Wobbledogs: Canine Antics and Silly Sandbox Fun!

“I like dogs, big dogs, little dogs, fat dogs, doggy dogs, old dogs, puppy dogs, I like dogs.” – ― Margaret Wise Brown

Overview

Wobbledogs is a 3D pet simulation in which players raise a series of rapidly mutating and very unsteady doggos! It is a very casual, family-friendly sandbox experience designed for players of all ages that are looking to care for their very own virtual pets!

Gameplay

In this sandbox game players look after their collection of pet wobbledogs. They require food, sleep and entertainment and as long as the facilities are available will look after themselves for the most part allowing players to idly enjoy the experience with minimal input if desired. It is also possible to interact with wobbledogs and objects to help things along. Players will see their wobbledogs through from hatching to death, completing the entire life cycle of each pet.

Unlike regular dogs, wobbledogs regularly pupate as they age, mutating in the process. These mutations are based on the type of flora in the wobbledog’s gut and this, in turn, is dictated by the types of food that they eat. Once they are adults they can lay eggs, these can be simply incubated and hatched or can be used for breeding first. In the breeding program, players can combine the genes from any adult wobbledogs repeatedly to try create a new variation. It is only on entering the breeding program that the game autosaves, manual saves need to be done elsewhere in the game.

As time passes and the wobbledogs dig more holes, capsules that unlock things like toys and decorative items are granted. This allows players to customise the pens with things like wallpapers, carpet and flowers to provide a nice environment for their pets.

Narrative and Styling

Whilst players do get a very loose sense of the dog’s personalities there are basically no narrative elements inherent in Wobbledogs. Given that the game is designed so that it can be enjoyed idly, the lack of narrative makes sense and having more would detract from the laid back nature of the gameplay.

Wobbledogs has a silly and vibrant 3D cartoon art style in vibrant, highly saturated colours. It is complemented by the wobbledogs’ floppy and unsteady animation and ragdoll style physics and suits the gameplay very well. Similarly, the cute, upbeat music and rather jolly sound effects, such as the wobbledogs barking, match both the visuals and the gameplay with all aspects of the game working in tandem together to create a carefree and enjoyable experience.

Summary

Overall Wobbledogs is a surreal and charming experience. It provides a good amount of silliness and allows players to be more or less involved in the game depending on preference. That being said, even at its most active, Wobbledogs is a highly casual game and will not appeal to all players for that reason. I would recommend this to younger audiences or anyone looking to idle away a few hours every now and again.

For more delightful dog games, check out the following reviews:
Dogs Organised Neatly – Like Tetris but Cuter and More Relaxing! – Pupperazzi – Relax with this Cute Dog Photography Game!

Did you like this article? Consider supporting Indie Hive through Patreon! Patrons receive an early access article on Sundays!