For: DSi

Rating: Five Candies  and one Pickle

Reviewed by: Vasco De Bean

The default pup to beat is this adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, charmingly named Charlie. In a related story (see A Funny Thing Happened...in our About IGNN page) it turns out that unbeknownst to Nintendo's development team, Charlie the Cav had a darker side.

When Nintendogs fans combine the photo-embedding features of DSi with Nintendo’s fuzzy, feel-good-franchise, and owner’s pups go dogo-a-dogo in show competitions, there’s bound to be a dogfight brewing. In our imaginary game test, we explored Prep, Training, Play and Show modes, then headed for the show ring against our fellow IGNN reporters and their dogs (or, in the case of Nobson, his pet white rat Count Ratula). At the heart of the game is the Create-Your-Own-Pet’s-Nintendogs-Profile-And-Photo-Avatar mode, which involves snapping a pic of your pooch (or other pet) and then choosing profile options such as its breed or mix, its name, its temperament, spay or neuter, leg-humping proclivity and a dozen or so other categories to establish your dog’s character, which will be reflected in the show ring through behavioral animations that will either gain or detract from the judge’s total score. What makes My Pup Is Cuter Than Your Pup work is the seemingly natural reactions during the show; we all cracked up when Ubercute pup and default champ Charlie took a crap on the judge’s shoe, and when Count Ratula escaped from his handler only to be snatched up by a terrier and shaken like a rag until he went limp, well, we all expressed genuine remorse. Fortunately, there is a non-lethal encounter option to protect small vulnerable pets and impressionable children from the ugly realities of dog show life. Overall, it was an inviting, surprisingly intense experience (once we were actually competing in the ring) but personally, I could have done without the gore, which is why I’ve awarded one sour pickle along with all the sweetness.