Nintendogs - Dalmatian & Friends is one of those games that makes you forget you're holding a DS. You start by picking a puppy—Dalmatians, Labs, Beagles, and a few others—and suddenly you're scratching its ears with the stylus, tossing a frisbee, or laughing when it sneezes after sniffing flowers. The touch controls just work; it feels weirdly natural to rub your dog’s belly or guide them through agility courses.

At first, I thought it’d be too simple, but there’s something weirdly satisfying about saving up prize money from disc competitions to buy your pup a new collar or fancy bed. And yeah, you’ll probably catch yourself talking to them out loud. The barking through the DS speakers is surprisingly convincing—my dog kept tilting her head at the noise.

It’s not exactly high-stakes gaming, but if you want something cozy to unwind with, this still holds up. Just don’t blame me when you start worrying about your virtual dog’s happiness more than your own.