Steam] February 22nd is "Nyan Nyan Nyan"! PC cat games to play on Cat's Day Part 2

MagiCat

• MagiCat (Kucing Rembes)
• Genre: Action
• Released on August 22, 2017
• Price: 520 yen (as of February 14, 2021)
• Copyright: (c) 2017 Kucing Rembes

As it is the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. the "Game & Watch Super Mario Bros." was produced for a limited time to enjoy the first Mario and Mario 2 in the palm of your hand. I also got one and actually played it, and realized once again that although 3D action games are the mainstream nowadays, I, as a member of the Mario generation, really like 2D action games.

MagiCat" is a game that reminds me of those good old 2D action games.

The main character is a cute kitten wearing a big witch's hat. In order to recover the stolen treasure, she sets out on a great adventure with a total of 63 stages in 7 worlds. When you start the game, an animated prologue to the story begins, and you will be soothed by the cuteness of the kitty, who expresses her emotions using only "nya" (meaning "I love you").

The game features beautiful dot graphics reminiscent of the Super Nintendo era.

The stage-clear type system uses a world map system, which, combined with the graphics, reminded me of "Super Mario World" and got me excited.

Players control a cat to explore the brightly colored world map and select a stage where a signboard stands. The fact that all the stages have their own names is also somewhat retro-game-like, which is a nice touch.

The stages are simple side-scrolling with an old-fashioned atmosphere. There are three basic actions that the player cat can perform: jump, attack, and dash. The "Attack" is a parabolic paw-shaped ball, similar to the fireball in the "Super Mario" series. Mario needs to take a fire flower in order to shoot fire, but "Magikat" can attack with a paw ball by default.

Dash" is a special action that consumes MP, which is increased by taking potion items in the stage. Dashing allows the player to move a short distance in the air, which is useful when trying to reach places that are out of reach of normal jumps.

Jumping, a familiar action in 2D side-scrolling action games, allows the player to attack by stepping on enemies in a Mario-like manner. By holding down the jump button, you can also flop in the air for a short while, which is somewhat reminiscent of "Yoshi's Island" on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

While there are some special controls, such as dashing, the overall controls are simple and intuitive. The fact that all actions can be freely set to any key in the key configurator also gives the impression of being user-friendly.

The player moves onward, taking care to avoid obstacles such as thorns, while defeating enemies. This is such an orthodox 2D side-scrolling action game, but what is noteworthy is the existence of "Gems," red diamond-like items.

The three "Gems" provided in each stage are collectible items that are a challenging element, similar to the "red coins" in the Mario series or the "special flowers" in Yoshi's Island. The Gems are placed in locations that are a little difficult to get to, and require a little more advanced action techniques, such as stepping on switches and defeating all enemies that appear within a time limit.

There is no need to collect Gems just to clear the game, but since they are used as currency in the item stores on the map, it is important to collect as many as possible. Also, the Gem acquisition status is clearly displayed on the stage signboards on the map and on the in-game record page called "Progress," so the gamer's spirit of "I want to collect all three to clear the game" will be tickled whether you want it or not.

Another feature of this game is the wide variety of gimmicks that appear in the stages.

From standard action game gimmicks such as "jumping blocks," "water," and "breakable blocks," to tricky gimmicks such as "colored blocks that turn on and off when the corresponding colored switch is pressed," they add spice to the action and puzzle elements of the stages. The game is also available in a variety of colors, from "color block" to "color block".

Furthermore, these gimmicks are different for each stage, so the game as a whole is designed in a way that will never become boring.

An additional feature of this title is the bosses that await you at the end of each stage.

The boss characters, which are gigantic versions of the zako enemies that appear in that stage, not only attack strongly, but are in such a way that they cannot be defeated without making full use of the gimmicks that appear in the stage. Therefore, the game has a "stage graduation test" feel to it, and is very challenging.

If you are beaten, you will not start over from the beginning of the stage, but from a save point that is activated by consuming MP. The game is also designed so that there is always a save point just before the boss.

