The videogame industry by and large never ceases to amaze me when it comes to the software they produce. There is an unspoken rule that most games based on franchises like toys or movies usually don’t end up on anyone’s must have list, and are destined for the clearance bin at your local game store. The reasons why this happens are many, but in almost every case a publisher’s budget gets cut due to licensing fees. That translates to a shorter development time, and an unfinished product that makes it to retail shelves.

As you may have gathered, I feel Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop seems to circumvent this basic rule of gaming with a surprising twist on the virtual pet sim. If you are unfamiliar, Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop is based around the popular Tamagotchi virtual pet games that first took the world by storm in the late 90s.

I remember the first time I ever heard of Tamagotchi was during a TV show where they were chronicling the rise in popularity of these virtual pets in Japan. I was amazed at how such a simple game could appeal to both young and old. Fascinated by this, I decided to go ahead and get one for myself. Needless to say it left a permanent impression on me of how you can take a simple idea, and through a perfect execution create something truly memorable.

Facts and Features:

• Partner with one of three Tamagotchi to start a business together.
  
• Choose from over 10 types of businesses.
  
• Trade items wirelessly with friends.
  

Business Connection
When you start playing Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop you have a choice between three different types of Tamgotchi. The only difference between these types mainly lies in their appearance and personality. Here are the different types of Tamagotchi:

Mametchi: Polite and intelligent, this Tamagotchi is by far the smartest of the three.

Memetchi: This Tamogotchi specializes in the art of being cute. Memetchi could sell refrigerators to people living in Antarctica.

Kuchipatchi: Being the more laidback of the three, Kuchipatchi seems to be the easy-going Tamogotchi.

Once you choose your business partner, you are ready to start your adventure in commerce. Your goal is to start and expand your little Tamagotchi’s businesses while earning as much gotchi(money) as possible. At the onset of the game, you are somewhat limited with what kind of businesses you can open. But as you progress, you are given the opportunity to open a wider variety of shops.

The Business of Mini Games
Doing business in the world of a Tamagotchi is definitely unique. Every shop, be it a florist or a bakery, is essentially a mini game of sorts that uses the touch screen on the Nintendo DS in order to do business. For example if you are running the spa, you will have to control the water temperature, give out soap, and serve drinks by touching specific icons on the screen.

Keeping your customers happy is easy at first, but as you build a loyal following the difficulty gradually increases. With this increase, a mysterious visitor will pay you a visit. If you successfully make him happy he will give you the necessary gotchi(yep, that's the money) to upgrade your business. You can upgrade up to four times, with the highest level being Royal. Occasionally, two shops can even merge into one, which literally means the mini games become intertwined.

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shopis not all business, however. Since you never have to really use any of your own gotchi(money, money, money!) to upgrade or use on your own business, you can spoil your Tamagotchi with new outfits, food, or make his living quarters more hospitable. Not all items will be available at first, but can be unlocked as you and your Tamagotchi become more and more astute at running a business.

Beautiful Simplicity?
There is surely something to be said for beautiful simplicity with regard to appearance, and this rings so true for Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop. There is no mistaking the hand drawn graphics that convey an almost children’s storybook-like appeal. Anyone would be hard pressed not to imagine the setting and characters not being inspired at least in part from a child’s imagination. The sound is crisp and clean but like the visuals is a little on the minimal side. The little details are where this area shines, like the ringing of a doorbell, to the noises your Tamagotchi makes.

One of the more interesting facets is how the design is oddly reminiscent of the Tamagotchi LCD games. All actions for the most part are relegated to buttons on the side of the screen. Whereas the actions themselves are very simple, and don’t really have any resounding effect on the game besides the obvious. This simplicity is both a pro and a con at the same time. The simple elements pull you in, but really the game doesn’t offer much new material after the first hour or so. The ability to focus on certain businesses is good, but it seems that this is just a collection of mini games with a virtual pet included in the package.

The Shop Stops Here
Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop is a very likable piece of software. The ability to play around with different business types is fun, and can be quite challenging. Focusing the design on acquiring items, and customizing your Tamagotchi may not set new standards for originality, but at the very least is enjoyable. Where Corner Shop runs into problems is simply the lack of depth in the area of game play. All the mini games rely on memorization and a quick reflex, which after extended plays can leave a very bitter aftertaste for most gamers, namely me. I don’t have too many homicidal thoughts until I have to make the same jewelry over and over again, except with a horrendous time limit. There is no doubt in my mind that this game really is charming, and I believe most gamers would find it at least entertaining, but without anything substantial to hold your attention, the experience winds up being a good, but short one.

-- Stephen Smith