one dataset · paper, tables, graph, wiki
simgrammar the grammar of simulation

parts

7 mechanics, as Nintendogs does them

core · 2

biology & health

Creature care

Touch petting, brushing, and washing plus food and water bowls maintain hunger, thirst, and coat condition; walks, balls, discs, and toys add play.

agents & behavior

Creature learning

When the dog strikes a pose such as sit, the player records a spoken command; repeating the pairing teaches the trick, and the dog later responds to the voice cue.

supporting · 5

multiplayer & persistence

Asynchronous shared regions

Bark Mode lets nearby DS owners meet each other's dogs and exchange presents.

progression & goals

Milestone unlocks

Trial prize money and trainer points unlock new breeds and supplies.

social relations

Natural-language interaction

The microphone recognizes the dog's name and trick words by matching the player's voice against recorded samples.

agents & behavior

Needs decay

Hunger, thirst, and dirtiness worsen with real elapsed time.

time & pacing

Real-time clock

Care state advances with the DS internal clock and calendar.

core loop

care for the dog by touch -> teach tricks by voice -> walk the dog and find items -> enter disc, agility, and obedience trials -> earn prize money and trainer points -> buy supplies and unlock new breeds

design notes

Nintendogs was built to show off DS hardware: the touchscreen handles petting, grooming, and washing, and the microphone handles the dog's name and trick commands. Care runs on the DS clock, so hunger, thirst, and coat condition worsen with elapsed time, but dogs cannot die, breed, or age, which makes neglect a recoverable setback rather than a fail state. Trials have five classes from Beginner to Championship, and placing third or better promotes a dog. Bark Mode lets nearby players' dogs meet and exchange presents.

appears in

the paper, 2 sections · 1 chapter
paper

5. The structure of the design space

linked in this section of the paper

paper
paper

Appendix A. Game catalog

linked in this section of the paper

paper
catalog

The catalog

listed with its year, developer, subgenre, and number of mechanics

book
ch 3

Chapter 3. Old parts

linked from the text

book

sources

1
Wikipedia contributors (2026). Nintendogs. Wikipedia

provenance

runs in log/runs
2026-10-24
created2026-10-24-catalog-gccatalog