Nintendogs
| Nintendogs | |||
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| Studio |
 Nintendo EAD
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| Publisher |
Nintendo
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| Erstveröffent- lichung |
 October 7, 2005 |
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| platform | Nintendo DS | ||
| genre | Simulation game | ||
| Game mode | Single player , multiplayer | ||
| control | Touchscreen (mainly), microphone, directional pad | ||
| medium | Nintendo DS Flashcard | ||
| language | including German, English | ||
| Age rating |
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Nintendogs is a video game from the Japanese company Nintendo for the portable game consoles Nintendo DS , Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi, similar to the Tamagotchi . The player can interact with virtual dogs using the DS touch pen or microphone . The project was originally planned for the GameCube , but developed again for the DS and shown for the first time in 2004 as a tech demo at E3 in Los Angeles .
Gameplay
The game is based on the diverse communication between the virtual pet and the player. Using the touch screen , he can play with it, train it or wash it; Through the microphone integrated in the DS, the puppy can be trained to use any voice commands. A leash can also be put on the virtual friend and the animal can then be taken out.
A big part of the game is the walking and the competitions (disc competition, obstacle course and obedience test) where you can earn money by winning awards. The amount of the prize money depends on the rank of the owner. These can be invested in better furnishing the apartment or in another puppy. There are nine different interiors, with the initial interiors varying depending on the edition.
Walking is about the puppy being able to use its toilet and meeting other puppies with owners (in? Blocks; also in single player mode). There are also two parks, two shops and a training area for the obstacle course. The dog also regularly finds gifts (also in? -Blocks, but also on the floor, you can get these by pulling the leash down in the direction of the gift) or rubbish (only on the floor).
The dog must be fed daily. If the player neglects him for several days, it happens that he runs away and only comes back a few days later or gets fleas. However, this has no further consequences for the course of the game, because a puppy cannot die. If the puppy likes the player and runs away anyway, he may come back with a gift.
In addition to the single player mode, the game supports the possibility of connecting the Nintendo DS using the WiFi functionality and allowing multiple pets to play together. Games can be actively linked to one another or, even if the DS is switched to standby mode, it can search for other game partners independently (called " woof-woof " mode). In this mode the player can exchange items with other players and unlock new dog breeds. If another player is nearby, a bark will be heard.
Available dog breeds
There are a total of 20 dog breeds in the four available North American and European versions. All other races can be unlocked during the course of the game. There are only 15 races in the Japanese version, with only five unlocked from the start. There is also the best friends version in the USA, which is sold together with a Nintendo DS.
When the game is started for the first time, a dog kennel appears with a selection of the dog breeds available in this version. The player can now choose a breed and begin to raise the virtual puppy and to gain his friendship. But before the owner of the DS can go shopping and use other functions, the puppy must first listen to the player and give the first command "sit".
Each breed has its own characteristics. For example, the German Shepherd is considered loyal and sometimes too affectionate, but there are German Shepherds that are shy or fearful, for example. Every dog (puppy) has its own characteristics, everyone is unique.
North American / European Edition:
| Dachshund and friends | Chihuahua and friends | Labrador and friends | Dalmatians and friends | Best Friends (US edition only) |
| Miniature dachshund | Chihuahua | Labrador Retriever | Yorkshire Terrier | Miniature Dachshund |
| pug | Yorkshire Terrier | Miniature Pinscher | beagle | Labrador Retriever |
| Shih-Tzu | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Miniature poodle | Golden retriever | Yorkshire Terrier |
| beagle | Sheltie | Miniature Schnauzer | boxer | beagle |
| Golden retriever | boxer | Welsh Corgi Pembroke | German shepherd dog | Golden retriever |
| Siberian Husky | German shepherd dog | Shiba Inu | Dalmatian | German shepherd dog |
Japanese edition:
| Shiba & Friends (柴 & フ レ ン ズ) | Chihuahua & Friends (チ ワ ワ & フ レ ン ズ) | Dachshund & Friends (ダ ッ ク ス & フ レ ン ズ) |
| Shiba Inu | Chihuahua | Miniature Dachshund |
| Shetland Sheepdog | beagle | German Shepherd Dog |
| Toy poodle | Shih Tzu | Yorkshire Terrier |
| Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | pug |
| Miniature pinscher | Labrador Retriever | Miniature Schnauzer |
Unlockable races
There are four editions of the game, each with six different dog breeds to choose from. The player can unlock other races by collecting so-called "trainer points" or activating the "Wauwau mode". In "Wauwau" mode, the game searches for other Nintendogs players in the vicinity (approx. 10–30 m) via DS-to-DS data transfer . If the dog is successful, the breed of dog that the other player has previously selected for the "Wauwau-Modus" will also be activated in his own game. However, this only works once, so you can only unlock one race.
Two secret dog breeds can be unlocked: on the one hand the Dalmatian with the help of the fire helmet and on the other hand the Jack Russell Terrier , unlockable with the Jack Russell book. In the version Dalmatians & Friends, the player can unlock the Shiba Inu if you find a certain one while going for a walk. You don't get it automatically through a certain number of training points, but you can get it through a friend in woof-woof mode.
