Today might be my last day on Ciao (But don't give up hope!) I would like to thank everybody for the...
Today might be my last day on Ciao (But don't give up hope!) I would like to thank everybody for their ratings and comments that encouraged me to write more. I wish I'd had the net at home so I could have made more friends on here. Watch This Space!
Member since:12.07.2005
Reviews:30
Members who trust:9
When my girlfriend first told me that she wanted a "Nintendog" I thought that it was going to be a glorified Tamagotchi! You feed it every now and then and get bored after a week....
But I was mistaken, it's actually quite addictive (So much in fact that I got one myself!).
At the start of the game you get to choose which puppy you want to begin with (See list below). If you are undecided you can view some in action to help you make up your mind. I chose the Labrador. You are then prompted to call your puppies name into the built in mic. After calling it 3 or 4 times the puppy recognises it and from then on will respond to your call. You are then made to type the name on the screen. Next you are taught how to teach your puppy a trick, "Sit". Using the touch screen, pet the puppy and move the cursor downwards to make him/her sit. A light bulb flashes in the corner, and clicking it will prompt you to call the command. Again, after several attempts the dog will eventually learn the trick. There are loads of tricks available, though it is sometimes difficult to know just quite what the trick actually is! For example, what do you call it when he rolls onto his back, or turns to the side? "Turn to the side!"... Nah!
Now the first
thing that you probably want to do is take your new found friend for a walk. A map appears on the touch screen and you can draw a walk for your dog. But as it is young and inexperienced, it can only go so far. There is a yellow bar that decreases as you draw the path, which gets a tiny bit bigger with each walk that you take. There are several places of interest on the map, a gym, two parks and two discount shops. At the gym you can practice for the Agility competition by going round the assault course. The park is ideal for playing fetch and practicing with a Frisbee, but make sure there are no other dogs in there (indicated by a dog icon on the map) as they will distract your puppy and even steal your toy! The discount shops are what the title suggests, they are discount shops! Although you can pick up some items that you can't normally get from the normal Shop. The main attraction of the walk are the ?'s that are randomly placed on each walk. Some are other dog walkers that give you advice and it also gives your dog a chance to interact with other dogs. The other ?'s are items, tennis balls and Frisbees, hats etc. You can also find items that are not on the map, on the floor, so keep an eye out! Apparently there are over 250 different items and accessories to collect!!!
You can get all your puppy's essentials such as food and water from the Pet Supply shop in the menu. Frisbees are also available, with added supplies as the game progresses.
You are going to want to enter your beloved puppy into a competition to make some money and make him/her more experienced. There are three to choose from: Disc Competition, Agility Trial and Obedience. In the Disc comp you have 1 minute to gain as many points as possible by throwing the disc, using the touch screen, and catching it. The further it you throw and it is caught, the more points. In Agility you have to direct your puppy via the touch screen around the course in the correct order with as few points and quickest time possible. In obedience you have perform the correct trick by calling into the mic. Three judges give their marks and the average taken. The Commentators are the most annoying things in the game; don't bother to read what they say. You can't skip it which is a pain as they talk complete rubbish! You can enter each puppy only three times a day into a competition, forcing the game to last longer, which is a good thing by all means. You go down a level each time to don't qualify, so make sure your puppy is fit and ready...!
You can have in your house up to three puppies at a time. Make sure you pay each one attention or they will run away for a few days!!
There are various accessories to collect, divided into several categories: Sports, Toys, Accessories, Care, Music, Clocks and Etc. As stated above, apparently there are over 250 to collect, including ribbons, hats, toys, boots?!?, and other bizarre objects. All items can be sold in the Second Hand Shop
The Hotel allows you told hold up to five puppies while you train others at home.
It is possible to change your house layout with the Interior decorators. There are three designs to choose from, but they don't come cheap!
If there is another person with a Nintendog in the area, it is possible to meet up and exchange gifts! You can even leave a voice message that plays when you meet! The other Nintendog gets added to your friends list and you can view their statistics.
You can gain more items in the shops and new dogs in the Kennel by getting a higher rating. Basically points are gained by what you do and new things become available the more you achieve.
List of available puppies: -Labrador retriever -Miniature schnauzer -Toy poodle -Pembroke Welsh corgi -Miniature pinscher -Shiba inu
Overall 78% surprisingly fun; Nintendog will have you waking up before work (or school) to give your puppies a quick walk! The competitions keep it interesting even if the Commentators are incredibly annoying! The main flaw is that the puppies don't become adults, which is a shame. Also some more competitions wouldn't have gone a miss. There are loads or things to unlock and find some of which rather humorous (albeit for two minutes...) Much better than a Tamagotchi by far, with a great use of the touch screen ability.
You can pick this up for £24.99 off play.com (Thats the cheapest I can find) or alternatively you can get it in a bundle with a Nintendo DS for £97.99
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Give a puppy a new home inside your Nintendo DS! Choose from a list of breeds: Labrador, ... more
Retriever, Miniature Schnauzer, Toy Poodle, Welsh Corgi Pembroke, Miniature Pinscher and Shiba Inu. Train and care for your dog on the Touch Screen and give voice ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: Out of stock
In a nutshell:The ultimate evolution of virtual pet:Nintendogsgives you opportunity to ... more
preen and look after a selection of cute puppies in a virtual home, with virtual currency, where you can buy toys and accessories for their enjoyment. You can clean ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.94 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
In a nutshell:The ultimate evolution of virtual pet:Nintendogsgives you opportunity to ... more
preen and look after a selection of cute puppies in a virtual home, with virtual currency, where you can buy toys and accessories for their enjoyment. You can clean ...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
exceptional by (7%):
very helpful by (80%):
helpful by (13%):
