SimAnimals

SimAnimals - (Wii, DS)
Developer: EA
Format: Wii, DS
Genre: Arcade


Become a virtual Doctor Dolittle in this brand new Sim-spin



MySims, Sim Castaway and Sim Pets - the list of Sim spin-offs is really starting to take on a life of its own; never mind the forthcoming full-blown Sims episode in The Sims 3. So it is with little doubt that we welcome SimAnimals into the fold of already crowded Sim titles.

Players have the ability to touch, move and try to control a wide range of animals as they journey deeper and deeper into an all-new free roaming gameworld. From grizzly bears to foxes, trees and even flowers - if you see it you can touch it and move it via an on-screen animated hand. In typical Sim fashion, how you treat the animals depends on how they react to you. Start mistreating the likes of a grizzly bear and very soon you'll have a large furry beast growling at you.

Gamplay veers towards the simplistic variety. First you need to create an attractive part of woodland in order to lure the animals, then you have to make sure they are happy enough to want to stay permanently thus increasing your collection of Sim pets. The forest unlocks in stages and as each stage introduces new terrain such as water or flat land, you'll be able to attract a variety of different species.

Clearly this title is aimed at a younger audience as the simplistic gameplay elements of 'plant food, feed animals pet animals' becomes repetitive after a few hours of play. But for younger gamers this is a great introduction to micro management sim titles without the need to constantly look at stat sheets or attribute bars.

A quirky title that lifts the mood of the post-Xmas gloom. Just don't expect to be playing it by Easter.