Nintendogs + Cats (ニンテンドッグス＋キャッツ, Nintendoggusu + Kyattsu?) is a
real-time pet simulation video game for the
Nintendo 3DS. It is a sequel to the
Nintendogs games for the
Nintendo DS systems. It was announced alongside the 3DS during
Nintendo's E3 press conference,
[3][4][5] and is a
launch title, being released February 26, 2011 in Japan, March 25, 2011 in Europe and March 27, 2011 in North America.
[2][6]
[edit] Gameplay
The game retains much the same style of
gameplay as the original
Nintendogs, including various breeds of
dogs and
cats as well as training exercises included in the first game.
[7] In addition to
touchscreen and
microphone input, the game also employs the system's
camera along with
facial recognition technology to interact with the player.
[3][7] For example, after a while, the player's pet will recognize them and will likewise greet them. However, if a new player shows up, they may react negatively. If the trainer puts their face close to the camera then the puppy will come up to the screen and lick them, they will also mimic them if they tilt their head.
[8] The 3D capabilities of the
3DS are also utilized.
[3][7] The game also uses augmented reality capabilities to project the player's dog or cat onto one of the "?" AR Games cards.
[9] In addition to this, if one of the Nintendo character cards (i.e. Mario, Link, Samus, Kirby etc...) is used, the dogs will appear wearing hats, fitting the theme of their respective games.
[edit] Versions
The game comes in three different versions. The versions are
Nintendogs + Cats: French Bulldog & New Friends,
Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever & New Friends, and
Nintendogs + Cats: Toy Poodle & New Friends.
[10] Each version features a French Bulldog, a Golden Retriever and a Toy Poodle, respectively, as well as many other breeds for each game. In Japan, the Golden Retriever version is called
Shiba & New Friends, a more common breed in Japan; the Shiba is still present in the American versions.
[edit] Breeds
Each version begins with nine dog breeds, but all twenty seven are unlockable in each game by playing. All the breeds from the original Nintendogs games return as well as seven new breeds including: French Bulldog, Basset Hound, Great Dane, Pomeranian, Cocker Spainel, Maltese and Bull Terrier. There are three cat breeds: Standard, Oriental and Longhair that appear in each game. The following are the starting dog breeds for each game.
[11]
