A game thats fun for a while, but you'll get sick of it once you've done it all
Graphics 8/10:
The graphics are very good and all the dogs look very realistic and have been done very well. Backgrounds may be a little simple, but they fit into the game well and without a problem. Acessories, food etc. for your dog also look good and are very good for showing what they are just through picture. The only little problem is the graphics edges can be a little rough, but that is more of a DS than Nintendogs thing.
Gameplay 7/10:
Nintendogs should be pretty self-explanitory, but i'll give some info anyway. You get to buy your own little dog and look after it, feed it, pet it, teach it tricks, take it walking, play with it and put it in competitions. Kind of like an advanced Tamagotchi. While this sounds like a lot to do and keep you occupied with it is actually very easy and does not take much effort to do. Teaching your dog tricks the the most fun thing about the game, using the microphone you have to kee telling your dog what to do and thenm patting it when it gets the trick right, but you will have to keep practicing or it will forget. Competitions are also good fun, but it won't take you long to get good at them adn win them easily. You can lso walk your dog out on the street and it can find presents. This is fun for a while, but will soon lose its appeal and become more of a choir, kind of like havign a real dog.
Sound 6/10:
Background music is virtually non-existent in this game, the little that there actually is, is so soft you can't hear it over your dog barking, which brings me to my next point. Your dog barking is not as annoying as it may sound, it is quite cute and is very realistic, also throwing a tennis ball or frisbee and it landing also makes some good sound effects.
Replay Value 9/10:
Well it is a tamagotchi type game and you can have up to three dogs, so there is plenty of replayability as long as you don't get to bored of it. You can also spend some time unlocking all the breeds to buy and all the accessories which adds a lot more to the game.
Conclusion 7/10:
If you want a dog of your own and your not allowed to have one, for whatever reason, then you will probably find this game more enjoyable, but for those of us that have dogs this game isn't much less work than having a real one and having a real one is much more rewarding.