How much is that doggie in the window?
by Nikki Inderlied 
{ Jul 28th 2006 at 10:38PM }
We all know that Nintendo banked with Nintendogs. Though this idea had already been toyed around with by Ubisoft and their games Petz, (which later lead to Catz and Dogz for the GameBoy Advance) you would be surprised at how many folks didn't get wind of virtual pets until Nintendogs.
Seeing the success of the game, other franchises want a piece of the big fat pie. Enter The Sims 2 Pets.
Granted Sims fans were introduced to the idea of pets in the original Sims 2 and The Sims Unleashed so it is quite possible to point the finger at Nintendo for stealing taking the idea further.
Interested? Check out a few screenshots and a trailer to get a glimpse of what it's all about.
Personally, I don't see why you just wouldn't get a real life pet to love, feed and play with but maybe that's just me.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Exo @ Jul 28th 2006 11:48PM
no it isnt possible to point fingers at nintendo cause these arnt even close to being the same.
that would be like saying nintendo go the idea to do metroid prime from seeing halo
Anesta @ Jul 29th 2006 12:40AM
We don't get our own pets because those cost money and eventually grow up.
Nushio @ Jul 29th 2006 1:19AM
The other reason is that we(as americans) hardly find the time to treat our pets as they should be.
With our busy lifestyles we really cant take proper care of a dog or cat, and for that reason we use Plan B, a virtual dog or cat that has no negative treatment for not attending it. It died? Oh well, no hard feelings.
It also helps people who travel often and want a pet. Or people with allergies.
Then theres the whole "It helps pick up chicks" factor (that I've often heard, never used).
I have a dog on my patio. I just gave her a nice bath. But I wish I had enough time to bathe her daily and not just biweekly.
As a real dog owner I can tell you that those virtual games exist, for a nich of people. Not necessarily you. Definitely not me. But sales of the games definitely speak for themselves.
20XX @ Jul 29th 2006 1:27AM
Oh, and also Nintendo's target audience doesn't have pets because they all live in thimble-sized apartments and spend 8 hours a day on trains.
RobotSuit @ Jul 29th 2006 2:12AM
Getting this for pc :D
Marc @ Jul 29th 2006 12:54PM
"The other reason is that we(as americans) hardly find the time to treat our pets as they should be."
That's why Animal Planet has about 5 Animal Cops series. You know, it's that show where they arrest people for pet abuse.
Gee, I wonder what they'd do to all those Nintendogs owners that "forgot" about their "pet".
RisingSunofNihon @ Jul 29th 2006 7:47PM
I personally am not interested in these virtual pet games at all, but I can see how they would appeal to kids whose parents won't let them get real pets. As one of the other commenters said above, the sales numbers definitely attest to the popularity of these games.
Loban @ Jul 31st 2006 10:24AM
Lots of people get puppies and kittens because they're cute and it's fun to show them off to people. People like that see them no different then a new car or a cool new TV, something cool to show off to family and friends. But eventually they grow up and become "inconvenient" or a "hassle" and that's when people forget about them. It just angers me.
I personally love all animals. My two dogs are a part of the family. If they misbehave or become a nuisance, it's my fault, not theirs.
Jenna @ Jul 31st 2006 10:25AM
And lets not forget that Sims 2 fans have practically been BEGGING for an updated pets EP (me included) ever since the Sims 2 has been released. It was only a matter of time before they finally gave us what we've been crying for. Yeah, they may deal (somewhat) with the same material but both The Sims 2 and Nintendogs are completely different games. The Sims will always be about how much you can screw up your sim's life (because lets face it, you know you play the sims to play God in a very um...creative way), and pets just add to that enjoyment.
Also, I have to note that it isn't just dogs that the next EP is revolving around - it's pets, which includes dogs, cats, parrots, and hamsters (from what I've been seeing).
Aram @ Jul 31st 2006 10:37AM
and if you live in an apartment building, or a condo building, someplaces don't let you have pets. Another reason why you wouldn't get a living, breathing, furry pet.