A few barks and the game is done.

The Sims 2 Pets for Nintendo DS allows you to live the life of a veterinarian, diagnosing and caring for the pets around the town. The graphics don’t quite live up to those shown on the case, however EA does attempt to make them as fluid as any other Nintendo DS game. The sounds are the same as what you expect and get from a different Sims game on the PC, so no surprises there. The gameplay begins well, with what seems to be a wide variety of tasks for your Sims to complete, however, as the game progresses the tasks are not quite as challenging as I would hope and the idea of repetition begins to sink in.

Graphics and Presentation
The graphics within the game appear static; with a lack of detail the pets and Sims are neither relatable nor realistic. The animals have very little changeable features and as with the Sims it lacks excitement. With a little more care taken with the colours within the game, it could have been greatly improved by removing what appears to be block shading throughout the entire game. However, it is fair to say that the efforts to make the game three-dimensional have succeeded, giving a nice basic feel to the game. The Sims move around the home with easy transitions; incorporating the classic Sims click and play system well. The game is enjoyable when having to use the Sims system when administering treatment to your pets, allowing you to take advantage of not only the game but the Nintendo DS consoles touch screen interface.

Sound
With the Sims music as you always expect it, a simple tune played into the background until you choose to purchase a stereo, which enables you to change the music for a short time allowing your Sim the opportunity to dance. The Sims speak in the same nonsense language we have all come to love, with the animals whimpering, barking, meowing, depending on whether or not they are enjoying what you are doing to them. Overall, the sound is solid and no less than what you would expect from a normal Sims game.

Gameplay
Your Sims day consists of caring for their needs, seeing to patients, diagnosing them, healing them, earning money and building your reputation. Though these tasks seem similar and more exciting than a normal Sims game for the PC, the excitement will soon fade away when you progress to near completion, when you realise the game becomes repetitive. Though these tasks are what you expect and enjoy in the Sims for PC, they do not appear to have same ramifications as you would expect. If your Sims does not get enough sleep, or starves, nothing bad can happen to your Sim, with the worst case scenario being that the day ends early as your Sim is sent to bed. However, this does benefit the animal care part of the game, which will take up most of your time. A client will come into your waiting room; you are given the option to examine their pet, where you can then determine the issue. This can involve combing the pet, performing an x-ray or even something as simple as providing the pet with food; all of these make the animal respond differently depending on the problem. For example, the animal will limb around on the examination table if they have a broken limb, allowing you to perform an x-ray and heal the animal quicker. You will then need to purchase items from the shop, in order to help solve the issue, for example by purchasing a certain soap that helps to remove flees! Once the owner comes to collect their pet you are paid for how well the animal was healed and provided with a bonus for completing such tasks as teaching the animal tricks. The better you treat the patient, the quicker your reputation will increase, resulting in more animals and therefore more money. The gameplay is fun as you progress and can buy more items for your home and become faced with new issues, such as extraction. And though the game will have you playing for a long time, it may begin to become repetitive as you come near to completion.

Closing Comments
Though the gameplay is enjoyable, giving you a taste of a Sim playing experience, it is let down by poor graphics. If they were to make a wider expansion on the activities available, and allow you a bit more freedom to do as you wish, the game would become greatly improved, allowing you to experience the Sims as it should be on the Nintendo DS.