Nintendogs - the virtual answer to having your own pet!

The Games
Players look after a virtual puppy - a 3D puppy! Just like in real life, the dog needs to be fed, exercised, groomed, played with and petted. They can even be entered into obedience competitions and win prizes! The microphone is used to call the dog as well as teaching the dog commands such as "sit" or "roll over".

There are currently four Nintendogs games available each with very sophisticated graphics:

Labrador and Friends

Dalmatian and Friends

Chihuahua and Friends

Dachshund and Friends

With the Labrador and Friends the six breeds are the Labrador Retriever, Miniature Schnauzer, Toy Poodle, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Miniature Pinscher and the Shiba Inu.

With the Dalmatian and Friends the other dogs are the Boxer, Beagle, Golden Retriever, Yorkshire Terrier and the German Shepherd.

Accompanying the Miniature Dachshund are the Siberian Husky, Golden Retriever, Shih Tzu, Beagle and the Pug.

Finally the six breeds on the Chihuahua game are the German Shepherd, Yorkshire Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog, Boxer and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Age Range
The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) age rating system was established to help European parents make informed decisions on buying computer games.

All Nintendogs games have a PEGI rating of age three and above making them an excellent choice for a Christmas or birthday gift. Children of seven and above (even adults) seem to LOVE this game!

Accessories
First make sure you have the Handheld Console which these games are played on. You can choose either the Nintendo DS or DS Lite (a slimmer and lighter version of the Nintendo DS with brighter screens). Both have the distinctive dual-screen, the system's most obvious feature and come in a whole range of colours and designs.

Nintendo DS Skins are the foil covers that decorate and protect the console. Since dogs are so visually appealing, it's not difficult to imagine the wide range of 'skins' available in this theme.

They are fairly cheap and can be removed at any time without leaving any sticky residue. There are lots of great designs to choose from. Make sure you buy for the appropriate console - either the Nintendo DS or the Nintendo DS Lite.

Nintendogs Collectable Cards feature all eighteen puppies found in the games, as well as fun facts and trivia on all the available breeds. Cards come in packs of six, and also include stickers and tattoos! These trading cards can also be found at the Amazon stores.

How about a case for the games or to be more specific how about the Venom Nintendogs Magic Game Tube Case? The 'Magic tube' holds up to four games and two additional Stylus' (the 'pens' you use to touch the screen).

The tube is made of strong materials which protect the games and stylus' from damage. Two exterior designs are possible depending on how you open and close the case. This is the 'magic' they refer to!

Although not designed by Nintendo, they have given the seal of approval to this Venom product.