SimAnimals (2009). Play online

Summary

SimAnimals drops you into a vibrant forest where a simple floating hand is all the tool you need to coax over thirty Northern‑Hemisphere species into quirky personalities. By arranging trees, rocks, water and even stray logs you build habitats that react to the way you treat each animal, rewarding patience or clever mistreatment with unique behaviors.

A playful DS gimmick lets you blow into the built‑in microphone to stir up wind, sending berries tumbling toward your furry friends. The game also hides exclusive critters—Best Buy sold a DS version with an electric squirrel, while the Wii edition offered a panda, red panda and ferret for early purchasers. Collecting items and solving quirky challenges unlocks secret forest areas and rare creatures with special abilities.

Winifred Phillips composed an atmospheric score that reviewers praised, earning near‑perfect marks from niche music sites. Critics were split on the overall package—Metacritic shows a 60% average, yet USA Today granted five stars, applauding its engaging ecology simulation and charming AI.