E3 2010: Nintendogs + Cats
By:
Andre Segers
|
June 21, 2010, 8:48 pm

Many have wondered when we would get a sequel to Nintendogs--the game that arguably kick-started the Nintendo DS craze. Well, it turns out Nintendo was just waiting for 3D to become a reality. And it seems the pups have made some friends during the past six years, as they’re bringing cats along with them this time. 

Unfortunately, the cats weren’t available in the demo on display, but three different dog breeds were. After selecting one, we were dropped into a mostly empty room very reminiscent of the original. Here, we could watch our dog scamper around the room on the top-screen, much like before, except this time in glorious 3D. As he approached the screen, it almost seemed as if he were actually there, as if we could reach out and touch him. The 3D is that convincing. The graphics have also been given a nice overhaul, with the dogs now featuring actual fur-effects that lend them even more believability.

The game makes very smart use of the front-facing camera--as we drew our face closer to the system, the dog stood up and started licking the screen--it was adorable. Likewise, if you tilt your head side-to-side, the dog will do the same--even if this temporarily destroys the 3D effect, as it only works when viewed dead-on. Finally, we were told that if we were to hand the DS to someone else the dog didn’t recognize, he may not react in the kindest way.

Sufficiently impressed by the new tech, we decided it was time for some play time. There were several activities on-hand, such as dressing him up in an adorable Mario hat, throwing a tennis ball, or tossing a Frisbee or boomerang. Like with the previous game, the throwing controls are handled via the touchscreen--simply ‘toss’ the object quickly with the stylus to send it flying. Our dog would then go retrieve the object and bring it back to us. That’s a good boy!
 

Now whenever your dog does something good--such as a trick, it’s important to reinforce that behavior by petting him. And this is where things are a bit different than in the previous version. In the original Nintendogs, you could summon your dog to the touchscreen (either by calling his name or blowing a whistle) where you could then pet hm directly by rubbing the stylus over him. This is no longer the case, as your dog is always featured on the 3D top-screen for maximum immersion. Instead, a silhouette of your dog appears on the touchscreen, which is what you now interact with. As you do so, a hand icon will appear on the 3D top-screen, showing exactly where you’re petting him. We thought this might be a pretty big disconnect, considering you’re not really petting the mutt directly, but it worked surprisingly well and put our fears to rest.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much else to do in the demo. No taking your dog out on a walk, no visiting the local store, or even the competitive events from the original. All we had was that one room and a few toys. Despite this, we were impressed by what we saw and how they’re integrating the 3DS’s new technology into the gameplay.

 
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