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Nintendogs Labrador Retriever & Friends (DS)
by happygilmore198
Nintendogs for the Nintendo DS is a game were you own a little puppy and you teach it tricks, walk it, feed it, wash it and play with it on a daily basis along with the option of putting it through various competitions such as Disc Catching (frisbee), obedience and an obstacle course. By winning the competitions or coming 2nd or 3rd you ... earn trophies and money which you can use to buy various items in the little shop such as dog food, toys and other items such as collars.
You start off by choosing a puppy and choosing a name for it. When playing this game you teach the dog various different tricks such as sit, lie down and beg. This is done through voice commands which is obviously best done at home because I was on the bus one day playing it and people thought I was crazy as I was shouting sit at my DS. Not a good look.
Due to the voice command aspect and the DS being touchscreen it is very easy to play however at times it will have trouble picking up your voice.
As you progress through the game you can buy different bits and pieces for your dog and upgrade your house. You also have the option of purchasing more dogs up to the number of four which can be quite fun.
The one obvious drawback with this game I found was that when I got a bit bored of it I didn't play it for a while and then when I did go back my dogs were very hungry, very thirsty and in need of a good bath.
The game has good novelty value and you probably will play it for a while however I found that the novelty soon wears off and at this stage your doggies may be better off going to a better home.
If I was to go back I don't think i'd get the game again. Not for the price its at anyway.
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Peppa Pig: The Game (DS)
by juliassg71
This is a really straightforward game which is very much suited to the pre-school bracket.
What is important to realise here is that basically this 'game' is actually being marketed in part as an educational and developmental programme as well as for its entertainment value.
In the instruction booklet under how ... each game is played is an explanation of the skills the game will help develop in your child as they play. For example, under the game 'Parrot' it states that: 'Words and phrases put together to make the Parrot speak is a good way to encourage children's own communciation skills. Lots of fun can be had developing vocabulary amd making up sensibe and silly things for the Parrot to say.' (see below)
Rather than a story based game this one is made up of short, simple games as well as having a colouring activity where children can choose and colour in pictures, saving up to eight of them at a time to create a picture gallery. You need the DS stylus to play this and all other games.
The games range from flipping pancakes to getting polly parrot to speak by choosing items and then listening whilst peppa constructs a sentence out of it to teach polly, whereby fairly amusing combinations (for a 3+ year old) can be produced (e.g. Suzy Sheep is a funny banana)!
The games can be played against a time limit or without a time limit in free play which is good as some young children do not like the pressure of having a time limit. The only downside being, if they choose not to play against the clock they cannot obtain stars in the Achievement screen and thereby unlock additional items or features.
In two of the games (Muddy Puddles and Kite Flying) you can choose to play as either Peppa or George otherwise they both feature together in most of the other games.
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Disney Princess: Magical Jewels (DS)
by juliassg71
This is a lovely, engaging game for little girls - my daughter was four when she started playing this. The premise of the game is for the four disney princesses (Cinderalla, Belle, Aurora and Snow White) to reclaim all the magical jewels that have been stolen from the Golden Castle in the Kingdom of Kindness by the Evil Queen and to ... restore the Castle to its former glory.
This game can be played in Single Player mode where you choose which princess you would like to be and go about trying to find all the jewels whilst uncovering hidden treasure and exploring new realms. In Multiplayer mode you can play several mini games.
What I like about this game is that you have a friendly Spryte who guides you from one level to the next which gives little ones a helping hand without feeling like they have to ask an adult to get them through the game. Also, there is no way you die or get hurt in this game which is another nice element.
There are lots of different levels, games, puzzles and challenges to keep players interested. Also, the more hidden treasures you find the more your 'gem counter' will light up and as it climbs higher you are rewarded with different prizes including new outfits for your princess. The graphics are very clear and colourful and you use the DS stylus to move the princess and spryte around so control is quite easy, especially for younger children. As you complete the levels you can add the gems back to the magic castle yourself. The Evil Queen may try to stop you but by protecting spryte you can both defeat her together!
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