Last week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, we had a lengthy opportunity to test out a build of Nintendogs for the Nintendo DS. The game was previously named Puppy Times a couple of weeks ago, but was soon changed back to its catchy moniker for obvious reasons.
The GDC version on the floor was only a simplistic version of what Nintendo showed during Iwata’s keynote presentation, but was still a good indication of what to expect from the basic gameplay elements from the pet simulator. From the start, one of the easiest things that you could do with each puppy is pet them with the stylus. These will reveal some of their happiness expressions including rolling over with delight and wagging their tails. It also increases their tendencies to being more obedient to your commands. The demo build allowed players to play around with three dogs with five unique toys that demonstrated the different ways each dog would react. Throwing the Frisbee toy allowed the dogs to chase after it as it slowly hovered across the air. The high-level of physics incorporated into the game was evident, as the dogs would fight for control of the toy in mid-air, despite colliding with the walls if thrown hard enough. The trajectory and distance that controls the Frisbee depend on how fast the stylus moves then is let go after dragging the toy across the screen. Other items include a tennis ball, a slow-flying balloon ball, a tug-of-war towel, and even a jump rope. The jump-rope works when thrown to one of the dogs. It holds one end, while you simply loop the jump-rope up and down for a quick doggy-training session. The cool thing about every single one of the toys is that the dog returns to you after retrieving it.
After playing with the dogs for several minutes, a Japanese menu pops up, eventually triggering the Frisbee arena competition. This mode prompts the user to pick their favorite dog, assuming their top choice would be one that is most obedient and physically active enough to excel well. With a set timer, you’ll have to throw the Frisbee to multiple designated zones around the arena, with correct speed and precision to your dog. Each zone is worth a certain amount of points, with longer throws and mid-air grabs earning bonus points. The demo ends when the scoring of the Frisbee competition completes. The game re-starts, and you’re given another random assortment of three dogs.
The final version of the game is intended to have a wider selection of dogs, based on the version of the Nintendogs game that you get. Based on Nintendo of Japan’s website, there are numerous versions available. There are five starter dogs in each of the three versions [meaning the rest won’t be unlockable until enough money is earned]; however it’s still unclear whether the dogs will be able to be swapped from version to version:
- Dachshund and Friends Version
- Mini Dachshund
- Mini Schnauzer
- Pug
- Yorkshire Terrier
- German Shepherd
Chihuahua and Friends Version
- Chihuahua
- King Charles Spaniel
- Labrador Retriever
- Beagle
- Shihtzu
Shiba and Friends Version
- Shiba
- Mini Pinscher
- Welsh Corgie Puppy
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Toy Poodle
Also, the final version will include several story-type modes which will allow for dog training sessions and competitions. Eventually, you’ll earn income and enough money to buy another dog. According to Nintendo, the maximum amount of dogs an owner is expected to have is currently three. The dogs will also interact differently based on the types of breeds and tendencies they’re paired with. Even better, it seems as if U.S. gamers will receive more dog breeds and toys to play with than the Japanese version of Nintendogs. Expect additions that’ll be more familiar with the populous of America’s pet-lovers and gamers alike.
Don’t have a dog? Here you go!
Think this is enough to keep you busy? Not even close… yet. The final version will also include an implemented feature that allows gamers to talk to dogs – literally. Voice commands will be done via the microphone (as seen in our GDC ’05 keynote footage). Basically, when your dog does a particular option, a “microphone icon” will appear at the top of the screen, allowing users to touch the microphone and record a five-second sound-byte. Next time, when the dog hears the exact word(s), that particular action will take place. So, instead of instructing the dog to “sit”, simply saying “on the floor” can be done. Naming the dog with your voice is also critical to its recognition with you – as the game remembers the specific modulation of your voice. Basically, if another person calls your own dog by its name, it will most likely not respond without proper instruction from its real master. Combine this innovative technology with the usual tasks needed to maintain your dog’s performance: taking a bath, cleaning up poop, and walking it, the possibilities are endless.
Also according to NOA’s Nate Bihldorff who was on hand on the show floor, Nintendo is currently looking at the possibility of keeping the current feature of the Nintendogs game waking up from sleep mode if there’s another DS within the wireless proximity. When another DS is recognized with Nintendogs, your dog will bark to acknowledge it. Also included is a link feature which allows you to meet up with your friend and his/her dog at a virtual park. Could this be the wireless feature that Nintendo implements in the final version? So far, the chances are looking increasingly good.
Nintendogs launches in Japan on April 21st, so we should be able to learn more and more about this very promising and innovative pet-simulator in the coming weeks.can’t be blank
