US Nintendogs to Include 3 New Breeds

[FriskyTanuki]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/06/13/news_6127443.html

Looks like US owners get Boxers, Golden Retrievers, and Siberian Huskies to play with when the game comes to US shores in August.

[BrerDan]

Cool....although I guess I am greedy. I had hoped there would be more like 6 new breeds--or at least a couple of "mutts." I've only ever owned mutts and so am partial to 'em.

I'm also not sure about the re-arranged versions. I was all set on which version to get from Japan, but the U.S. mix is a little tougher for me to pick which version.

Still--I can't wait for this to hit the streets. My boyfriend will think I'm crazy when I play it (I've told him about it and his reply is always, "but we have two dogs"), but that won't stop me.

[maxflight]

Cool....although I guess I am greedy. I had hoped there would be more like 6 new breeds--or at least a couple of "mutts." I've only ever owned mutts and so am partial to 'em.

I'm also not sure about the re-arranged versions. I was all set on which version to get from Japan, but the U.S. mix is a little tougher for me to pick which version.

Still--I can't wait for this to hit the streets. My boyfriend will think I'm crazy when I play it (I've told him about it and his reply is always, "but we have two dogs"), but that won't stop me.

maybe the dogs will start playing with your nintendog :)

I can't wait until the US release, but until then there is Meteos and Bomberman and Kirby to hold me over. probably Nanostray as well.

[the3rdkey]

Nintendogs are officially kicker the ass!

[mykevermin]

No Boston Terrier? Crap.

Not like I won't buy it anyway.

myke.

[CouRageouS]

I'm leaning towards the Miniature Daschund version myself, I really want a beagle. Its gonna be hard to pass on the Huskie though..mush! mush! mush!

I'm also a bit sad theres no Jack Russell terrier, anyone remember Wishbone?

[1modernboy]

I'm leaning towards the Miniature Daschund version myself, I really want a beagle. Its gonna be hard to pass on the Huskie though..mush! mush! mush!

I'm also a bit sad theres no Jack Russell terrier, anyone remember Wishbone?

Jack Russell's are too damn jumpy. I can see myself screaming at my DS "DOWN, BOY! I said DOWN GODDAMNIT!" :)

[judyjudyjudy]

That's cool how we get 3 more dogs. I'm probably going to get the Miniature Dachshund one, though my perfect Nintendogs package would be Miniature Dachshund, Beagle, Pug, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, and Corgi.

Here are the lists of *starting breeds for US and Japan versions, for those who want to see how they moved the doggies around. I got them from Gamespot & IGN, LMK if there are any mistakes.

US

Chihuahua and Friends
Chihuahua
German Shepherd
King Charles Spaniel
Yorkshire Terrier
Shetland Sheepdog
Boxer

Miniature Dachshund and Friends
Miniature Dashshund
Beagle
Pug
Shih Tzu
Golden Retriever
Siberian Husky

Labrador Retriever and Friends
Labrador Retriever
Miniature Schnauzer
Toy Poodle
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Shiba Inu
Miniature Doberman Pinscher

Japan

Chihuahua and Friends
Chihuahua
Beagle
Shih Tzu
King Charles Spaniel
Labrador Retriever

Shiba and Friends
Shiba
Shetland Sheepdog
Toy Poodle
Welsh Corgi
Miniature Pinscher

Miniature Dachshund and Friends
Miniature Dachshund
German Shepherd
Yorkshire Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Pug

[AdamInPlaidum]

Whoo! Pug and Beagle in the same cart!

[evilmax17]

Worthy to note that those are just the starting breeds, and that all 3 versions have all 18 breeds unlockable.

[CouRageouS]

I thought the Huskie and Golden Retriever were on different ones, since I thought each version got one of US exclusives. I'm going off from what I remember reading on IGN last night though, so if the Miniature Dachshund version does have the Huskie too, more of a reason why I'm picking it.

[Morrigan Lover]

You know, the PSP has some good games too...

[Morrigan Lover]

... for my Nintendog to poop on!!!

[AdamInPlaidum]

You know, the PSP has some good games too...

:rofl: But does the PSP have an interactive puppy simulator?

[ryanbph]

I am pissed they changed the name of shiba and friends to lab and friends...the shiba is a cool japanese dog, that is starting to sell well here in the USA

[judyjudyjudy]

Worthy to note that those are just the starting breeds, and that all 3 versions have all 18 breeds unlockable.
Ah, I did not know that... even better!

Edited to add:
I am pissed they changed the name of shiba and friends to lab and friends...the shiba is a cool japanese dog, that is starting to sell well here in the USA
Yeah, but the lab has been the most popular breed of dogs in the US for forever.

