The original Nintendogs was one of the most successful titles on the Nintendo DS, having sold in excess of 20 million copies since its launch in 2005. With such strong sales it should come as no surprise that Nintendo has prepared a new version of Nintendogs for the Nintendo 3DS, except instead of just owning a puppy, players can now bring cats inside their virtual houses. 

Nintendogs+cats features more than 20 different breeds of dogs and cats, with each puppy and kitten having their own unique attributes, ranging from personality to coloring. The various different breeds of pets are spread across three versions of the game: French Bulldog, Toy Poodle, and Golden Retriever. 

Each version of Nintendogs+cats allows players to choose from one of nine dog breeds at the beginning. The full set of puppies can be obtained by continuing to play the game or by using the StreetPass feature of the handheld. 

The full list of starting dogs can be found below, as well as which game you can find them in. 

Toy Poodle and Friends
Toy Poodle
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Mini Schnauzer
Boxer
Bull Terrier
Labrador Retriever
Shih Tzu
Jack Russell
Pomeranian

French Bulldog and Friends
French Bulldog 
Shetland Sheepdog
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua
Dalmatian
Yorkshire Terrier
German Shepherd
Husky
Basset Hound

Golden Retriever and Friends
Shiba Inu
Golden Retriever
Beagle
Mini Pinscher
Dachshund
Maltese
Great Dane 
Pug
Cocker Spaniel

There are also three types of cats that are present in all versions of the game. Cats have a tendency to do their own things regardless of what is happening in the environment, which contrasts the nature of the puppies. 

The game uses the cameras of the Nintendo 3DS to allow your pets to recognize your face and interact with you. Your dog will behave differently around you as opposed to a stranger that tries to communicate with it. For example, your puppy will lick your face if you move in close enough as a sign of affection. The game also allows player to snap photos of their pets by tapping the camera icon, which can then be made into an album and shared with friends across the globe.

Nintendogs+cats makes use of the Nintendo 3DS’s augmented-reality feature, which allows your dog to come to life and interact with your own household. Players can also head online to download additional content with the system’s SpotPass feature, including new accessories for your pets.

The game has received an upgrade in the visual department. The depth introduced by the 3D mode allows your animals to come to life and look more realistic than they did in the first game. The fur shading has improved significantly, making your puppy look fluffier than ever.

Players can interact with their pets in numerous ways, ranging from decorating them with accessories that they have collected to playing a simple game of catch with them. Everything that made the original so compelling is back, in addition to a multitude of other unique features. Nintendogs+cats was a 3DS launch game in Japan, and is scheduled to be released later this month in North America and Europe.