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Portables (Games)

Man's Best Virtual Friend 26

Via GameSetWatch, an L.A. Times article discussing the existential reality that exists inside the world of Nintendogs. From the article: " Today, the saga further unfolds with the Nintendogs phenomenon. That's a form of computer intelligence running on that experimental platform, the Nintendo DS, a hand-held game system far less advanced than the theoretical HAL 9000 but still powerful enough to let you walk around with a bunch of simulated beings living in your pocket. Yes: virtual pets. A game of tail-wagging, ball-chasing, romp-loving puppies is the latest evolution in the man-machine interface, now available for $29.99 at Wal-Mart and quality electronics retailers nationwide."
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Man's Best Virtual Friend

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  • oh come on Zonk, that reads like a commercial, at least cut that bit out. I love Nintendo, but that last bit made me feel ashamed to read games.slashdot.org.
  • I don't think the Nintendogs will do well in the "Good 'ol United States". It's very Japanese. And it shows. In Japan, most households do not have dogs, so they need video game simulations. In America, nearly half (or more) of the population has one or more dogs. I don't think our youth have become connected to video games so much that they will choose a simulation over the real thing. But that's just me...
    • Won't sell well in the United States? The game sold about 250,000 units [joystiq.com] within a week of its release.
    • I don't think the Nintendogs will do well in the "Good 'ol United States". It's very Japanese. And it shows.

      Are you kidding? I made the mistake of waiting until days before our anniversary to buy this game for my girlfriend as a gift... It was completely sold out--and that was weeks after the game had already been released! I visited any store that even remotely had an electronics section and it was to no avail. In the end, I had to eventually order it online and get 2-day air shipping.

      You don't thi

    • by Jacius ( 701825 ) on Saturday December 03, 2005 @11:13PM (#14176427)
      In America, nearly half (or more) of the population has one or more dogs.

      That's because Americans love puppies, of course! Everybody loves puppies, hence the amazing sales figures for Nintendogs worldwide!

      I have to say though, I'm really looking forward to the inevitable Nintencats! Picture this:

      • Your Nintencat won't come when you call it's name, thanks to the DS microphone!
      • Don't teach your Nintencat tricks using the touch screen and stylus!
      • Don't take your Nintencat for walks and explore the neighborhood!
      • Don't compete in disc-fetching and agility trials!
      • Real time! Your DS will start wailing and making loud thumping and scratching noises when you're tryng to sleep, and you won't be able to find where your Nintencat is napping during the day!
      • Set the game on "Hiss Mode" and close the DS, and Nintencats will use Wi-fi to detect other nearby Nintencats and get in fights with them!


      I don't think our youth have become connected to video games so much that they will choose a simulation over the real thing.

      EA Sports would care to disagree with you on that one, "Tubby." (I kid, I kid.)
  • by spyrochaete ( 707033 ) on Saturday December 03, 2005 @08:32PM (#14175792) Homepage Journal
    Please keep advertisements in the banner on the side of the page so that my Adblock extension catches them.
  • Actually, (Score:2, Funny)

    by wahgnube ( 557787 )
    it appears that you have more serious issues on your hand than the overtly-cute virtual dogs. That said, screw the fashion show, GAME ON!!11!

    "It was at the Ashley Paige runway show during Fashion Week that I realized how much I'd become bonded to my little buddy Ding Dong. A very lithe Bijou Philips was trotting toward the cameras in a $300 trim-tailored knit bikini, but I was busy opening a can of virtual wet food for Ding Dong, whom I'd just noticed was "famished," "thirsty" and "filthy." Oh my god, poo

  • "now available for $29.99 at Wal-Mart and quality electronics retailers nationwide" Implies that Wal-Mart is not a quality electronics retailer... which is true.

    A friend of mine worked in the electronics dept. at Wal Mart for around four years. He had a defeated look on his face whenever he was working. Customers who shop at Wal-Mart, typically, are not looking for quality. He can tell endless stories of store patrons asking why the Sony DVD player for $130 was so much more than the $30 APEX. He tried

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