[boyward]

Worthy to note that those are just the starting breeds, and that all 3 versions have all 18 breeds unlockable.

Can those other breeds be unlocked if you don't have a friend with a DS?

Also, do the breeds act like themselves? Meaning, will hyper breeds really act hyper, and will relaxed breeds act relaxed?

[evilmax17]

Can those other breeds be unlocked if you don't have a friend with a DS?

Also, do the breeds act like themselves? Meaning, will hyper breeds really act hyper, and will relaxed breeds act relaxed?

From Gamespot's E3 report (http://www.gamespot.com/ds/strategy/nintendogschihuahuaandfriends/preview_6124860.html):

In Japan, Nintendogs was released Pokémon-style, as three separate products that each contain five breeds of dogs. We've learned that no matter which of the three you purchase, it's possible to unlock the other 10 breeds as you progress through the game, so nobody's getting shortchanged by getting only one version. When asked about its plans for releasing one or more retail versions of the game in America, Nintendo reps said only that it's yet undecided how Nintendogs will be packaged. On the upside, we're told that all of the breeds in the Japanese versions will be playable in the English game (or games), and more breeds unseen in the import would also likely be included.

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They don't get into the specifics of how they're unlocked unfortunately, but they make it sound like it's possible without a friend, but who knows. I would guess that there might be 1 or 2 breeds that you need to see in another version to get, but I doubt all of them are that way.

Also, all dogs are supposed to act their breed.

[judyjudyjudy]

Looking at the cheat pages for Nintendogs, you unlock breeds when you get a certain amount of "owner points".

http://www.gamespot.com/ds/strategy/nintendogsshibaandfriends/hints.html
According to that page (which is for the JPN Shiba version), you can unlock a Jack Russell terrier?

[Wombat]

I already have a real Shih Tzu (Zelda), I might as well have a virtual one too :)

[Gothic Walrus]

I already have a real Shih Tzu (Zelda), I might as well have a virtual one too :)
My mom has two of them, and having beagles and pugs on top of that would be nice.

Of course, I don't have a DS...]

[AdamInPlaidum]

My mom has two of them, and having beagles and pugs on top of that would be nice.

Of course, I don't have a DS...]

No better time than now, especially if blue is what you're in to.

[ryanbph]

No doubt the lab is a very popular breed in the usa, but the chihua (sp?) and mini daschund are not in the top 20 breeds here in the usa...and when I have my shiba with me, people always stop and ask what kind of dog it is...she looks just like a fox...it would be a good dog to have on the cover of the game

[judyjudyjudy]

No doubt the lab is a very popular breed in the usa, but the chihua (sp?) and mini daschund are not in the top 20 breeds here in the usa...and when I have my shiba with me, people always stop and ask what kind of dog it is...she looks just like a fox...it would be a good dog to have on the cover of the game
Actually, according to the AKC, both the Chihuahua and the Dachshund are in the top 10 popular dog breeds, according to their registration.
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=2389

The top 10 for 2004 for AKC registration were
Labrador Retriever (146,692)
Golden Retriever (52,550)
German Shepherd Dog (46,046)
Beagle (44,555)
Yorkshire Terrier (43,522)
Dachshund (40,770)
Boxer (37,741)
Poodle (32,671)
Shih Tzu (28,958)
Chihuahua (24,850)

It looks like by adding the Boxer & Golden Retriever, Nintendogs pretty much has the top 10 covered (assuming a toy poodle is representative enough of regular poodles :P ). I can't find the miniature dachshund, so I guess the AKC bunched them together with the standard one.

Shibas are definitely high in the cute factor tho. A friend of mine has one, and it's got the prettiest face.

Edited because I forgot they added the Golden Retriever too.

[SkyGheNe]

I've got three real life dachsunds myself. I recommend them to anyone!

[SteveGo]

The Chihuahua has never been more popular in the US, my sister has one as do a lot of young girls, it's almost like an accessory. I think it's obvious why they changed the name from Shiba, it being a japanese dog in ancestory. I personally have never known anyone who own a Shiba. So sorry bud, but if you want the Shiba and friends version that bad you can always import it. Otherwise you just accept the fact that you live in the U.S. and the Shiba is just not that popular here.

Fixed.

[The VGM]

I don't understand why everyone is excited about this game...

[judyjudyjudy]

The Chihuahua has never been more popular in the US, my sister has one as do a lot of young girls, it's almost like an accessory.
Not surprising with Paris and Britney basically using them as accessories.

I think it's obvious why they changed the name from Shiba, it being a chinese dog in ancestory.
It's of Japanese origin.

[Mookyjooky]

I would only buy this if it had Airedale Terriers....

Popular in America and Japan...why the hell isnt it part of it?

