Nintendogs sits up, rolls over, and ships to stores

Nintendo's puppy-raising DS game Nintendogs has shipped to stores in North America. The three versions of the game (Chihuahua and Friends, Dachshund and Friends, and Labrador and Friends) are rated E for Everyone and will be available for $29.99.

Nintendogs lets players adopt a pet dog, which can be raised from puppy to full-grown best friend. The game includes more than 100 items to entertain and spruce up the canine. Players can train their dogs to do tricks using the DS's touch screen, as well as shout personalized voice commands into the handheld's microphone and have them compete in competitions. Nintendogs also takes advantage of the DS's wireless support, letting Nintendog owners link up to let their dogs play with breeds not found in their own versions.

Each version of the game features five other dog breeds, in addition to the titular dog, that are playable in the game. Users who own all versions can unlock all 18 breeds of Nintendogs, such as poodles, boxers, Yorkshire terriers, and Siberian huskies.

The game has been a smash hit in Japan since its release in April, and it helped the DS sell more than quadruple its numbers from the week previous to Nintendogs' arrival.

In addition to the three versions, a special edition may also be joining the kennel. Nintendogs (Holiday Edition) is listed on the official ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) Web site, though Nintendo hasn't officially announced the product.

To see if you would like to be the owner of a Nintendog, check out GameSpot's full review.