Petz Beach by Ubisoft for Nintento 3DS – Game Review

My kids love playing their 3DS, especially my seven year old son. When I originally embarked on offering to review this game I thought he would be the perfect candidate, then I quickly realized my five year old daughter would love it oh-so-much more. While he did enjoy taking his turn at playing it, setting up his own puppy characters, and walking me through the game, my daughter was the one who really got into it. I suppose the fact that she loves pet games should have been my first clue. 🙂

About Petz Beach

• Popular kids’ game is back on Nintendo 3DS just in time for the holidays. The franchise that has sold over 23 million units worldwide is back and more interactive than ever. Petz fans will embark on the ultimate adventure in Petz Beach, where players can care for a variety of dogs, complete quests to expand their village and connect with other Petz owners.
• Variety of animals and adventures—something for every kid. There are more than 50 different types of animals in the game from dogs and cats, to dolphins and whales. Because the environment in game changes with the seasons, the adventure lasts all year long!
• The game expands as you play. As players explore the town and meet new neighbors with their pets, the game expands and grows. Helping new friends will expand the village as the game progresses.
• Learning while on the journey. Through its partnership with Encyclopaedia Britannica, Petz Beach incorporates learning along the way. As kids care for their pets and complete missions, they’ll learn facts about animals, plants and insects!

Experiencing Petz Beach

In Petz Beach, players move to a new town where the villagers’ lives revolve around their Petz. The mayor pops up to show you the ropes and will lead you in the selection of your own adorable puppy (or whale, or dolphin) to take home! After picking your pet and giving it a name, then riding the train to the new town (my son loved this part), you start bonding with your chosen pet through a number of activities.

Players move through Petz by leading the puppies around town on a leash. This was a little tricky to get used to at first but both kids had in down solid after a little practice. A map also makes it easier to find out where you need to go next. My daughter’s favorite thing was heading to the beach, which I suppose is fitting since the game is Petz Beach after all.

When you play, you will also need items to take care of your pet, and to do so you will need to pay for those items.

You can do quests for people around town in return for coins and gifts. You can also teach your Petz special skills, just as sniffing out items, like mushrooms and seashells, and barking to scare fish and insects out of hiding! To snatch an insect, players move the Nintendo 3DS downward, as if they’re throwing a bug net. While fishing, players lift the system to catch the fish in a bucket! Then just take those items to townspeople and give them as gifts to complete quests, or turn in at the collection house for coins.

There are also some fun seasonal changes throughout the game. For example, toward the end of October, jack o’lanterns grace the town, and the mayor hosts a Petz costume contest! Just when you start thinking maybe the game is getting a little repetitive running around doing errands all day, the seasonal changes are a nice change of pace!

While we have come nowhere near to finishing game-play, the kids have found it quite enjoyable so far and are discovering new things every day!

If your kids are into pet games, you can find Petz Beach on Amazon. Also check out Petz Countryside which is the same fun experience but in a totally new environment!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.