Animal Hospital: Pet Vet 3D
© 2006 Viva Media
Animal Hospital: Pet Vet 3D is a veterinarian simulator that lets children run their own animal hospital, earning money by correctly diagnosing animals (rabbits, cats, dogs, horses and pigs). Children can play either in story mode or as an open-ended game. They earn money to improve the hospital and the structures on the grounds by caring for the varieties of animals. For example, if you buy a rabbit enclosure for $100, people with pet rabbits will visit, earning you the money necessary to purchase additional enclosures. There are five options from the main menu: Building, Accounting, Store, Cell Phone and Hire Help. Building allows you to complete and upgrade animal enclosures (toys) and upgrade the hospital (computers). Purchases are deducted from your balance, so you must be budget-conscious. The Store lets you purchase feed or other materials. As you roll your mouse over an animal, five attributes are displayed (Hunger, Hygiene, Affection, Play and Health) so you will know what to buy at the store. As you play, Cell Phone gives you updates about building enclosures and food deliveries. You will need to use Hire Help as your hospital grows, while Accounting keeps track of instruments, food, book inventory and your bank balance. When diagnosing animals, a variety of instruments are available for use (i.e., magnifying glass, stethoscope), and each illness and its treatment are described in detail. The ability to save 10 different games and to choose one of three difficulty levels — Easy, Medium, Hard — are both helpful. Our tester, an 11-year-old girl, gave this game high marks overall and particularly liked the realism and the ability to treat the animals. The real animal information combined with the variety of ways to treat the animals results in a fun and challenging game. Developed by Brain Game for Viva-Media. See also Pet Pals Animal Doctor by Legacy Learning, and Paws & Claws Pet Vet for the Nintendo DS.
$29.99, Windows XP, Windows 98
Teaches: health, Logic, Mathematics, planning, problem solving, economics, money
CTR Rating: 86%