My Pet Shop (2008)

Developer: Taito
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: Nintendo DS
Genres: Simulator

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

Warm pet shop simulation where you befriend wild animals, help customers, and build a beloved neighborhood store.

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About

In My Pet Shop, the player takes the role of a young girl who just moved from Gold City to Green Town with her mother. As in this town, nobody owns a pet, her mother decides to open a pet shop. The player will help at the pet shop by helping the customers with various tasks, such as finding a pet, or taking care of one (walking, bathing, entering contests, etc.). To find a pet, the player will first need to gather information, and go outdoors to find and befriend animals. Animals, and sometimes items, are found by moving the stylus in specific places. Once an animal is found, an exclamation mark appears and it will come out, and the player can now try catching it. To do so, food and various items will be used. Some strategies, such as waiting a few turns for a shy animal to approach by itself may also be needed. When a task is done, the player will get an allowance.

Screenshots

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This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.