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> Results: Tamagotchi Corner Shop
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Tamagotchi, those virtual pets that were so popular in the 90s are back. Leaping from their keychain homes and onto the Nintendo DS, these little poopers have set up their own shops, and they need your help to run them.
In Corner Shop you don't do much nurturing for your virtual pal, you just help it make money and expand shops. First, pick your Tamagotchi business partner from three available selections. Then you must choose a shop to run. Be a dentist, decorate cakes, run a spa, sell jewelry, and other shops to make your Tamagotchi friends happy. Satisfy enough customers and you can expand your shops to unlock new ones. With the money you earn, you buy furniture to decorate your Tamagotchi's room, and buy snacks to feed your virtual pet, although providing your Tamagotchi with food isn't required. In order to make your Tamagotchi customers happy, you play mini-games using the DS touch screen and stylus. Drill and fill cavities at the dentist by poking and brushing the correct teeth with the stylus. Draw pictures with icing to decorate cakes to a customer's specifications. Drag and drop the correct shaped stones and flowers to make necklaces and bouquets. When you expand your shops, the tasks get a little trickier, but only because you must do more steps. The mini-games are repetitive and get boring pretty quickly. You also don't really get penalized if you fail at a task. The cartoony graphics are bright, fun, and perfectly fitting for Tamagotchis. Music is calm and relaxing and there is a funny sound effect for everything you do. The quirky charm of Corner Shop comes from the fact that its developer was NanaOnSha, makers of the PaRappa the Rapper PlayStation title. There's even a mini-game in the music club karaoke shop that plays very similar to PaRappa's rhythm game. But all the charm in the world can't save this title from repetitive mini-games and unclear goals and objectives. It's a decent kids game, but it could be better.  
It's pretty clear this game was made for kids and kids only. With shops like a beauty salon, floral arranging, and jewelry making, it kind of leans toward girls too. Most of the challenges revolve around color, shape, and letter matching. There is some non-violent, charming fun to be had, but this game isn't without problems.
It's a little hard to figure out what you are supposed to do when you first start out. A good example is the Takoyaki shop. Takoyaki is a popular Japanese food but I doubt very many young children in the US would know what it is or how to make it in the mini-game, although with a parent's, help, the Takoyaki game may be a good way to introduce your young gamers to a food they've never tried before. Reading skill is good for this title, but the in-game help menus are actually no help at all. Also, some of the mini-games, like the rhythm and music one, are a bit tough for less experienced players. Plus the advice the game gives you after a failed attempt isn't very clear either. All in all, kids may get frustrated or bored sooner than you think with this only-charming-on-the-surface kids game. This review edited by Dave Long Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Browse Amazon.com's selection of "tamogotchi" themed games Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: Tamagotchi Corner Shop |
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