Where previous ports of The Sims to the GBA resulted in goal-oriented adventure games, Pets endeavors to recreate the same open sandbox style found in the PC versions of the game. The player can create one sim and one dog or cat, move into a home, furnish it, and set about the routine of earning money to afford new and better appliances.
Dogs and cats also have their own set of needs, and satisfying them allows participation in the GBA’s variety of training and competitive minigames. Failing to tend to them, however, carries no apparent penalty in the game, and pets will loyally follow their masters under all circumstances.
Pets for the GBA is played from an isometric perspective and has an art style reminiscent of the original Sims for the PC. Many of the gameplay mechanics of the PC and console versions have been omitted, including the ability to age, breed, and pursue Aspirations and Wants. In exchange, it adds a new conversation system in which the player must match up conversation topics as they slide across the screen, matching them up in order to enjoy a successful chat.
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