Pillow Pets

Pillow Pets is a 2011 2.5D platform game developed by 1st Playable Productions and published by GameMill Entertainment for the mh:awesomegames:Nintendo DS on October 25, 2011. It is based on the popular toy line of the same name, and was only released in North America.

Why It Sucks

 * 1) While making a video game based on Pillow Pets (a popular toy line) isn't a terrible idea on paper, as it could have the potential to be decent if done properly; unfortunately, just like other games targeted for children that are based on licensed franchises, the execution is not so great.
 * 2) Despite the game being a platformer, it also tries to mix that genre with virtual pet simulation elements, when it's obvious that the two genres don't fit at all with each other.
 * 3) The whole game feels like a Donkey Kong rip-off, sharing similar mechanics and gameplay, such as being able to launch from cannon to cannon, a nice case of unoriginality.
 * 4) Uncanny and off-looking character models, mainly the Pillow Pets. At times, their heads/eyes are a bit too big, and they don't even have Velcro straps for some reason, like on the box art. It is unknown how they are able to walk/glide without them.
 * 5) Boring and flat level design. It is possible to complete a majority of the levels without letting go of the right button on the D-Pad.
 * 6) It is also possible to get stuck in an endless loop of launching from cannon to cannon in some levels, and while you can change the direction of the cannon, the game does not tell you this.
 * 7) The magic wand functions very similar to the Mega Mushroom from mh:awesomegames:New Super Mario Bros., as it turns your Pillow Pet bigger, allowing it to easily break anything that it can't in it's normal size. However, unlike the Mega Mushroom, you immediately turn back small again if you go past the white borders.
 * 8) The music, while not bad, is pretty repetitive, as it feels short and just loops over and over again throughout each world. It also sounds too similar to the DS version of the Yogi Bear movie game (which they ironically also made the previous year), which is especially true given both run off the same music engine.
 * 9) The story is really generic, as the meat of the plot is that you have to get the entire Pillow Pet gang back together. It also feels like an advertisement for the toys this game were based off at this point.
 * 10) Very short length of gameplay. It is possible to complete the game in less than 15 minutes, with only 16 levels to play through, which is far, far too short for a console game, and the levels aren't that long either, making people, including kids feel bored.
 * 11) Not only is the game short, much like Ryan's Rescue Squad, it is also devoid of any challenge, even for its standards, making the game feel pretty boring, even for those of young children.
 * 12) The game, overall, is just a shallow cash grab that was only made as an attempt to promote the Pillow Pets brand.

Redeeming Qualities

 * 1) Despite all of the problems listed above, the game could still be fun for little kids/young children and Pillow Pets fans.
 * 2) The general concept of making a game based on Pillow Pets isn't a bad idea, despite the mediocre execution.
 * 3) You can customize your Pillow Pet with clothing/accessories, which is a pretty decent addition to the game.

Reception
The game currently has an average rating of 3.06/5 on GameFAQs via 8 ratings, and is the 38th lowest rated DS simulation game on the website.