Littlest Pet Shop Friends (DS)

$30, Nintendo DS

Teaches: logic, sorting, reading, problem solving

CTR Rating: 90%

CTR Review

There are three solid titles available in the Littlest Pet Shop Friends games for the Nintendo DS: Littlest Pet Shop City Beach Friends, City Friends, and Country Friends. There's also a party game for the Wii (see Littlest Pet Shop Friends). Each version contains six pets including the Collie, the Ladybug, and the Tiger. Each has a best friend who helps them prepare for a party. You can share pictures, songs and accessories with other players through the multiplayer gameplay using Nintendo Wi-Fi, as long as the other player has a copy of the game. In "Beach," for example, you move your animal avatar by tapping on the screen. The controls are easy to use, but a lot of reading is required. In a game like this (which resembles Pok�mon), this extensive printed dialog can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the controls are less intuitive. On the other, children are exposed to print and given a reason to read it. The minigames are solid, following tried-and-true formats. For example, in Ice Cream Paw-lor, children race to collect falling ice cream scoops, in a clever adaptation of Bust-a-Move. The maps are helpful in getting you around quickly. For a six year old with an interest in animal pets, games like this can hit a sweet spot. All in all, this improved version serves up a nice mix of learning and fun.