Since virtual pets first appeared on 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 is done “virtually.” However, you need to make sure that you give your pet the best possible care, as this will have a significant effect on their “lives”.
The first example of breeding 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 into millions of homes around the world, the franchise remains wildly popular to this day, basically laying the groundwork for the foundation for the hordes of virtual pets that followed over the next several years.
One of the most popular virtual pet sites these days is Disney’s Club Penguin. Intended for children ages 6 to 14, the site gives users the opportunity to create their own penguins and participate in a variety of interesting activities.
Neopets is another popular site, and it has consistently garnered accolades since it made its online debut in 1997. The site offers a wide variety of games, simulated worlds, and game 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 entering the secret code that comes with the purchase of a real 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 and 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 have some value in terms of teaching children about chores and priorities and preparing them for having a pet, it would be best to limit their use to younger children.