The Sims 2: Pets

The Sims 2: Pets is an unlikely marriage of three hit games from last year: the poop-scooping Nintendogs, stylus-slicing Trauma Center and of course, the portable version of The Sims 2. In the upcoming Pets, you'll play as a veterinarian, who you'll get to create from scratch (we anticipate a few reprisals of Jennifer Love Hewitt's vet role in Garfield).

After you've created your vet, you'll move on to making customized pets from the nine different breeds of both puppies and kittens, tweaking and trimming their features with the stylus to your heart's content.

Your dog- and kitten-whispering sim will run a clinic that can house up to three furry patients. It's up to you to decide which ones need the most intensive care, and which ones can be treated and sent home. Like in Trauma Center, you'll care for sick and injured pets with your stylus, from giving shots to calming them with a friendly petting. Your patients will have a happiness meter at the top of the screen, so it's important to keep them comfortable and calm.

The clinic doors open on October 17, 2006, when The Sims 2: Pets comes to retail.To preview all the furry mayhem in store, check out the Movies tab above.