Hamsterz Life
SCORE: 98
If you read my preview on this Nintendo DS video game you know that I
had a hamster as a child, and it was one of the happiest eras of my
life. Hamsters are such cute, cuddly, and curious little animals.
Ubisoft has done a marvelous job of capturing that in Hamsterz Life.
They also took the idea of Nintendogs and carried it to the next level
(pun intended). These cuddly little animals behave in most regards as
the real thing without the problem of cleaning up the mess, and dealing
with that smell. This game is a wonderful tool that parents can use to
determine if their child is ready for such a pet. Ubisoft added in
teaching your favorite little pet how to speak specific phrases. Sure a
real hamster can not do that, but it certainly adds to the entertainment
value of this game.
Graphically Hamsterz Life is pretty bright and colorful. The models
used for the hamsters themselves are very realistic. The animations
reminded me of childhood hamster. These animations have to be seen to be
believed. The graphics of the mini games, and some aspects of the cage
needs an upgrade, but certainly are passable. The different graphical
items are neat to see, and to decorate with. Wholesome images are used
properly in this game. Ubisoft even got the hamster being swung back and
forth in the wheel correct (after stopping), which is quite impressive.
I saw no offensive graphical content.
The sounds in Hamsterz Life are really good. The music is pleasant,
uplifting, and encouraging. The sounds of the little critters is very
realistic. The use of the microphone (on the Nintendo DS) really makes
the sounds interactive. It is always nice when a Nintendo DS game uses
the microphone, and as well as this game does. All of the sounds work
quite well in this game, and are very crisp and clear. I heard no
offensive sounds in this game.
It is so great to review a game that can be played for five minutes,
and then turned off. The addiction factor is completely negated by a
game like this one. The exception to that rule is those who absolutely
have to keep turning the game on to play with, or check on their
hamster(z). The game does encourage the player to check in on their
hamster every couple of days, so they do not starve their poor little
digital pets. There are a large array of different hamsters, and items
that can be found in this game. In my humble opinion this game is worth
your hard earned dollars. It is rated ‘E’ for Everyone by the ESRB with
no descriptors.
The touch screen features are utilized quite well in this game, and
the microphone features have already been mentioned. The hamster reacts
to the player quite well, and interacts with his environment very
realistically. Watching the reactions of the hamster while petting him
was priceless for me. All of the controls are quick and responsive. The
layout of the controls, levels, and menu screens work beautifully.
Ubisoft obviously spent some time on the layout, and their hard work
pays off. I found this to be a very fun game to play.
Ubisoft deserves some major credit for coming out with the Petz
lineup. Hamsterz Life is the best digital pet game I have ever played.
It was a complete joy to play and review this game. The lesson of being
responsible for an animal, and caring for the animal is a wonderful
lesson indeed. I would love to see Ubisoft release a sequel to this
game, especially if they improved the graphics. Hamsterz Life is safe
for the entire family, and receives the much desired, and rarely given
Family Friendly Gaming seal of approval.
- Paul
Graphics: 93%
Sound: 97%
Replay/Extras: 100%
Gameplay: 100%
Family Friendly Factor: 100%
System: Nintendo DS
Publisher: Ubisoft
Rating: 'E' - Everyone
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