Dolphin Friends set to make a splash on DS
And, no, you can't release them Free Willy style
The latest addition to the rapidly growing virtual pet genre on DS, Dolphin Friends requires the raising and nurturing of a water-bound mammal, schooling it up on stunning tricks which it can then perform in front of a crowd to rapturous applause.
Presumably there's no option to set it free, so it can roam the oceans instead of being trapped in an anxiety-inducing network of restrictive, grandstand-encircled tanks. Then again, it's only a virtual dolphin, so perhaps hold off on that phone call to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
Using the stylus, then, trainers are able to directly interact with their happy dolphin friend. You get to play simple ball games, feed them the right food at the right time and can even stroke their heads to reward improvement in ability. The dolphin will then react positively or otherwise, depending on how you choose to communicate with them – working how best to achieve this is the key to earning its trust.
Once you do, you can start working out on tricks and routines. Publisher 5050 Games claims this is an intuitive process, making use of actions such as dragging the head right for a right turn and drawing a circle for your dolphin chum to swim around. Your performance as trainer is judged by the crowds, whose reaction you have to assess in order to know how well things are going.
Interestingly, there are no strict objectives or time limits, ensuring a stress-free playing experience. Well, the game is aimed at the younger demographic, after all. (Yet, should things prove a little difficult, a comprehensive help option and an encyclopaedia of dolphin facts promise to come to the rescue.)
Dolphin Friends is due for release on November 9th.
