OCR Text |
Show COMICS > GAMING BC. chopsticks ‘Nintendogs’ video game keepsit real Monty Phan NEWSDAY intendogs may be a hugehit in Japan, but it wasn’t very popular in our home,for two reasons: Schnapps and Chopper, the two , attentionsfitved real dogs who werelying on the couch next to mewhile I tended to my virtual puppy, Schnitzel. Of course,I was oblivious to this. It was my wife who pointed out the irony of my neglecting our flesh-and-blood pets so that I could train my digital dachshund.As a result, she gave the dogs some extra love out of pity. So,really, everyl wins. Although the Nintendo folks are quick to dismiss comparisons to last decade's Tamagotchi virtual pet craze, Nintendogs seems part of the fad’s evolutionary lineage,a kind of The Sims for dog lovers. The gamecomes in three versions, each withsix different breeds immediately available to players, who begin by visiting the poundto choose their dog. its name and will come when points.” You also can par- \ 4 Jo DS’ wireless connectivity. coax the dog to sit, lie down or will let your dogs play together, perhaps leading one day toa funny answerto the question, ing into the microphoneso that will make a barking noise when it picks up the signal of another DS unit in bark mode. Linking “wry my ATTENTIONv TEEToManoe $0 fee een NEGLECTED!” | POUNTHIENHOSRITAL | up with the other person's unit “How did yourparents meet?” it associates the action with a word.Youalsocan play with the rare gamethat should ap- it by tossing a tennis ball or peal to both sexes, young or Frisbee, or feed it some water and kibble. or LIKG JUNIOR'S STILL HEARINGTHINGS . Finally, there’s “bark mode,” which makes use of the NintenWhenin this mode, your DS shake — ora half-dozen other commands — andthen speak- WHAT WAS THAT sound!? ticipate in competitions to earn money for supplies. appears, allowing youto “pet” your dog. From there, you can move on to teaching your new dog newtricks,using the stylus to Daily Herald, Thursday, September 1, 2005 a stylus across the bottom touch screen to wash and rinse the dog. unlocks the other dozen breeds. Your first task is to give your dog a name,by speaking into the Nintendo DS microphone. After three orso tries — oh, if only it were so easy — yourdog will recognize youcallit or whistle into the microphone. You canpraise yourpuppybyusing the stylus; whenyou placeit on the touchsensitive screen, a hand icon 80 scene, the player must drag Or you can choose to take yourdog for walksto increase its stamina. After charting your course on a mapandsetting off, your dog likely will make potty;if it’s No. 2, makesure to click onit to pickit up, which, like most other aspects of the game, awards you “trainer Progressing through the game READING GLASSES BY An image from the “Nintendogs” video game. The gameis a virtual puppy simulatorthatlets you play and care for your pet while youteachit tricks, pet it and take it out for walks. In this Bottom Line: Nintendogsis old. EEUUTSSemma Ua R eCcasgean E)) _wwwheraldextra.com/yellowpages. LOOKS LIKE THE MAYOR OM AND CITY : es councie iT “cean AGAIN. 33; a, a AAVE S| |