Dog Sled Saga in IOS

Roleplaying

Walkthrough, Guilds, Tips on this special game

Our Site Score

87/100

Dog Sled Saga is a soulful management sim that focuses on the bond between a musher and their dogs. Unlike many tycoon games that feel like spreadsheets, this game has a heartbeat. You have to manage your dogs' fatigue, hunger, and happiness while navigating through snowy forests and competing in races.

The racing mechanic is unique—it's a side-scrolling 'catch' game where you toss snacks to your dogs to keep their speed up. If you miss, they slow down; if you hit them in the face, they get stunned. Outside of racing, you're hiring new dogs, managing sponsors, and dealing with the complex internal dynamics of your pack. The pixel art is beautiful and the soundtrack is cozy, making it a perfect game for a rainy afternoon.

Reviewed on: Wed Mar 27 2024
Dinsun Avatar

Dinsun Review

Dinsun here. I wasn't expecting to get so attached to a pack of pixelated huskies, but Dog Sled Saga is special. It’s a management game that actually feels like it has a heart. The 'racing' part is more of a rhythm/timing game—you have to lob treats into the mouths of your dogs without missing—but the real meat is in the management. Balancing budgets, resting your star dogs, and dealing with 'league' politics is surprisingly engaging. It's a slow burn, and the graphics might look 'dated' to some, but to me, it’s a refreshing change from the flashy, soulless games I usually see. It’s quiet, it’s honest, and it’s very well put together.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

  • Heartfelt management systems
  • Satisfying timing-based racing
  • Lovely pixel art
  • Slow pace might bore some
  • UI can be a bit cramped on smaller phones
  • Steep initial learning curve

Technical Report

Performance: Very lightweight; runs perfectly even on older hardware.

Accessibility:
  • Adjustable race speed
  • Simple tap controls

Audience Fit

Buy if: You love management sims and animal-focused stories.

Skip if: You want high-octane action or state-of-the-art 3D graphics.

Similar Games:
  • Kairosoft Games
  • Punch Club
  • Stardew Valley

Reviewer Context

  • Reviewer: Dinsun, 40-year-old conservative critic
  • Hardware: iPhone 11
  • Playtime: 12 hours
  • Status: Major League reached

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

Version 1.0.6Wed Dec 14 2016

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

-Limited time winter holiday art!

Dec. 13 - Jan. 3

-Several crash fixes

-Improved save error reporting

-Check for save errors before overwriting

Note regarding save issues - now, at worst, you will lose some progress on your save, instead of errors possibly making your save unloadable. Any save errors are now better reported to allow them to be fixed more easily!


A game by Dan + Lisa

As a rookie musher, foster a dogsledding team whose skills will grow if they're treated right. Week by week, get to know your dogs' unique traits, and carve your story into the trails of the Mount St. Something region.

Dog Sled Saga has a pick-up-and-play dogsled racing. Each dog's speed is hindered by hunger. Lob a limited supply of food to them to keep at full speed. Hazards on the track await.

By the time you reach the top league, you’ll need to:

- Budget monthly league expenses

- Hire and fire dogs

- Leverage fame to earn sponsorship deals

- Bring on employees for multitasking

- Breed puppies

and more.

Features:

- Pick-up-and-play racing

- Deep team management simulation

- Unique dogs with varying attributes and conditions

- True pixel-grid art style with frame-by-frame animation

- Multi platform save sync via Drive


Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

A game by Dan + Lisa

As a rookie musher, foster a dogsledding team whose skills will grow if they're treated right. Week by week, get to know your dogs' unique traits, and carve your story into the trails of the Mount St. Something region.

Dog Sled Saga has a pick-up-and-play dogsled racing. Each dog's speed is hindered by hunger. Lob a limited supply of food to them to keep at full speed. Hazards on the track await.

By the time you reach the top league, you’ll need to:

- Budget monthly league expenses

- Hire and fire dogs

- Leverage fame to earn sponsorship deals

- Bring on employees for multitasking

- Breed puppies

and more.

Features:

- Pick-up-and-play racing

- Deep team management simulation

- Unique dogs with varying attributes and conditions

- True pixel-grid art style with frame-by-frame animation

- Multi platform save sync via Drive


Ratings & Reviews

4.3 out of 5 with 412 Counts
Age Rating 4+

Screenshots

Dog Sled Saga screenshot 1Dog Sled Saga screenshot 2Dog Sled Saga screenshot 3Dog Sled Saga screenshot 4Dog Sled Saga screenshot 5Dog Sled Saga screenshot 6Dog Sled Saga screenshot 7Dog Sled Saga screenshot 8Dog Sled Saga screenshot 9Dog Sled Saga screenshot 10

In Dog Sled Saga, you are a rookie musher building a career in the competitive world of dog sledding. Every dog in your team has a unique personality and set of stats that change over time. You’ll need to balance your budget, navigate race tracks by tossing snacks to your team, and manage the long-term health and happiness of your dogs. As you gain fame, you'll unlock better gear, higher-tier races, and uncover the mysteries of the Aurora City mushing scene.

Features

1

Deep dog personality and skill system

2

Unique snack-tossing race mechanics

3

Beautiful, minimalist pixel art

4

Sponsorship and fame management

5

Endearing story of human-animal bonding

Tips

Promotion Videos

Dog Sled Saga: iOS iPhone 6S Gameplay Walkthrough (by Dan FitzGerald) - YouTube

Related Videos

Recommended Links

Official Dog Sled Saga Website

Dev blog and support information.

Official

News on this game

New Dogs, New Tricks: Trichotomy Games Brings Mushing to iOS with ‘Dog Sled Saga’

Lisa Bromiel and Dan FitzGerald are the two-person team from Chicago-based Trichotomy Games, and they're making a game about dogsledding.

TouchArcade - Tue Jul 29 2014

Become a Professional Dogsledder in Dog Sled Saga

Dog Sled Saga ($3.99) by Dan FitzGerald is a dogsledding simulation game that will appeal to all dog lovers out there.

AppAdvice - Sat Oct 29 2016

Gameplays

Q&A

Yes, dogs will eventually retire from racing, requiring you to train puppies to take their place in the team.

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