Since virtual pets first hit the market in the mid-1990s, their popularity has literally skyrocketed around the world. Today, there are many such examples available on the market, and the online world also has its own share of cleverly designed virtual animals.
Just like a real flesh and blood pet, artificial pets are often cute and endearing, and can really brighten anyone’s day. Just like a real dog, virtual dogs also require a lot of care and attention, although much of this takes place “virtually”. However, you need to make sure that you provide your pet with the best possible care, as this will have a significant effect on their “lives”.
The first example of raising such creatures in a software environment was Puppy Love. Released in 1986 on the Macintosh platform, the game was developed by Tom Snyder Productions. This idea was later used in another game called Dragon Quest V, which was released in 1992 by Chunsoft.
Numerous variations on the theme quickly followed, with the 1990s being a particularly active period for many software developers. The decade saw the release of Dogz in 1995, with Catz making his commercial debut the following year. The two would later merge into a franchise called Petz. Perhaps the most famous virtual animals, however, were the Pokémon released by Nintendo in 1995. Bringing the concept of computer simulated pets to millions of homes around the world, the franchise remains hugely popular to this day, and it basically sat the foundation for the hordes of virtual pets that followed for years to come.
One of the most popular virtual pet sites these days is Disney’s Club Penguin. Intended for children ages 6-14, the site gives users the opportunity to create their own penguins and take part in a variety of interesting activities.
Neopets is another popular site, and has consistently earned accolades since it made its online debut in 1997. The site offers a wide variety of games, simulated worlds, and play environments, and there’s even an exclusive community populated by other pet owners.
Finally, you might want to check out Webkinz, which offers access to a virtual pet after you enter the secret code that comes with the purchase of an actual Webkinz plush toy.
Virtual pets and games involving them are, of course, immensely popular with children around the world, although questions have been raised regarding their suitability for such a young audience. Many of these games involve games that last several days or even weeks or months, and can take up a great deal of time that would be better spent studying. In fact, many educational institutions around the world now prohibit students from playing these games during school. Although these games do have some value in terms of teaching children about tasks and priorities and preparing them for pet ownership, it would be best to limit their use to younger children.
