Prepare for a dogfight as Sony announces Nintendogs rival in PlayStation Vita Pets

Pets can be a lot of hassle, unless they happen to be the handy virtual kind that you can switch off when you're sick of them.

That was the beauty of Nintendogs, and soon it's going to be the beauty of Sony's PlayStation Vita Pets as well.

This means you'll be able to pick from four distinct puppies and then train and care for your new pet. That means pampering, playing with, and dressing them, but it also means mastering skills through training.

But here's the interesting bit. Once you've become best friends with your pup, you'll be able to go on an adventure with them around Castlewood Island.

You'll have to put all of your skills together in order to get through the forest, spooky mines, and graveyards to reach the castle at the island's centre.

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Despite being called PlayStation Vita Pets, the game will be limited to puppies at first, though the title does imply that more species may be in the pipeline.

PlayStation Vita Pets will arrive in Europe in 2014. Expect more details as the release nears.