Summary
The most puzzling conundrum of the Switch era has been the absence ofNintendogs. This staple of Nintendo’s dual-screen handhelds was passed over for its most popular console ever, leaving third-party developers to pick up the leash. Is there any chance Nintendo will wake these sleeping dogs?
What IsNintendogs?
It’s been well over a decade now since the 3DS release ofNintendogs + Cats, meaning there’s likely a whole generation of gamers who have never heard of this franchise. Let me get you up to speed.
Nintendogsis best described as a complex Tamagotchi where you adopt perpetual puppies. The gameplay involves carrying out a daily care routine, playing with them, and having them compete in light competitions. The sequel’s kittens offer a little less variety but go a long way toward livening up your virtual living room.
And yes,you can pet both the dogsandcats.
Why Didn’t Nintendo Let theNintendogsOut on Switch?
With the breakout success ofAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, a lane was wide open for Nintendo to bring backNintendogs. There’s arguably never been a bigger audience for it.
There are a few reasons this might not have happened, though. While the original game sold nearly 24 million units, the sequel only managed 4.69 million sales. This could be partly chalked up to the lower sales of 3DS systems, but it’s still a staggering sales gap that might have given Nintendo reason to think twice about the franchise’s future.
Also,Nintendo EPD Production Group No. 9—the internal team responsible for developing bothNintendogsentries—also makesMario KartandARMS. It’s possible thatARMStook the launch window slot thatNintendogshad previously occupied, and it’s likely that the team now has its hands full making a newMario Kartgame.
Considering thatMario Kartis Nintendo’s biggest seller, it’s hard to argue with that prioritization. Yet even ifNintendogs’original developers are preoccupied, there’s no reason another team couldn’t step up.
Don’t Let SleepingNintendogsLie
There are countless reasons to bring backNintendogs, but here are a few of the most pertinent.
In 2024, the Switch became the best-selling console ever in the US and its worldwide sales sit at just over 154 million units. Further, we know that many of these are owned by casual players whopicked up the system during theAnimal Crossinglockdown crazeand probably aren’t buying the core games that get ride-or-die Nintendo fans jazzed up.Nintendogswould directly cater to this group, leading to a potential glow-up for the dormant franchise as the Switch has done for so many other Nintendo IPs.
Given it’s the only true portable console on the market (handheld PCs are their own category), there would be virtually no competition to speak of. Or at the very least, a hyper-focus on making these virtual pets more lifelike would put the franchise in a class of its own above its peers. The authenticity of the dogs was a major part of its appeal, and Nintendo has an opportunity to take this even further thanks to the technological leap from the 3DS to the Switch.
Plus, the social features of the Switch could makeNintendogsa great experience with friends. Imagine being able to visit the dogs of people on your friends list for play dates, walk your dog with a pal, or compete for top prizes against other players in tournaments.
Some of these features were available as local multiplayer components in prior games, but online functionality opens the door for everyone to partake at any time. It’s also a primary candidate forintegration with the Nintendo Switch Online app, something Nintendo has sorely underutilized.
TheNintendogsTreatment for Real Dogs
I also imagine that Nintendo could expand the way youengage with your dogs and cats through pet care peripherals. Imagine if you could buy bowls, harnesses, toys, and other bits of kit for your pet that would offer an in-game reward when used.
Assuming these products are of high quality for their real-life function, gamifying home pet care would keepNintendogsrelevant throughout your day. If this took off, I could see Nintendo making quite the trendy line of pet care products. After all,we just got an alarm clock, so it’s not too far-fetched a concept.
Another line of thought would be tocreate Tamagotchi-esque devicesthat let you administer basic care to your pet from anywhere and sync it with the Switch game upon returning home. It could double as a pedometer which would encourage healthy living, something that’s important for anyone but is particularly appealing to the casual demographic thatNintendogsprimarily serves.
ThePokémon HeartGold & SoulSilverPokéwalkeris absolutely what I have in mind here.
Let EveryNintendogsOwner Have Their Day
While Nintendo will likely be keen on pushing flashy new Switch 2 games later this year, it’s unlikely many of those will be exclusives. The original Switch’ userbase is just too large to discard.
It also helps that Nintendo’s games are largely scalable. We’ve already seen evidence of this with theSwitch footage ofMetroid Prime 4: Beyond, a game that is all but guaranteed to launch alongside or after the Switch 2 as it’s ripe to thrive on the new console’s boosted hardware.
A potentialNintendogsrevival would thrive as a multi-generational title, just as most games in the transition from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5 were. The reason to make a casual game likeNintendogsis to target exactly the demographic that bought a Switch fora few cozy gamesduring COVID lockdowns but won’t be rushing to buy the successor.
Perhaps Switch 2 players will be able to take advantage of extra features like the aforementioned integrated pet lifestyle products, but everyone should be able to own a virtual pet on their own terms, and from a financial perspective, Nintendo would be smart to enable as much.
How Was PocketNintendogsNever a Thing?
If Nintendo isn’t keen on making a newNintendogsentry for the Switch or Switch 2, another option for bringing the franchise back would be through a mobile game.
Now, before you pick up your pitchforks, I’m not advocating this to be the most desirable return for the series. At the same time, it’s undeniable that the virtual pet concept is a perfect match for mobile devices. During the company’s run of mobile releases, it was surprising to never seeNintendogsget the smartphone treatment. In 2023,Nintendo applied for a patent for Nintendogs on mobile, but that’s the extent to which such a game has materialized thus far.
While such a concept isripe for gacha mechanics, Nintendo could really show some benevolence by creating a completely free version for Nintendo Switch Online members. But even if this were to be a gacha game (and let’s not kid ourselves, it would be), I’d just be glad forNintendogsto make a comeback, and perhaps if it proves popular, Nintendo would then see fit to release a full-blown Switch/Switch 2 sequel.
Really, I’ll take myNintendogsin any way I can get them without having todig out my 3DS. Let me pet digital dogs again, Nintendo!
