Go Pets: Vacation Island

Wesley and I recently had the chance to try out a Nintendo DS game called "Go Pets: Vacation Island". In the game you begin by creating a virtual pet and then help him to make friends on the island. Your child can send his or her pet out into the world to make up to 250 friends in a fun and safe environment. You are able to connect to your "friends" through a wireless internet connection. Your little pet travels around earning shells, writing in it's journal, and playing games. Your pet is completely accessorised by your child and they can even earn more outfits by doing good deeds for their friends.

I received the game while Wesley was at school so I thought that I would pop it in his DS and give it a try. There were a few things that I liked about this game.

• The first is how family friendly it is. I knew that Wesley would play this game with out encountering violence, fresh language, or obscene behavior.

• Secondly I really enjoyed the ability to connect the DS to a wireless network to make friends. He really enjoyed this and after trying to explain the process to Wesley he is beginning to understand what it means to be on a wireless network.

• Lastly, my favorite part of the game is how easy the island was to navigate. I found it to be confusing personally, but Wesley sat right down and figured the island out instantly. I think that I just didn't take the time to figure it out.

Wesley ended up being more interested in playing the 5 mini games that are included. When I asked him why he said it was because he was having a hard time understanding some of the rules. It can definitely be a little overwhelming when you first start playing. He and I sat down together and talked about how to use each area on the island. He now moves around like and expert.

Go Pets: Vacation Island
Rated: "E" for everyone
Cost: $29.99 (Walmart, GameSpot, Sears, and Toys R Us)
Information: www.konami.com

Thank you to Mom Central for this opportunity.