Nintendogs is probably one of the most ambitious games to be released in recent times. It puts you in an environment whereby you can train and raise your own pet dog.

Now instantly there will be links drawn to the late 90’s craze of Tamagotchi, but this game really isn’t like that. In Tamagotchi it was all about keeping your cyber pet happy and alive but in Nintendogs your dog cannot die and therefore while this takes away a huge element from the gameplay it makes Nintendogs a lot more pick up and play.

I’m going to get straight to the point: I think Nintendogs is fun. In fact I find it really fun. There is something really neat about the whole package that will be considered overly cutesy for some but I consider insanely attractive.

From the start of the game you are taken to a dog pound from which you can pick up your first dog. The type of dogs available from the start will depend upon the edition of the game you pick up. There are currently Dachshund, Labrador, Chihuahua and Dalmatian editions of the game available. This is not like Pokemon in that you can only get certain types of dog from one game, as all the dogs become available the more you play – it just simply alters the type of dog available from the beginning.

Once you have chosen your dog you get to name it and get to start teaching it. The whole flow of the game is developed around the way in which you really would deal with a dog. First off you must teach the dog its name, and this is done by calling it over and repeatedly speaking into the microphone the dog’s name. After a few times the dog will recognise its name and from that point onwards you will be able to talk into the DS’ microphone in order to get your dogs attention. It is from this point onwards that you will be able to teach your dog tricks. For example you will be able to teach your dog how to sit, and just like teaching your dog its name, you will be able to record a voice command for such an action. There are a lot of techniques to teach your dog and this will keep you playing for a fair period of time.

Your dog is displayed on the touch screen and therefore using the stylus will allow you to stroke and pet your dog. It will also allow you to give your dogs washes, and to use toys such as Frisbees which can be thrown by pulling back the stylus and then pushing it forward. The top screen displays essential pieces of information and the time.

Most of the action in Nintendogs takes place in a room within a digital home, although there is the ability to take your dog for a walk. You can use the touch screen to plan your walk and ensure that you stop off at the park or other environments. Along the way you will meet up with other dogs and other dog trainers who will share with you handy tips for keeping your dog healthy.

The main objective to the game really is to compete in trainer tournaments. This involves a Frisbee tournament, an agility trial and an obedience test. Each competition is setup in leagues of varying difficulty and results in you needing to improve your dogs training each time you enter. In order to win the competitions not only will you need to ensure that your dog is well suited for the test, but you will need to ensure your dog looks good and feels good. This means awarding your dog with treats, keeping it clean and also providing it with ample food and drink.

Winning competitions rewards you with money which can be spent in the shop – you can buy your dog bows, new toys or even songs to play in the living room to keep it relaxed. And the fun thing about Nintendogs is you can have several dogs in the room together and watch how they interact with each other. It really is just like real life and is a stroke of genius really.

The problem with the game however is, that while it does everything perfectly, the way in which you can train your dog, the way you can take it for walks etc. it simply becomes too repetitive. This really isn’t a “game”, it’s more an experience and if you make the mistake of treating it like a game you will be sorely disappointed. If you sit back and treat it like an application then you will really get the most fun out of this game.

Personally I want to give this game a really high score because I think it is genius. Much is said about the console war between PSP and DS, but I somehow can’t see the comparison between the two consoles. PSP is a portable Playstation 2 whether the DS ventures to do something totally different. It doesn’t mean I think either of them is better than the other, it just means the DS is a lot different.

But then again, as a reviewer I have to appreciate that people prefer that prefer straight up arcade action will probably really dislike Nintendogs, and therefore the score must be relevant to this condition.