Not content with simply reviewing the merits of Nintendogs as a game, LA Weekly has done an anlysis on its impact on the human psyche. "Nintendogs has many soft psychological benefits ... bonding, nurturing and the increase in emotional regulation and stamina and... provides us with a sense of nurture and responsibility.”
We don't think you should cancel your next therapist appointment just yet, but the article does raise some interesting questions regarding the power of machines to create empathy in human beings.
It might not be the likes of Skynet of HAL that get us in the end. It might just be the DS. Personally, we can't wait for the arrival of our new Nintendo overlords.
