Nintendogs: Lab & Friends for DS Reviews

Nintendogs: Lab & Friends

Nintendo

Release Date: August 22, 2005

Metascore

Based on

54 Critics

User Score

7.7

Based on

92 Ratings

Summary Back to top

Players care for and train their puppy by petting it, walking it and buying it supplies to play with. As a puppy competes in obedience and agility trials, owners can win money to purchase other puppy breeds. The pups will vary in gender, coloration and personality. Players purchase one of several breeds available at the beginning, then start spending time with their pup. They throw flying discs and balls to improve the pup’s agility, bathe it when it gets dirty and use their own personalPlayers care for and train their puppy by petting it, walking it and buying it supplies to play with. As a puppy competes in obedience and agility trials, owners can win money to purchase other puppy breeds. The pups will vary in gender, coloration and personality. Players purchase one of several breeds available at the beginning, then start spending time with their pup. They throw flying discs and balls to improve the pup’s agility, bathe it when it gets dirty and use their own personal voice commands to train the dog to do tricks. If players train it well enough, they will excel in obedience and agility trials and disc competitions, which will earn money that they can use to buy other supplies and puppy breeds. When players earn enough cash, they can buy even more puppies to live with their original pup. Players can socialize their pups by walking them around the town, where they will meet neighborhood dogs, and maybe even find new toys. Trips to the park and gym offer valuable training time to prepare for agility trials and disc competitions. Over time, the pup's stamina will increase so players can explore farther and farther. Players also can interact wirelessly with their friends' Nintendogs – they can set their DS to bark whenever another puppy is within wireless range. [Nintendo]… Expand

Starring: Shigeru Miyamoto, Satoru Iwata, Motoaki Fukuda

Developer: Nintendo

Genre(s): Virtual Life

# of players: 1 Player

Cheats: On GameFAQs

Rating: E

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Critic Reviews Back to top

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

100

Weekly Famitsu

10 / 10 / 10 / 10 - 40 platinum [April 2005]

GameZone

I will defend this title to anyone who doesn't see it for its complete originality, creative gameplay and darn cute puppies. This is the game that will sell another million Nintendo DSs.

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eToychest

It's a very alluring piece of work, and the little virtual puppies can be very enjoyable playmates. They're lifelike and responsive, and they can learn a wide variety of tricks. It's also not too much effort to care for them.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

With all of those unique traits, I wish there had been more ways to show off my little troopers. An "Animal Crossing"-style society and level of interaction would have been a perfect fit. [Oct 2005, p.124]

1UP

This is the type of game you can play to pass the time on the morning commute, while watching TV, or waiting in line for your husband to buy power tools. Touching is good, play well with others, etc. -- Nintendogs is a unique game that brings something new to the DS.

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Sydney Morning Herald

A glorified Tamagotchi, but infinitely cuter and more appealing.

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Game Revolution

Nintendogs captures the essence of puppydom in its adorable stars and genuine charm, but focuses so much on being a cutie that it forgets to be a game. DS owners thirsting for companionship will certainly find some here, although it’s really just a virtual pet without enough interesting gameplay enhancements.

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User Reviews Back to top

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

WooY.

May 7, 2006

this game is my favorite game ever in my whole life and i always wanna play it.

NatalieP.

Sep 27, 2006

This is an addictive game with many things in it that make its realistic. Thumbs UP!

MadisonW.

