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DS menagerie expands with Pony Friends

Eidos upsizes the Nintendogs concept

DS menagerie expands with Pony Friends
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DS
| Pony Friends

The testers for DS games must feel like they're working in Noah's Ark at the moment. It was only last week that Ubisoft announced its Dogz, Catz, Horsez, and Hamsterz Life DS games, and now Eidos has entered the confines of the petting zoo with Pony Friends.

Based on the basic premise of the seven million selling Nintendogs, Pony Friends offers you your very own customisable small horses to love and cherish. Seven breeds are promised and you can stable up to three ponies on your DS at any time.

Daily tasks such as shampooing and conditioning are included amongst the general grooming and cleaning (apparently there is a difference), while you can enjoy the fruits of your labour by taking your ponies on trail rides and checking out the local wildlife while you're at it.

We're assuming the latter won't include the traditional mounted country pursuit of fox hunting (now known as 'dragging the lure'). Instead, you'll have to jab at the various animals with your stylus to demonstrate your interest. (Not unlike Point Blank DS then.)

Other stylus-activated goodies include poking at the various hidden gifts you'll have to keep your eyes peeled for as you're ambling along. There will also be something of a Trauma Center touch, as you'll have to remove errant stones from the pony's shoes with the stylus.

Of course, there will be a pony shop where you can accessorise your little Apple or Prince from nose to hooves. And completing the pony experience is the secret diary into which you can record every happy moment, as well as adding items such as the rosettes you'll gain from keeping your ponies in tiptop shape.

No release date has been announced for Pony Friends, except the rather general target of 2007. We think it's great that another publisher is bravely following Nintendo's lead into the casual space. Although personally, I can't wait for the animal trend to peak with a My Little Polecat game.

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.