Iwata Laughs: Nintendogs + Cats, StreetPass
Nintendo posted a new Iwata Asks/Itoi Shills discussion about the 3DS, and along with talks about the system possibly recording 3D video one day, the roundtable has a curious exchange about Nintendogs + Cats.
I know few “core” gamers are interested in the game, but I’m pleased it has significant new features beyond just cats, like the pets recognizing your face, an in-game camera for taking snapshots, and an augmented reality trick that superimposes your animals on real-world locations.
The Iwata Asks conversation also outlines this neat Nintendogs + Cats item that uses “StreetPass”, the new feature that automatically exchanges data between two nearby 3DS systems, even when they’re in sleep mode and have different games inserted:
Hideki Konno: The walk mode uses your Mii character, so your Mii character walks whatever dog you set it for.
Shigesato Itoi: Hey, that’s pretty nice!
Konno: And with Nintendogs + Cats, when you’re using StreetPass and exchange data with someone, in walk mode, that person’s Mii is walking whatever puppy he or she has chosen. Then your Miis and puppies talk and exchange gifts.
Itoi: I imagine you have experienced this Miyamoto-san, but when you’re with your dog, people look at the dog first. When I’m walking my dog, people in the street are like, ‘Oh, Bouillon (the name of Itoi-san’s dog)!’
Satoru Iwata: Your dog comes first?! (laughs)
Itoi: Yeah.
Shigeru Miyamoto: In my neighborhood, my dog is much more well-known than I am too.
Iwata: Oh! (laughs)
Itoi: It’ll be the same in the game.
Miyamoto: When people with dogs exchange game data, it will be intriguingly realistic.
I wish that this was something you could whether or not you owned Nintendogs + Cats — having your avatar meeting someone else’s Mii and seeing they had a cute puppy would be a pretty big motivator for you to buy Nintendogs + Cats, too. Then again, that’s starting to sound like virtual goods, except instead of paying a buck for a custom accessory, you’re paying $30+.
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