These puppies do their business all over your Nintendo DS.

Few people can forget the Tamagotchi craze that swept Japan and the U.S. some years back. That archaic pet simulator managed to sell millions of copies and it really wasn't all that good. I believe Miyamoto was later quoted as saying Tamagotchi should have been a Nintendo product because of its universal appeal. Years later Nintendo has introduced its own virtual pet simulator with Nintendogs for the Nintendo DS.

Nintendogs currently comes in three different versions; Miniature Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, and Chihuahua. Each version gives you six different puppies to choose from at the beginning of the game. Much like Pokemon, if you encounter another gamer with a different version of the game you will be able to obtain the puppies from their cartridge via wireless connectivity. To make this process even easier, Nintendogs features a Bark Mode. Simply place your game into this mode and the DS will scan the area for other systems currently running Nintendogs. If it finds someone else with the game it will bark, allowing you to connect to the other user and check out his or her puppies. For those who never embark outdoors with their DS, don't fret. By completing specific goals in the game you can also unlock more dogs so interactivity isn't a necessity, but it sure is easier. When you power-on Nintendogs for the first time you will enter a store where you can look at all the puppies available and buy one and take it home. The first thing you'll have to do is name your new pup. This is done by speaking its name into the internal microphone on the DS. At first the puppy won't recognize its name so you'll need to repeat it several times until it learns it. From then on whenever you call out its name, whistle, or touch the bottom screen your dog will come closer so you can pet it. All interaction with the puppy is done via the touch screen and the microphone. Petting the puppies in different ways will often result in them sitting or rolling over or some other trick. If this is a new action a light bulb will appear on the screen showing the puppy wants to learn the action. Simply tap the bulb and say the command you want your puppy to learn. For example, let's say your puppy learns to shake with its paw. You could have it learn "Shake" or you could give it some more personality like "Give me five". After your puppy has done this action several times and you've given the same command, it will learn it and perform it on command when you say your key phrase.

Beyond tricks you'll have to take care of your new dog by feeding it, giving it water, and grooming it on a regular basis. Dogs love to take walks so you'll be able to stroll around the neighborhood and check things out. You might meet other dogs or your puppy might find a present for you. These presents range from really cool items like a Mario hat to junk like a tissue box. As your puppy goes for more walks it will build up endurance and be able to walk greater distances. You'll be able to visit the park to practice throwing flying discs or just to play ball with the dog. After a bit of practice your puppy can be entered into competitions and this is where you can earn some more money to buy more dogs and supplies.

Nintendogs is appealing to all ages, boys, girls, men, and women. In many ways it reminds me a bit of Animal Crossing. At first you'll spend lots of time with the game, but later on you'll be playing the game almost every day, but just for a few minutes a day. This gives you a chance to check in on your dogs, play with them for a bit, feed them, etc. It's important to note that the dogs don't ever die, but they will sometimes run away for a bit if neglected long enough. They will become more stubborn and less playful if the trainer never visits.

Nintendogs is very endearing. I've shown the game to many people that don't normally play games and they instantly fall in love with it. Likewise, hardcore gamers get a kick out of the game as well. Don't expect massive environments or levels or any other aspects from a normal game. This one breaks the mold of conventional gaming and is still extraordinarily fun to play. After taking Japan by storm, Nintendogs is poised to do the same in the U.S. and Europe. Already initial sales have been brisk and we're just now entering the all-important holiday shopping season where we can expect the game to be a top seller. Featuring great graphics, awesome interactivity, and, well, puppies, makes Nintendogs much more appealing and exciting than Tamagotchi could have ever hoped for.