Customer Reviews

The DOG Island

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

First off let me just say that I'm probably not the target audience for this game. I'm a 30 something male with no children who traditionally loves adventure games akin to Zelda, Mario Galaxy, Okami etc. But a video game based on the small dogs with oversized heads franchise (known to some as The Dog, to others like me as STRANGE RATIO!) was just too much to pass up. So I picked it up.

At 30 bucks this game is totally worth the purchase. Compared to other games of the 'adventure' genre, it's not very original, but the overall cute factor really does make up for it. Essentially the entire game is comprised of various Fetch Quests which involve your character (you can choose to be one of forty odd breeds of dogs like Beagle, Rottweiler, Basset Hound, Poodle, Akita, Husky- the list goes ON and ON and ON) learning how to sniff and running around the Dog Island finding things for other characters, all in the name of finding a cure for your brother/sister (you can decide the gender), who is a non-playable character that gets sick at the beginning of the game.

There are a few varied activities such as fishing, bug catching and dog soccer, and mild puzzle solving (not really- they sort of hold your hand through anything resembling a challenge) but for the most part there's a lot of sniffing and digging. It's a Dog Island, after all. For example, the Doctor on the island (a very likeable Beagle named Potan) will say "fetch me these three herbs from the field and they can be used to help your little sibling" and he tells you what each herb smells like, and you go out and look for it. Your sniff meter gets higher as you get closer and once you're right on top of it, you dig in the ground and out it comes. Before you can find the second herb though, you'll need the nurse's help, who herself requires you to find her something altogether different. And so on and so forth.

The Dog Island isn't a technological breakthrough or innovative in concept but its charm makes it a game worth playing nonetheless. With customizable hats, glasses etc you can dress up your dog in any number of different ways and you can name him anything you want too. The other characters he meets along the way are equally cute and varied, and the music is surprisingly catchy, and harmonically stimulating. Tuneful acoustic guitars and nice rhythms, even if it is somewhat compressed.

It might have been nice to have utilized the nunchuck attachment for more sophisticated interface, (as it stands it's basically a point-and-click adventure), and camera manipulation is a little too sensitive for my tastes (moves quite quickly and sometimes gives me a headache) but as a budget title, I really can't complain. The overall experience is still a fun one. And, no kidding, I catch myself saying "Awww" out loud every once in awhile too because those dogs are just that cute.

I haven't played all the way through the game yet, but if the in-game heart meter is any indication, (it gets larger as you progress, but telegraphs that you can attain a maximum of 8 hearts) I'm about halfway through. Half-way through and I still find its relatively standard (read: predictable) story line and characters to be compelling. I fully expect to play through the game in its entirety and know that I'll enjoy it all the way.

Length:: 3:21 Mins

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I bought this game for my seven and four year old to play. Unfortunately they are both too scared of the "scary snakes" and other wild animals to play most of the quest game, although the four year old likes to change the dog's clothes and run around in the villages (no snakes there), and they both enjoy watching me play. There's a lot of reading required, which means my four year old can't play without someone sitting at her side; it would be good reading practice for my seven year old if he weren't afraid to leave the villages! But the first time he did, a bear caught his dog; he couldn't get away and the dog was killed. Although the game lets you start at the same spot with your health restored, he was badly shaken and really hasn't felt the same bout the game since.

I have played very few video games but found this very enjoyable. I played it myself after the kids were in bed; it took me about three weeks to get through the quest. The game starts out very easy and gradually gets harder, but helps you learn and practice the new skills you need as you need them.

*** minor spoiler alert ****


The ending changes abruptly to a much scarier, less flexible game. It's as if they had to rush it out the door and brought in additional staff. I never, ever want to go through one particular sequence again; fortunately I know my children are years away from being able to get that far. Take my advice and don't accept the invitation to go on the Anc Road. Not only is it no fun, but once you do, you can't get back to the free play part of the game.

this is a super fun game!It is super cute,and it has a good plot.there are lots of places to explore,and there are 48 dogs to choose from.the main plot is to save your sister because she is sick.it lasts pretty long, so there a lot of time for freeplay.you have to go to dog island,so you can only go to your home town when it lets you to.you meet a creature called an anc,and at the end you have to go on anc road to finish the game.from there it gets much harder,so make sure you are good at sniffing(that is one of the main things you do in the game).at the end,everthing in the story ends out happy,but it automatically goes to the main screen,and when you go back to your account,you start again at where you last saved.still,overall it is an awesome game.i reccomend it to all dog and adventure lovers.