Competitions
All competitions are divided into five different classes (beginner, open class, expert, master, championship)
- Disc competitions
In the disc competition, the dog has to catch a thrown frisbee . The further the disc is thrown, the more points you get, provided it is caught. If the dog catches the disc while jumping, there is an extra point. Whoever has the most points wins. In contrast to the other competitions, there are hardly any changes in the higher classes. You can practice in the park and, to a limited extent, at home.
- Obstacle course
The obstacle course is the greatest challenge for the dog. He has to pass various obstacles (hurdle, tunnel, double hurdle, seesaw, slalom). There are five minus points for every mistake, one per second if the time limit is exceeded. To win, the course must be mastered as quickly and flawlessly as possible. You can practice in the training hall.
- Obedience tests
In the obedience test, the dog has to perform various tricks (sit, down, give paw, turn around, play dead, jump, beg). First, the puppy has to execute two commands, then, depending on the class, hold a trick for two to ten seconds, then carry out three more commands and then, again depending on the class, show a command for three to twenty seconds. At the end of the day, the dog can once again prove his skills in the free demonstration. Three judges rate the puppy with up to ten points. The winner is whoever received the most points. Clean dogs are better received by the jury. You can practice at home and in the park.
music
Various virtual records with classical pieces of music can be found and played. Particularly known are the Colonel Bogey March , El Toreador from the opera Carmen and the Waltz of Flowers from the Nutcracker Suite . There are three categories of records to find while walking: the red (music from the Nintendogs soundtrack), the blue (familiar tunes that affect dogs in various ways), and the green (Archie's "Secret Records").
The records have different styles of music, e.g. B. “Das Große Knurren” is more rocky, while “Futterzeit” is more melancholy, “Surprise” ( 94th Symphony by Joseph Haydn ) is classic and “Sniffing” is reminiscent of nightclub music. There are a total of 15 records. You can also buy a keyboard and teach the dogs to sing. Four music boxes can also be found. There is also a white record with which you can record sounds yourself.
Dalmatians & friends
Dalmatiner & Freunde has been available in Europe since June 16, 2006 . In this game there is the rather difficult to unlock Dalmatian from the start. This version also has the most popular dog breeds from the other three versions.
This edition is very similar to the Chihuahua edition, as all starting dogs of this edition can be purchased with 8000 trainer points. Northern Europe is also present at the interior designer right from the start. The version-exclusive items are also identical in the Chihuahua and Dalmatian editions.
reception
The game was highly praised by critics and awarded 40 out of 40 points in May 2005 by Famitsu magazine, which is considered highly critical . Before Nintendogs, only four other titles received this score. It also received the GameSpot website 's Editor's Choice Award . The game was also recognized by the PETA .
Sales figures
In the first week of sales (April 18–24, 2005), 168,000 copies were sold in Japan ( Nintendogs: Shiba & Friends - 75,000 copies, Nintendogs: Miniature Dachshund & Friends - 49,000 copies and Nintendogs: Chihuahua & Friends - 44,000 copies). With its success, the game drove up the sales of the Nintendo DS : In the opening week, sales rose by 320% from 22,000 to 95,000 devices.
On September 1, Nintendo of America announced that Nintendogs had sold more than 250,000 times in its first week of sales in the United States. In Europe, Nintendogs sold 160,000 times in the first week of sales.
As of March 31, 2018, 23,960,000 copies of all Nintendogs versions for the Nintendo DS have been sold worldwide.
successor
At E3 2010, the official successor, Nintendogs + Cats , was unveiled. It was only released for Nintendo 3DS in early 2011. In the new animal simulation, you can own cats as well as dogs. The Nintendo 3DS camera is also used to influence the animals.
Web links
- Official Japanese Nintendogs site
- Nintendogs at MobyGames (English)
- Test at N-Life ( Memento from August 14, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- Inside Nintendo 171: Getting down to the dog: How Nintendogs taught the DS new tricks , Nintendo-Online.de, April 12, 2020.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Famitsu review scores (3/1/17) - Zelda: Breath of the Wild awarded perfect score. In: nintendoeverything. March 1, 2017, accessed March 31, 2019 .
- ^ Editor's Choice - GameSpot. (No longer available online.) In: GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 15, 2010 ; accessed on March 31, 2019 (English).
- ↑ Aleks Krotoski: Nintendogs celebrated by PETA. In: The Guardian. June 1, 2006, accessed March 31, 2019 .
- ^ Anoop Gantayat: DS Sales Skyrocket in Japan. In: IGN. April 28, 2005, accessed April 4, 2019 .
- ↑ Simon Carless: Nintendo Reveals Impressive US Nintendogs Figures Nintendo Reveals Impressive US Nintendogs Figures. In: Gamasutra. September 1, 2005, accessed April 4, 2019 .
- ^ David Jenkins: Nintendo Claims European Sales Boost For DS Nintendo Claims European Sales Boost For DS. In: Gamasutra. October 12, 2005, accessed April 4, 2019 .
- ↑ Top Selling Title Sales Units. In: Nintendo. Accessed March 31, 2019 .