[javeryh]

I don't understand why everyone is excited about this game...

I don't get it either. It sounds boring as hell. I guess don't knock it till you try it though...

[maxflight]

great article about the game design of nintendogs.

http://lostgarden.com/2005/06/nintendogs-case-of-non-game-that.html

[Gothic Walrus]

No better time than now, especially if blue is what you're in to.
If it weren't for the fact that I'm broke, jobless and about to start college...I would. Right now, though, I'm a bit more concerned with finding a job and saving money to get myself some kind of graduation gift, most likely an iPod. ;)

I don't understand why everyone is excited about this game...
There were more than a few gamers who didn't get why everyone was excited about The Sims. Look at how that turned out

Not every game has to be violent, gratuitous, or even hard enough to tax the player's abilities...

[Theenternal]

I know this has probably been asked somewhere, but is this about the same thing as the dogz & catz games for pc?
http://newpcmedia.gameworldnetwork.com/screen/1557/8.jpg

[evilmax17]

I know this has probably been asked somewhere, but is this about the same thing as the dogz & catz games for pc?

If you would equate Street Fighter II with Rise of the Robots, then yeah.

Dogz and Nintendogs are in the same genre yes, but from the looks of things the execution of the later is much better.

[Theenternal]

If you would equate Street Fighter II with Rise of the Robots, then yeah.

Dogz and Nintendogs are in the same genre yes, but from the looks of things the execution of the later is much better.


Good example ;)

[AdamInPlaidum]

If you would equate Street Fighter II with Rise of the Robots, then yeah.

Dogz and Nintendogs are in the same genre yes, but from the looks of things the execution of the later is much better.

I don't think I could ever think of a better example of "poor 2D fighter" than Rise of the Robots. Kudos.

[The VGM]

There were more than a few gamers who didn't get why everyone was excited about The Sims. Look at how that turned out

Not every game has to be violent, gratuitous, or even hard enough to tax the player's abilities...

The Sims was ok....

Don't forget, you could kill and have sex in the Sims ;)

[CouRageouS]

My friend had a chihuahua that she paid like $500-600 for. It looked like a freakin' rat and she actually SHAVED it for some reason. She never took it for a walk or anything and it lived in her damn bathtub. I haven't seen or heard about it inawhile so I'm guessing she ate it.

[ryanbph]

chihuahua is at the bottom of the top 10, but the title of the other version is mini daschund, and they are not on the top 10 list...

[judyjudyjudy]

chihuahua is at the bottom of the top 10, but the title of the other version is mini daschund, and they are not on the top 10 list...
#10 out of 153 ain't bad :) Here's the entire list:
http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm
And as I mentioned, the Miniature Dachshund is part of the Dachshund (and apparently Toy Poodles are included under Poodles).
Edited to add: These are just those registered w/ the AKC. I'm sure there's tons more unregistered.

[javeryh]

I don't think I could ever think of a better example of "poor 2D fighter" than Rise of the Robots. Kudos.

That's a good one but what about Karate Champ? God I hated that game - 2 joysticks - WTF?

[Kaijufan]

I have a question about the game. I know you can unlock different types of dogs in the game, but how do you do it, and can you have more then one dog at a time.

[KingDox]

This game will be huge. People went nuts for those virtua pets and those things had b&w atari graphics. This game is leaps and bounds over those. Plus gamers can only play so may FPS and RPGs.

This game is the perfect "Want to see something cool..." when going out with a DS and people who don't play video games.

[Theenternal]

That's a good one but what about Karate Champ? God I hated that game - 2 joysticks - WTF?

that game was pretty fun back in the day... and it was also in the movie bloodsport ;)

[SkyGheNe]

My friend had a chihuahua that she paid like $500-600 for. It looked like a freakin' rat and she actually SHAVED it for some reason. She never took it for a walk or anything and it lived in her damn bathtub. I haven't seen or heard about it inawhile so I'm guessing she ate it.

I'd buy a pug before a chihuaha...or a CORGY!

[Tybee]

I'm looking forward to this game. Good to hear you can trade/unlock all the breeds in each cart, though I plan to get two of the three (one for the wife and one for me).

In my last house there were a lot of old people and hispanics living on our street. Between the two demographics, there were a bazillion chihuahuas. Seemed like everyone on the street had one except us.

Here's our real dog. I use his name as my handle. :) He's a shepherd/golden mix with something else that keeps him small:

http://www.mindspring.com/~saverett/images/Tybee.jpg

[Zingela]

Oh man, I can't wait for this. Bad thing is, I'll never hear the end of it from my boyfriend, who really thinks that this is the lamest thing ever. XD

Maybe the (ninten)dog will be more obedient. :3

Miniature Daschund & Friends for the win.