Petz: Dogz Talent Show (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)

Petz: Dogz Talent Show’s animals are cute to look at and animate well -- both key elements to any successful pet simulator. What’s more, players can interact with them in fun ways, like throwing balls and Frisbees with the stylus and then watching short movies showing how the animal acrobatically bounds off walls and furniture to catch them. The only game that stands out as disappointing is the skateboarding activity, which requires the DS to be flipped upside down and has players steering by tapping the screen. It’s a bit awkward and not much fun.

Most of the minigames are unlocked in the first hour, which might make it seem as though the game is very short. However, it takes quite a while for the puppies to grow up and make become skilled enough to go to the talent stadium. Plus, players can train up to eight pets at a time, and eventually breed them, providing something to look forward to later in the game. It’s not the deepest or most original pet sim around, but it’s got the basics covered and delivers a good, clean message about responsible pet ownership. Young dog lovers will likely have a great time with it.

Online interaction: This game allows children to upload pictures of their animals to Petz.com, where they can be shared with friends. Kids will neither see nor interact with any other players during this process.