your own personality and then show it off to your friends. The good news is that with the DS’ WiFi support this is very easy to do. Nintendogs supports a wireless feature that will allow your dogs to meet each other and interact. Indeed in the first demonstration we saw of this, at Nintendo’s pre-E3 conference, Miyamoto’s dog got a little too friendly with another, which lead to a lot of laughter. This is what Nintendogs excels at though: bringing a smile to your face while offering a way to interact with fellow games players in a non competitive way.

Games like this and Electroplankton represent a step in the right direction for gaming and it’s great to see how well they are turning out. The game was bound to appeal to a female audience, but there seems to be enough substance to appeal to a male audience too. Whether the full game lives up to all this promise remains to be seen, but even at this early stage it seems full to the brim with potential.