Cyberpets have come a long way since the days of the Tamagotchi. Thanks to robot dogs and games such as Nintendogs, it's now possible to enjoy the benefits of having a dog without the problems that come with looking after a real-life one.
Touch Pets Dogs is kind of an iPhone version of Nintendogs, allowing you to adopt a pup then take care of it and watch it grow. Your responsibilities will include feeding it, playing with it, cleaning it and training it. Touch Pets Dogs is very well presented and the 3D pooches are as cute as can be. They will melt your heart as they bound around the scream, yapping with delight.
There is a wide selection of dogs to pick from at the adoption center and once you've chosen, a tutorial level takes you through the basics of looking after it. Unlike those very limited old Tamagotchi toys, Touch Pets Dogs is very involved, and you'll never run out of things to do, whether it's brushing your puppy's hair, throwing sticks for him, or simply petting him. There are always tasks and goals to accomplish every day, and you can earn money to spend on stuff from the pet shop.
The game makes good use of the iPhone's touch features, using gestures to make the dog perform tricks, and allowing you to move around the various environments by dragging your finger.
There's also a social side to Touch Pets Dogs, with a thriving online community where owners can post doggy updates. This may not be to everyone's tastes, though. After all, who wants to hear about how many times someone else's pretend dog went to the toilet today?
There's no disputing that Touch Pets Dogs is an excellent game, but there is a catch. Although the game is listed as 'free', you'll soon realize that it's anything but, because every time your dog's food runs out you need to buy more - with real money! It's the kind of in-game purchasing business model that many iPhone games are adopting these days (take Eliminate Pro, for instance), and many users are taking umbrage with it.
So, unless you're prepared to pay regularly for cyber dog food, the great fun you'll have with Touch Pets Dogs will be over all-too quickly.
