Animal Paradise
Score: 55% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Empire Interactive Developer: Agatsuma Entertainment Media: Cartridge/1 Players: 1 Genre: Family/ Simulation/ Themed
Graphics & Sound: Empire Interactive's Animal Paradise is a mixed bag of graphics on the limited power of the Nintendo DS. When it comes to the environments that your animals reside or walk in, don't expect anything great at all. In fact, the ground texture is so pixilated that when the camera gets close to it, the giant squares will even start swimming. The backgrounds look okay, but again, there's nothing special here. When it comes to the main treat of Animal Paradise's graphics - namely the animals themselves - the game does a pretty good job of creating lovable 3D likenesses. The animations vary as well, from outstanding nuances like shutting of the eyes while rubbing your pet on the head, down to terrible walk animations where stubby little legs look almost robotic, just to name a couple of examples. As far as audio goes, Animal Paradise is also extremely basic. The music is okay, but nothing to write home about. I was a bit disappointed, in fact, that the animals didn't offer up more vocals. You may hear an occasional bark or meow, but for the most part, they are quite silent, which is highly unlike most little animals when you are playing with them.
Gameplay: Animal Paradise is a very cute game, and likely intended for the youngest of gamers, but there isn't a whole lot of depth to it. The main goal of the game is to interact with different types of animals, from dogs and cats to young chicks and hamsters, trying to get them to fall in love with you. For the most part, interactions with the different species involved still follow a basic pattern. You will be able to feed the animals different treats and meals, and will have to choose the correct one based on what the title tells you. You can also take your pet out to walk, allowing you to use the DS's stylus to point to the location on the screen that you want your animal friend to go. It is also possible to bathe and play with your animals using toys. As you interact using the stylus, the pets will have different reactions based on their current needs. For example, if you try to feed one that is not hungry, it will simply walk off the screen and you will have the opportunity to try other interactions instead. When the animal is responsive, you can interact with it until one of you gets tired, or until it begins to show appreciation and love toward you. As an example, you may start off rubbing a puppy's head and he will first show that he likes it by the way he animates, and will eventually roll over and allow you to rub his belly. As you do find the sweet spots on your animals, you will get visual and audio feedback, and eventually earn a heart that shows your pet loves you. As you progress, your pets will fill their heart meters, and other animals will be available to interact with. Just remember that you can't forget about your old friends in Animal Paradise, or they will get lonely. You will have to continuously go back and play with each and every pet that you unlock.
Difficulty: Animal Paradise is far from difficult by any stretch of the imagination. The use of the stylus to interact with your pets is perfect for young gamers. The visual feedback also helps a lot with knowing what to do, even for those who may not be able to read yet. I believe that young gamers will be able to pick up and play Animal Paradise with very little help, but a few helpful tips from adults (or older siblings) may be needed the first few times that they start to play. Older gamers may find this title a bit too easy, however, because it doesn't exactly get that involved. Another aspect of difficulty is that the English translation isn't all that great. While it is not hard to figure out exactly what the characters mean when they talk, the game lacks some personality in that department.
Game Mechanics: The use of a stylus for Animal Paradise is ideal because it greatly improves the simulation of petting, washing, and playing with your pets. The Menus are simple and easy to figure out, although it is not immediately clear that you can move the map around by clicking and dragging anywhere on the screen. You then simply click on your chosen animal to enter its area and choose the type of interaction that you will perform. There are also some minor mini-games in Animal Paradise that can be unlocked. These can add a little extra fun and challenge to the otherwise passive title. Animal Paradise is a cute and fun game, but you shouldn't expect a whole lot of depth or gameplay time from this one. Although all young (most likely girl) gamers will likely find Animal Paradise enjoyable, some of the older players may get bored with it. Younger gamers will likely enjoy it for a longer period of time.
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele
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