Somebody out there in the video-game universe must has woken up from a dead sleep one night in a cold sweat screaming "Puppies!" Because quite frankly, we have been inundated with the hairy little buggers big time since Nintendogs came a calling two years ago. Ever since then, game developers have been clamoring for ways to make a game about the most popular animal in the world doing cute and somewhat interesting things. So into the fold comes Ubisoft who decides to make things a bit more linear for gamers who love dogs and may like RPGs.

This is a game tailor made for my son who absolutely loves puppies and the Wii. And since typical RPG fare does not appeal to him, the simple quests and item hunting required of your puppy is exactly what the Dr. ordered. You see, in Dog Island, you play as one of 40+ breeds of puppies (you pick) and like those greeting cards and other pictures, the puppies are tiny bodied and big headed, with big noses for sniffing as well. Just the sort of thing that appeals to younger gamers and maybe a few older ones too. Since the game is an adventure, you are tasked with finding the cure to your younger brother's sickness. In doing so you will travel over the surprisingly huge island, meeting other dogs and animals, doing tasks for them and learning all sorts of new smells that aid you in your travels. Most of the tasks involve you speaking (sometimes too long) to the various dogs you run across and discovering that they need a particular item from "X." Going and getting that item and returning it to the rightful owner is pretty much the name of the game.

 
"Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go..... never a fire hydrant when you need one."

If this sounds like it may be too easy for you, then you are probably right. I said it before but this is like an introductory RPG for younger players. I was astonished by how much there is to see and explore, and the Wiimote provides a good way to control things as the nunchuk is not required. The game is simple in its premise but provides adequate side tasks to do to make things interesting. I will admit that the developers put more effort into the visuals of the game than I would have guessed and there is plenty to look at and sniff throughout the game. Not particularly great graphics, but surprisingly good ones. The little dogs look quite cute especially when you see them in hats and wearing glasses. There are no humans to be found so I guess you could say this was a form of doggie nirvana as there is no one telling them where they can't go and when they can eat, but I saw no shovels, and we all know dogs don't clean up after themselves. Regardless, the game has pleasant graphics and moves at a steady pace so there is no slow down in appearance.

The same could be said for the subdued acoustical sounds of guitars in the background. The musical score is light fare and invokes a certain harmony amongst dogs, who for some reason never fight. Plenty of reading when you do make contact with other dogs and engage in conversation. I suppose coming up with that many different dog voices would be a challenge, so the developers simply never put voice work to use here. I like how you can bark at the moon, that was funny and caused some giggle moments for my son.

Interestingly enough, the game does have combat as your little pup will engage in enemies and be forced to knock them unconscious when needed. You are after all trying to save your little brother. This is something I wasn't too sure about but after experiencing it first hand, I will tell all you parents out there that this is nothing to be worried about. Ubisoft has made an adventure game with six-year olds in mind and rest assured their little minds will not become warped.

Lastly, there are several mini-games to break things up even more. Fishing, soccer, a pirate ship deck-swabbing game; there are several and given how large this island truly is, there is so much for your child to look for and explore. The word astounding comes to mind when I think about how large this island really is.

Gameplay: 7.0
Easy, smooth, well made for your child.

Graphics: 7.3
Smooth animation and kid-friendly looks are the order of the day. No slowdown in the action.

Sound: 7.5
Barking, nature, an acoustical jam by somebody who respects guitar, all very nice.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
It is easy for kids to pick up and go, but since it is a rather large game, I think it will take some effort to see it completely through.

Concept: 7.7
What a wonderful idea for a game. It may not make perfect sense to an adult, but to a child this is a beautiful experience. I can see it in my own kids' eyes when they play it.

Overall: 7.4
I have the distinct advantage of being able to see how the target audience responds to a game and that response is a good one. Hats off to Ubisoft for taking a step in a completely different direction.