Like a lot of kids, my first grader wanted a pet something fierce. I gave her a hermit crab, but Iéfound Herman shriveled up on the neon-green gravel in his tank after just two weeks. Sami begged for a cat. I wasn't sure I was ready to sacrifice one more living animal. Plus, I had another idea: Nintendogs, virtual pets for Nintendo DS.
Three months later, Sami has not one, but seven pets - Tutu, Shana, Maria, Daisy, Rainbow, Anna, and Sabrina. She's become the Mia Farrow of Nintendogs. These pixelated pups exist only in a handheld game, never die, and disappear when she snaps the case shut. But the emotions they elicit, from pride and love to guilt and envy, are very real. Videogames now make us feel things that other media, like books or movies, can't.
The game's advanced voice- and touch-recognition technology is what helps it create such a strong bond with the player. Since Nintendogs was released in Japan last April, it has become an international phenomenon, selling more than 4émillion units worldwide and inspiring fanzines and fashion shows featuring real dogs in costumes.
Sami's Nintendogs experience began at the door of a dog pound. The first thing she did was rap her knuckles on the touchscreen. Her knock was answered by the loud yapping of puppies. Her eyes brightened, her heart melted. The dogs nuzzled up to her finger as she scratched the screen. Nintendogs had Sami from "woof." How could she choose just one?
Shigeru Miyamoto, the famed designer behind Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros., was inspired by his relationship with his own dog to create the game. That emotional depth was apparent in Sami's next task - giving her Chihuahua a name. After Sami uttered "Tutu" several times into the microphone of the DS, the dog yapped, and the recognition chime rang. Sami was delighted, which, says Nintendo game producer Hideki Konno, is the point. "It's one thing to type in a name," he says, "but it's an entirely different emotional response to call and see the puppy turn its head and run over to greet you."
Sami and Tutu became fast friends. She bathed Tutu, fed her, kept her water full. With a little help from me, she learned how to throw a Frisbee for Tutu and, later, she entered her in competitions. If Tutu lost, Sami sunk into the couch. When the dog triumphed, she pumped her hands in the air and yelled, "She won!" Tutu made her proud.
Now we're getting an actual pet - a cat. Sami's ready. Of course, she'll have to adjust to the nuances of a real animal. But Tutu will always be in her heart.
David Kushner (david@davidkushner.com) wrote about online poker in issue 13.09.
credit Robyn Twomey
A new breed of games is building deep emotional bonds that rival the best puppy love.
credit Nintendo
Virtual puppies need to be entertained.
credit Nintendo
Virtual puppies need to be fed.
credit Nintendo
Virtual puppies need to be kept healthy.
New World of Games
You Play World of Warcraft? You're Hired!
The Late Late Show, Live From Inside Halo
