Nintendogs was once the proud representative of a new generation of Nintendo consoles. But just like my Beagle Donner back then, the game itself eventually disappeared from the scene.
Why did it happen? never to a Switch version, although everyone feels like their grandma played with the virtual four-legged friends in the early 2000s? I have given some thought to this question.
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On the right platform at the right time: Nintendog's success story
It's been a long time since my shining children's eyes were able to marvel at the Nintendo DS in television advertising for the first time. Should the flickering worlds behind my screen now also be available to touch? My young brain was excited by the prospect. When cute dogs were used as mascots for the console's debut, no dream seemed unattainable for a short time. The Back then, Nintendogs took households by storm and also made the DS palatable to people with little gaming savvy.
After New Super Mario Bros is Nintendogs thatbest-selling game for the Nintendo DS with over 23 million units sold worldwide. Although the successor Nintendogs + Cats While it was far from cracking these numbers, it made it to number 14 in the 3DS charts and was certainly not considered a flop. So why should a successful game series like this? Not able to make the jump to the new generation of consoles?
Nintendogs and the DS: To this day a love story without an affair
Nintendogs was basically one Showcase of what the Nintendo DS brought with it in terms of features. Of course, the number one innovation was the stylus. Motion input opened up completely new possibilities for gameplay, such as creating more lively interactions with the game world. And this can be demonstrated wonderfully with playful dogs, as they demand a lot of direct attention and show interesting reactions. Whether petting, bathing, walking on a leash or tossing around on a rope, with the magic pen you can take care of your loyal companions very intuitively.
Then the Nintendo DS also has a microphone into which individual words can be shouted, which is exactly the right mechanism for incorporating tricks with voice commands. The handheld and its Nintendogs are truly a perfect duo. This is exactly why a Switch version of the simulation wouldn't work well: it's plain and simple is no longer the right platform for the game. The Switch still has a touchscreen, but it is rarely used and especially not for haptic gadgets. Would it still be the same experience to ruffle the corgi's fur using the thumbstick rotation?
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Even if a problem-free implementation of Nintendogs as a Switch game were possible, could it even be successful again? What was considered technically exciting and playfully fulfilling back then does not necessarily have to carry the same seal today. Chasing pets across a screen with a plastic stick may do the trick no longer enough to provide long-term entertainment. Titles that cost 60 to 70 euros, like those Nintendo is now bringing onto the market, would have a hard time justifying their price if there were only hungry, unwashed dogs waiting in the cartridge.
The company is very attached to its IPs, but a brand that is based on normal furry friends is easy not enough recognition value. Accordingly, there is no secure fan base on whose wallet Nintendo could rely in the event of a new title.
Nintendo Switch or smartphone? The future home of virtual animal companions
Also other pet-focused series like Sophie's friends and Petz They obviously had enough fun with the DS and then disappeared. The wedding of virtual masters or mistresses seems to have generally come to an end. This applies at least to consoles, because in… area of mobile gaming You can find these types of games in abundance. Anyone who is particularly interested in casual games these days no longer reaches for a separate piece of technology, but simply in their own pocket.
So should each a new part of Nintendogs This would honor our earth with its existence, then probably also on the smartphone, which means that touch and voice input would not be lost. After all, Nintendo is after when it comes to apps Mario Kart Tour and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp for example, no longer completely inexperienced. In addition to hated mobile game clichés such as avalanches of advertising, in-app purchases or horrible gameplay, a quality product from Nintendo would be a welcome change.
Even if Nintendogs won't be able to experience a second spring, there are still a few lucky people who can continue to indulge in nostalgia thanks to a DS with an old cartridge. And although the selection is small and I haven't tried it myself, there may also be one availableRepertoire of Nintendo Switch pet games is a worthy candidate, which can fill the empty space in my heart. Otherwise, I'll probably continue to dream about possible new Switch titles for the time being, like I am right now, for example wondering about an Animal Crossing: New Horizons successor.