How are AR cards used in Nintendo's latest pet simulator? Read on to find out!
Nintendogs + Cats on the Nintendo 3DS has many similarities to its predecessor, some of which have been noted in my previous journal entries. Perhaps one of the most interesting additions to Nintendo's new pet simulator is the ability to use Augmented Reality cards. Although AR cards are not used extensively throughout the title, they do add features to the game that were simply not possible in the original.
The AR capabilities of the 3DS play a big part in the Dog Contest (also known as the Obedience Trial) in Nintendogs + Cats. The goal of the contest is the same as in the original Nintendo DS version. After teaching your pup some tricks, you get a chance to test them out in a contest to see how well your dog will obey. This time around, however, Nintendo allows gamers to have the contest in the comfort of their own homes with the system's built in 3D cameras. Simply place an AR card on a nearby table, chair, or even in your hand, and your puppy will appear. From there, you and your dog attempt to do the various commands required for the contest.
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Nintendo also gives gamers another opportunity to use Augmented Reality in a non-competitive forum by including an AR card in the in-game inventory. After you choose and place the AR card within range of the 3DS camera, your dog or cat will then be projected to the card. By using the standard question block AR card, your pet is projected as they normally appear. However, if you use one of the character cards, your pet will don a cap that matches the character portrayed on the card. This can definitely make for some interesting pictures to share with your friends.
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The addition of this feature might not be a game changer, but it is an interesting use of the technology nonetheless. If anything, AR card support is just another way for Nintendo to showcase what the technology is capable of in something other than AR games.