Jan 7, 2008

Its a graet game, but i want dog points! Unlock Jack Russel Terrier While on a walk, your dog may come across an Item called the Jack Russel Its a graet game, but i want dog points! Unlock Jack Russel Terrier While on a walk, your dog may come across an Item called the Jack Russel Book. If you visit the kennel, you can now buy the single Jack Russel Terrier Unlock Welsh Corgi Collect 2000 Owner Points Unlock Pug Collect 4000 Owner Points Unlock Shetland Sheepdog Collect 8000 Owner Points Unlock Schnauzer Collect 10000 Owner Points Unlock Pinscher Collect 14000 Owner Points Unlock German Shepherd Collect 17000 Owner Points Unlock Japanese Style House (from Shiba Pack) 20000 Owner Points Unlock Toy Poodle 25000 Owner Points Balloon: Get 300 owner points. Jump Rope: Get 300 owner points. Windup Toy: Get 10,000 owner points. Natural Dog Food Bag: Get 10,000 owner points. Pull Rope: Get 300 owner points. Reset data: Hold L + R + A + B + X + Y at the Nintendo logo to delete your saved data. Miniature Schnauzer: Get 14,000 owner points. Pinscher: Get 2,000 owner points. Get 14,000 owner points in the Japanese version of the game. Pembroke Welsh Corgi: Get 20,000 owner points. Get 2,000 owner points in the Japanese version of the game. Pug: Get 35,000 owner points. Get 4,000 owner points in the Japanese version of the game. Schnauzer: Get 14,000 owner points. Get 10,000 owner points in the Japanese version of the game. Shetland Sheepdog: Get 8,000 owner points in the Japanese version of the game. Siberian Husky: Get 4,000 owner points. Walk without waiting 30 minutes! To do this trick, make sure you have an Asscessory on you. Select which dog you want to walk with. While planning the route for the dog, go through as many[?] blocks as possible. Once you have done that, make your way to the park, then back to your house. When your dog starts the walk, when it gets to the park change the accessory it's wearing into something else. After the game finishes saving, turn off your Nintendo DS. When you reboot you will notice that you have obtained all the items you did in the walk, and you can walk again with the same dog without the wait. Do this for present abuse! Dog or present? When walking your dog, if he/she comes upon a ? mark, he/she will bark once, or twice. Most of the time, one bark means a present, two barks means another dog. Easy way to find hidden presents When going on a walk, watch the top screen. When the dog icon stops moving, there is a hidden present coming up shortly. Be cautious, however, as this is also true when garbage is coming up, or your pup simply stops by itself. Get unlockable breeds easier. Do Bark Mode with a dog in a breed that you don't have.Example: Do Bark Mode with a Shih Tzu and after you do Bark Mode with that dog, you will be able to buy the Shih Tzu breed at the kennel.NOTE: This only works the first time with each different version of the game. So you can do this trick one time with Labrador & Friends, Dachshund & Friends, and any other version of Nintendogs. Linking: When linking copies of Nintendogs to unlock new breeds, keep in mind two things. You can only link with another Nintendo DS system once (and unlock a new breed). The breed unlocked corresponds with your partner's current pet, and it must be a breed that you do not have in order for it to be unlocked. RC helicopter: Go on a walk and you may find an RC helicopter as one of the question marks. Hold A to take off, the D-Pad to maneuver, and L to change the camera view. Note: They can be sold for $200. Agility training: Go to the gymnasium and train your dog on the agility course. It changes with each contest you win. Disc contest: Get a Boxer if you want speed. Get a German Shepherd if you want it to jump high. Blue circles on the map: While on walks, blue circles represent places to go to the bathroom. Longer walks: Mark out the path on your map, ending it at the house. If your last few steps ends at the house, wait 25 minutes, then your dog can go slighter further on the next walk. Note: Make sure to water your dog after each walk. Different colored Dogs: While at the pound, pick a breed. You will have three choices for the dog's coloring *light, medium, and dark). If you do not see the color you like, tap "Back", then tap on the breed again until the color and/or gender that you want with the dog appears. It may take some time to actually get what you want. Hand stand: Teach your dog to lie down and beg. While lying down, tell it to beg and your dog should do a handstand. Flip from back: Teach your dog roll over and jump. Tell it to roll over then quickly have it jump. It should flip forward onto its legs, with something that resembles a Kung Fu-style move. Getting money: Go on a lot of walks, getting as many question marks as you can along the way. Then, go to the second hand store and sell all the items you do not want or your dog(s) do not like. Some items are less then a dollar, but the amount adds up if you keep doing this. Losing contests: In certain classes of contests, if you get below a certain score you will drop a class. Walking your dog: When walking your dog and it seems edgy, give the leash a little tug towards the way it is walking. The dog will start running. Also, if you want you can give it a tug while running upwards, it will do a jump. Free Gifts and Toys While you can purchase new toys for your pup to play with, you can actually get some goodies for free if you know where to look. When you take your Nintendog on a walk, outline a path that goes by the blue "?" boxes marked on the map. Your puppy is likely to run off screen at those points and come back with a present for you! Your puppy will also randomly run to get presents for you if you leave the game on the "Home" screen for long. If left unattended, your Nintendog will leave the apartment and stay off screen. Simply tap on the center button (the circular one) to whistle and call back your pup who should be carrying a new present. Unlockable Rooms These appear for sale at the Interior Decorator once you've aquired the specified amount of points. Desktop - Get 6000 Trainer Points Beach House - 12,000 Trainer Points Eating bone and lightbulb When training your dog occasionally an outline of a bone will appear on the screen, you can feed this to your dog by dragging it to its mouth, you can do the same with the light bulbs that appear above your dogs head when your teaching them new tricks. Easy Trainer Points Go to the screen where you can brush your dog. Take the brush and put it on him. Leave it there for a few hours. As long as the brush is on him, you get trainer points for every 1 minute. Leave on overnight and you will have a ton of Trainer Points and most likely a new dog at the kennel!… Expand

LizaS.

Jul 18, 2007

It is a very good game. it does get boring sometimes. but then you wait 10 mins, and you just are addicted to getting on again! This is my It is a very good game. it does get boring sometimes. but then you wait 10 mins, and you just are addicted to getting on again! This is my 2nd favorite game besides mario kart.… Expand

Emilie

Jan 16, 2008

This game is so much fun. It is almost like owning a real dog. Sometimes its too much like owning a real dog and it gets annoying. Over all This game is so much fun. It is almost like owning a real dog. Sometimes its too much like owning a real dog and it gets annoying. Over all the game is really fun and even though it may get annoying u get over that and keep playing.… Expand

AlexV.

Sep 4, 2006

A really good game but when you get bored of one dog in your family but not the rest you have to donate them or clear the game. Dontating A really good game but when you get bored of one dog in your family but not the rest you have to donate them or clear the game. Dontating them makes you feel so mean!… Expand

Alex

Sep 2, 2005

Poorly Executed Game. It Appears Nintendo also met ten years ago, as this is very smiliar to "Dogz" for PC. Gimmicky at best, but as nintendo Poorly Executed Game. It Appears Nintendo also met ten years ago, as this is very smiliar to "Dogz" for PC. Gimmicky at best, but as nintendo fanboys across the world say, "it's a tech demo."… Expand

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