Review

I pretty much have enough pets. I have a black lab that takes up enough of my time at home, and I have a quarter horse that takes up most of my time when I am not at home or work. So, where could I fit another pet into my life? I know, I’ll get a pet for work. How, do you ask? Well, the Little Palm Pet, version 1.2, from LDW Software (www.ldw.com).

The LDW pet is a fun pastime to get you through the day. It’s almost just like having a real pet to take care of. The software begins by taking you to the adoption center, where a crate opens up to reveal a pet. You can either choose this pet to adopt, or pass it up for another choice. Don’t expect too much here. The pets all look the same, except for a little coloring change, and maybe a few shaggy hairs to differentiate them. After choosing your pet, you immediately take it home to your yard. Now, your pet, who I’ve named Rufus, has a doghouse in the top left corner, a food bowl in the bottom right corner, and a place to do his ‘business’ in the bottom left corner. That’s right, Rufus makes a little mess every now and then, and it’s your job to clean up after him.

In order for you to take care of your pet, you have a few items supplied necessary to care for him and keep him entertained. When you first get your pet, you have the choice of three toys: a red ball, a dog bone, and a yellow rubber ducky. There are two additional items that unlock and become usable as Rufus ages. On Rufus’ 7th birthday, I was given a mouse for one of the items that were previously unavailable. Sadly, though, I have not kept my pet alive long enough to find out when the second toy unlocks or what its contents are. Also, there is a comb for you to groom your pet, and some medicine in case Rufus gets sick. Rufus did feel a little ill once, and after giving him a shot, it took a little while to be effective, just like medicine and us. So, don’t overdose!

Rufus goes through moods just like any other animal. If you take good care of him, he will treat you well. He will make sure his “business” is in the right place, and he will play with his toys and have a great time. However, if you neglect him and not feed him or clean his yard, he could become moody, sick, or depressed. Sometimes, he will stay in his house and not come out for long periods of time. How much fun is that? So, in order for him to stay out and play, I try to always have a toy in the yard, clean up after him, and have food in the bowl.

There are times when I am away from my Palm for extended periods of time, say weekends out of town. You can put the game in Stable mode and Rufus will stay in his house while the game pauses until being taken out of the Stable mode. This is great! The last thing I want to do while out on Saturday is worry if I fed Rufus or not. I mean, I’ve gotta do that for my lab and horse! So, every Friday before I leave the office, I put the game in Stable mode. He does not age, and, when taken out, is in the same condition as Friday. This is much better than opening up the game to a dead animal.

If at any time Rufus becomes gravely ill, you have the choice to continue medication, or give him up for adoption. That way, the animal clinic can take care of him while you adopt a new animal. It is easier to cope with than having him pass away, I think. But, in the unfortunate circumstance that Rufus does pass away, you are able to go back to the adoption center to bring another one home into your life.

The LDW Pet is a great little piece of software. It is very simple to use, extremely straight-forward in its’ use, and fun all at the same time. I found myself keeping my Tungsten T running this game while in its’ cradle on my desk while at work, and checking on him every now and then to make sure he was still playing with the toy I had in the yard, and occasionally I would clean up his area and give him some more food. This really is a fun pastime until you get home to the real one!

PROS:
*Simple, easy and fun
*Fair Price
*Great game for the kids

CONS:
*Repetitive
*Graphics are a little lackluster

Bottom Line:
This is a fun little piece of softwarethat can become monotonous at times. Just know what you are getting, and you will be entertained.

Purchase Info:
Available at Handango [Product Link] for free trial download or purchase for just $8.95.