On paper, Nintendogs sounds a bit like the Tamagotchi, those keychain creatures that you had to pamper and play with in order to keep them healthy and alive, but on screen, these pets come to life and the game involves more than just maintaining status quo.

As you raise your puppy, you can train it for competitions in obedience, catching a Frisbee, and agility (you can play fetch and pamper it as well). Winning a competition earns you money that can be used for, among other things, buying new puppies.

Depending on which version of Nintendogs you pick up, you'll have six different breeds of puppy to choose from (eventually, any of the games can unlock all 18 breeds). The cutely rendered critters are about as adorable as virtual creations can get, and the game developers have added all kinds of canine personality touches to the different breeds. In addition, each individual dog is different in appearance and behavior.

Nintendogs lets you use the DS's microphone and touch screen to interact with your pet--you name it after you bring it home and it will come when you call it, and you can scratch its head or rub its belly with the stylus. Like the Tamagotchi, you have to keep your dog happy, well fed, and clean, but unlike Tamagotchi, a neglected pet won't die (although it might run away). It can be a pain to figure out what's wrong with little Rex, as you have to dig through some menus to find what they currently need.

You can take your puppy for a walk, and not just for exercise. These walks can lead to new toys and accessories for your dog when you discover item boxes. Nintendogs also takes advantage of the wireless connection in the DS. If there's another Nintendog player within range, your puppies can play together. And meeting a new breed of dog automatically unlocks that breed in your game.

You can also unlock new breeds and new items by performing well in competitions or just by playing the game more often. You can keep up to three dogs in your virtual house at one time, and there's a Dog Hotel that will house additional pets for you. Nintendogs is compelling and enjoyable for gamers of all ages.

Pros: Good dog AI, enjoyable interaction
Cons: Puppy vitals not available on main screen