The Goods

For gamers who've always wanted a dog but can't keep a pet rock alive comes this pooch simulator. It's sort of like a smarter, cuter, Tamagotchi.

The Down and Dirty

Essentially, Nintendogs is nothing more than a puppy simulator, but that doesn't make it any less adorable or amusing. Players begin by selecting and naming a canine companion from a select roster of breeds. Although about ten different breeds of dog will be available in the game, each individual game unit will have one of three different "kennels," so different gamers will have access to different sets of dogs. Once the tiny pup has been obtained, the training can begin. Players can use the touch screen to pet, scratch, and play with their puppy by tossing around some toys. The microphone helps to teach the dog his or her name along with some simple commands, which is more than I could ever get my actual dog, Marley, to learn.

The gaming experience will vary slightly depending on what breed the player chooses. Some dogs may be easier to train than others, for example, or they may simply have sunnier dispositions. No worries about coming home to a shredded carpet, though, as the worst behavior these pups will exhibit is coming home with some fleas. Although players will have to scoop virtual poop, the Nintendogs don't engage in any of the negative activities common to their real-life cousins. This basically translates into no leg-humping, which is something I think we can all get behind.

Hmmm. Poor choice of words.

Another benefit of the virtual puppy is that they never grow any older—a puppy they start and a puppy they stay, which keeps the cute factor sky-high. There are more than 1000 different items to obtain in the game, from shampoos and Fris-, I mean flying discs to different colored balls and collars. A particularly nifty aspect of the game is the "barking" mechanic: if one Nintendog player's DS comes near another Nintendog's players DS, the first DS will bark, at which point the player can send a voice message to the second player. In Japan, savvy gamers figured out that girls loooooove Nintendogs, and communicating with them through the game was a great way to get one step closer to some hot DS on DS action. Or even a date. Nintendo has always been very big on using games to create a sense of companionship and community, and Nintendogs is a fun way to continue that philosophy.

The Verdict

It's cute. I mean, seriously adorable. For girls and kids, it's a no-brainer, but it's the light, fluffy sort of fun that even manly men can enjoy. Already a big hit in Japan, Nintendogs makes its way to the U.S. in the Fall of 2005.