I agree with the review of just letting this game be what it is. Somethings that will be a drawback for those without patience are the long and mostly unnecessary video sequences very early on in the game. There is also an awful lot of reading as the dialogue between characters is written, not spoken. Younger players who are not reading well or at all will need someone to watch with them much of the time. But hey, reading with our kids is becoming a lost tradition that needs a comeback in some form. This may just lead to bedtimes reading chapters of "Charlotte's Web" with your children rather than just popping in the video and getting it all over with in just over an hour. Sorry...I digress.

The game looks and sounds great, the story is engaging and though sickenly sweet that's okay. Jeez it's about Puppies so what would you expect. There are moments when you'll be moved and think "Awwwww..." and moments you'll laugh, and even be excited. About 30 minutes into the game it becomes what you want it to with exploration and some angry creatures that, yes, will hurt you if you're not careful. The youngest boy I work with was afraid of the snakes and the wild boars and always handed the controller to another resident to play those parts but he never quit playing and remained engrossed in the story line. Anyone can relate to being sick, trying to help someone in need and the frustrations and rewards that come with that. That's what this game is all about. It reminds me very much of the original "Animal Crossing" for the Gamecube to be honest and in some ways, as much as I love that game, I enjoy this one even more. The big difference is this has an adventure story line with a definite beginning and end and "Animal Crossing" just keeps going.

I find this game very easy to recommend for adults and children. Keep in mind you will have to take time to help younger, non-readers along with the game and also spend the first 20 or so minutes with them to get to the meat of the adventure. Goodness, it's a game about puppies. How can you not like puppies. And don't be fooled by the cover, this is not a puppy simulation like 'nintendogs'. Nothing like that at all. I was concerned at first looking at the cover that it may be but was SO happy to discover it's a very engaging adventure story. Simplistic, yes, but still engaging.

This is one of The Best Wii Games I have played.It is well worth the money! The graphics are great and the music is cheerful. It is a colorful, cute game, and not short. It is not too difficult to be frustrating, but not too easy to be boring.The story is based on helping others.I would give this 5 stars!A great buy for the young and the young at heart who just want a game with good clean fun.

This game is a good buy for only 30 dollars. It plays a lot like "Dog's Life" another RPG involving, you guessed it, Dogs! Anyway, it is very simplistic and the graphics are some of the best on the wii. The game is designed to look really *cute* so if you can't stand cutesy games then pass on this one. It's opening song sounds like an anime intro and involves puppies frolicking around. It isn't a very long game I'd guess maybe 20 hours. It is a lot of fun though, you run around doing missions for various pooches. Much like "Animal Crossing" Most involve sniffing out various items, fishing, bug catching and a few deliveries. You do have the option to choose the breed of dog, gender, color and name of the dog you will be playing. I choose a female fawn pug, I'm assuming if you choose a girl then the sibling that gets sick is a sister and vice versa if you choose a guy then the sibling is a brother. I think this a great game for younger kids or fans of Animal crossing/ Dog's life.

My daughter got this game for her 7th birthday and she doesn't want to do anything other than play this game. The funny thing is she is not a video game or TV kind of kid. We wish she would do more relaxing things once in a while. She usually likes activities such as riding her bike, scooter or ice skating. It was a shock how this game drew her in. We created our own dog and named it the same. It's like watching our dog run around and play the game. It makes it more personal. She has been addicted to this game for 3 weeks now and we are just now getting in the Anc world (The end). My daughter usually plays it but hands me the controller when she has to navigate a wild boar or snake that you must get close to. The game motivates her to read as well. Best of all the game has great music and no annoying sound effects so for parents this is a great background game!

Ill have to admit the game is adorable. I purchased it last night and was oooing and awwing in the first 5 mins. However, there is ALOT of reading. They did not show any reading at all on the screen shots so I was really dissapointed. My daughter is a HUGE fan of dogs because im a dog groomer and i had picked it up for her. Shes going on 5, and with the amount of reading it has, she cannot play it alone. Even tho its cute for younger gamers I did just want to point out that detail. If your child cannot read well or great then this isnt the game for him/her.

When I purchased this game, I felt that $30 was a good price. It's an entertaining game with cute dogs and even cute looking enemies, such as snakes, bears, crocodiles,etc.

I overall enjoy this game, but the method of digging is difficult. When searching for a scent, and it's been found, it's difficult to get my dog to dig in the correct area. He always turns the opposite way, or digs in a different spot, so it takes me a few minutes to finally dig up the item.

This a great game for children, dog lovers, and even adults. If you want a fun wii game for $30, this is one to try. But, if you're not sure you want it, I'd highly suggest you rent it first to see if you truly like the game. If not, you still have $30 that could contribute to a better game.