The game retains much the same style of gameplay as the original Nintendogs, including various breeds of dogs and cats as well as training exercises included in the first game. But, the tricks have been changed, for now when you teach your pet tricks, there is a limit to how many tricks you may do per day, and you now get a tutorial for each trick as you keep playing. You now no longer need to say the exact same name of the trick (e.g In addition to touchscreen and microphone input, the game also employs the system's camera along with facial recognition technology to interact with the player.
For example, after a while, the player's pet will recognize them and will likewise greet them. However, if a new player shows up, they may react negatively. If the trainer puts their face close to the camera then the puppy will come up to the screen and lick them, they will also mimic them if they tilt their head. The 3D capabilities of the 3DS are also utilized. The game also uses augmented reality capabilities to project the player's dog or cat onto one of the "?" AR Games cards. In addition to this, if one of the Nintendo character cards (i.e. Mario, Link, Samus, Kirby etc...) is used, the dogs will appear wearing hats, fitting the theme of their respective games (These hats are also in the 3DS built-in app, StreetPass Mii Plaza by unlocking them when a dog or cat hero defeats an enemy depending on the room there are in in Find Mii). The game uses SpotPass and often a Presidential Victor will appear, which is a President and their dog coming to your games and you can meet up with them at the park.
