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The Dog Island Review for the Nintendo Wii

The Dog Island Review for the Nintendo Wii

The Dog Island is what some people might call a “niche” title. Before buying this game for yourself or anyone else, you have to answer a few questions. Does the intended gamer like the Disney Channel? Do they like cute and fuzzy pets? Do they go to bed before 9 p.m.? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then The Dog Island would be a great choice for the intended gamer. If not, then you may want to look into something different because this game is all kid’s stuff.

The Dog Island screenshot

The Dog Island is a game based on the popular “The Dog” design that features super-deformed pooches with gigantic heads. You’ve probably seen this design on kids’ clothes, school supplies, and the like. I know what you’re thinking: a game based on a design can’t be good. But as amazing as it sounds, The Dog Island really succeeds as a child’s title.

The game begins with the player picking out a breed for their main character. They have most major breeds from Akita to Shiba-Inu, so if the player has a favorite breed, they’ll probably be able to find it easily. The player is then able to pick their character’s name and gender and the gender of their sibling. You are then thrust into the game, which takes place in a quiet, little dog village. The character will meet some of the town’s residents, including the mailman, milkman, and the local pirate (every village needs one, right?). However, you soon learn that the main dog’s little sibling is very ill and won’t be able to recover unless a famous doctor is sought out from, you guessed it, The Dog Island.

Once you get to The Dog Island, you meet with the doctor and learn that in order to cure your brother you will need to assist the doctor by honing your sniffing powers. The sniffing mechanic forms the main part of your adventure, and you will find yourself exploring The Dog Island in search of new scents to complete most of the major gameplay missions. Once you find and identify a certain number of scents, your character levels up.

The Dog Island screenshot

Although the main component of the game is the sniffing, there are also side missions you can take on which normally involve running errands for townspeople. There is quite a bit of variation in the gameplay, and since The Dog Island features an open world system, you can really go your own pace for the most part. You are also able to set up your own house, customize your dog with purchased clothes and accessories, and send letters back to your family.

But what would an RPG-style game be without a battle system? Even though The Dog Island is firmly rooted in the kiddie section, you will have to fight other island animals, such as snakes and bears, which might attack and deplete your heath meter. But since we don’t want too much violence, the main agent of destruction in The Dog Island is your dog’s bark. You can get close to the animals that might do you harm, and if you can bark loud enough they’ll pass out. For the most part this works pretty well, and believe it or not, it is somewhat challenging to sneak up behind your enemies and startle them.

The Dog Island screenshot

The Dog Island really works well as a kids game, not only because of its simplistic premise and easy gameplay, but also because it has very simple controls. You only need the Wii-mote to control this game while using the on-screen cursor to guide your dog with the B button held down. You can sniff using the A button, bark with the minus button, and pull up your menu with the plus button. After you know these four buttons, you have all you need for success. It is amazingly easy to control, and as such, it’s just perfect for little kids.

The Dog Island screenshot

Sound in The Dog Island is quite good, mainly because it has some pretty cute level music. However, it suffers overall because there are no voiceovers. There is a whole bunch of scrolling text you have to read, even during cinema scenes, and it might put some of the younger players off, especially if they are slow readers.

Although the sound is at least passable, the visuals in the game are not. This game looks like a very early GameCube game; it does not have any impressive visual characteristics at all. The game has a lot of unvaried environments, a weak color palette, and some really basic-looking character elements. Even though this game looks pretty bad, I’m guessing the people it is geared toward probably don’t care too much. Unless, of course, your eight year old is into counting lines of resolution; then they might care. Although the visuals are pretty bad from a technical standpoint, they serve their purpose.

The Dog Island is a good game for novice gamers. Kids will love the open world system and the fun missions. Even though this title will probably make regular gamers roll their eyes, it is a great beginners RPG.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 2.0 Graphics
It looks like an early GameCube game, but something tells me the kids this game is geared toward won’t care too much about its visual specs. 4.0 Control
Controls are very simple and require almost no effort to learn. 3.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The level music is pretty good, but the game suffers from a lack of voiceovers. 3.8

Play Value
This game should keep little ones engaged for quite a while. The open world system means there’s a lot to explore, unlock, and discover during the game.

3.6 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • A heartwarming story of a dog trying to save his sibling from sickness.
  • Sniff out hidden treasure by trusting your sense of smell.
  • More than 48 breeds to meet.
  • Customize your character with clothes and accessories.

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