Pet Pals: Animal Doctor (Wii)
© 2008 Legacy Games
A great idea (for the computer version) but horribly implemented on the Wii platform, this one-player Wii animal simulation lets you try to run your own clinic. Unfortunately the controls are clumsy to use, and the menus are confusing. After you select one of the six game-save slots, you see a waiting room full of people with sick critters. Content includes 30 common animals, including a Saint Bernard, Shetland Pony, rabbits, turtles and hamsters. You start by listening to a short introduction from the owner about the animals' problem and then choose which three questions are more relevant to ask out of five possible questions. Like the PC/Mac version, the stories are authentic. You must then choose a plan of action and pick the correct tools in order to best cure the critter. Ailments range from minor cases such as lacerations and infections, to more serious problems like diabetes, tumors and snakebites. You can visit the recovery room where you feed and care for the animals. The game also features three challenge levels plus some puzzles, a matching game, and an animal trivia challenge. As you progress through the game, you are rewarded with job promotions, awards and new features So why the low rating? The controls are nearly impossible to figure out, with menus offering dead ends and potential failure, frustrating our testers. Stick with the better designed PC or Windows edition. Created by Frontline Studios for Legacy Interactive.
$30, Wii
Teaches: deductive reasoning, health care, animals, science, veterinary medicine
CTR Rating: 34%