Eidos Interactive, one of the worlds leading publishers and developers of entertainment software, today announced that Pony Friends, the new virtual pet game designed exclusively for the Nintendo DS system and developed by Australia based Tantalus, will be available in 2007 in North America.
Taking advantage of an increasingly successful market for the Nintendo DS, Eidos is publishing the game for the animal sim genre which is highly popular with gamers, particularly younger players.
Accessible to all ages, Pony Friends will appeal to anyone with a love of animals. The game allows players to become immersed in a world where they can care for and groom a number of ponies and undertake surprise challenges from a cast of characters. Players create a stable filled with a choice of six authentic or customized pony breeds. Each pony can then be further personalized by choosing various attributes such as favorite foods, grooming tools,
customized blankets, be-jeweled shoes and bridles and unique saddles.
Pony Friends is an exciting project for Eidos that addresses a successful and increasingly popular market segment, said Matt Gorman, marketing director, Eidos. Kids will enjoy this game immensely as it gives them a chance to own and care for their own virtual pony as well as extending the equestrian universe to include a more involved experience for the player such as exciting country trail rides where they can photograph a huge variety of animals and a range of challenging competitions.
Pony Friends players can use the Nintendo DS stylus to perform a broad range of varied and authentic activities which would befit a real pony including cleaning stones and shells out your pony's hooves, brushing its mane or
designing a unique saddle blanket. Daily play will also ensure that your pony
is the prettiest, healthiest, fastest, most talented pony helping you to
perform better in events throughout the year and hopefully scoop top prize in
the prestigious perfect pony competition.
Pony Friends will be available on the Nintendo DS and will be available in Europe and the US in 2007.