Magikat" is a side-scrolling action game with cute graphics, solid gameplay, and a perfect blend of nostalgia and novelty. The game is reasonably priced, but has a lot to offer, so if you like retro games and action games, you should definitely give it a try.

Neko Navy "

• Neko Navy " by DeathMofuMofu
• Genre: Shooting
• Released: June 15, 2017
• Price: 1,120 yen (as of February 14, 2021)
• Copyright: (C) 2017 DeathMofuMofu

There are two types of 2D shooting games: "vertical shooters," in which your ship progresses upward on the screen, and "horizontal shooters," in which your ship progresses to the right (or left) side of the screen. XEVIOUS" and "TWINBY" are representative of vertical shooters, and "GRADIUS" and "R-TYPE" are representative of horizontal shooters, but I am definitely a fan of horizontal shooters, especially the "PARODIUS" series, which I played every day on my SNES as a child. The music is the best, isn't it? Parodius: ......

The "Neko Navy" game I am about to introduce to you is a side-scrolling shooter in which cats are the main characters.

This shooting game consists of 7 stages with loose and cute hand-drawn graphics.

There are three difficulty levels available: "EASY," "HARD," and "DEATH," with "HARD" being the normal difficulty level, but as the game notes, "suitable for shooters," it is a fairly challenging difficulty level with a barrage of enemies.

For me, a shooter who likes shooting but does not have much confidence in my skills, "EASY" was just the right level of difficulty for me.

Incidentally, "DEATH" is, as the name suggests, a level of difficulty where the moment you let your guard down, you die instantly. The warning sign said "Gekimuzu course (don't do it)," and when I recklessly ignored the advice and took on the challenge, I was wiped out in no time in the early stages of Stage 1. ......

After deciding on the difficulty level, you will be asked to select your ship. In this game, the aircraft is a flying cat. Not only do they look different, but each has a different performance, such as a normal shot or a special attack, the bomber.

MUGI," with its cute gray stripes, is the cat with the most standard performance, and its bombs explode on the spot for a while after they are released.
MIRACLE," a Siamese cat with a cute smile, is an attack-type performance cat with both shots and bombs focused on the front.
CHIYOKO, a slightly plump cat with a characteristic mousy expression, is a type that can fire shots over a wide area.

Bombs can also attack the entire screen, making it easy to get out of a pinch and, in my opinion, the easiest character to use.

This specification that allows players to freely choose their own ship according to their own play style is a great feature for both beginners and experienced shooters.

The stage scrolls from left to right in an orthodox side-scrolling shooting style.

Not to be outdone by the flying cat, the enemies are characterized by their generally loose visuals. It is easy to feel relaxed about the game, but there is no time to relax because the enemies' attacks are fierce.

In the center of the cat, which is the player's ship, there is a shiny pink dot where the player is judged to be hit by the enemy.

The fun of shooting games is said to be divided into "the pleasure of shooting" and "the pleasure of avoiding", but this title is seamless in that you can enjoy the "pleasure of shooting" as you destroy hordes of enemies, not to mention the "pleasure of avoiding" the intense barrage of enemies, because the explosions that occur when enemies are destroyed are well-designed. I had the impression that the game was made without any gaps.

When you destroy the enemies, you will see a jumble of pale blue cats, which are so-called "score items.

Shooting games often have an aspect of a battle against oneself to see how high a score can be achieved, and this is also true in this game.

In "Neko Navy," your high score is recorded in a ranking format, and an Internet ranking system is also implemented to allow you to compete with the best players on Steam. Incidentally, the game's ranking system uses a name entry system that allows players to enter three letters of the alphabet.

This is the kind of thing that arcade enthusiasts love!

Cat items accumulate in a gauge around your ship as you collect them, and once a lap is completed, you can shoot a bomber. The bomber turns all enemies and their bullets into gold items that score higher than the cat items, so you should actively aim to score points by shooting as many as possible. In this title, obtaining a score will lead to a 1-up score for your ship, so the bomber is indispensable to clear all stages.

In addition, there is a "Brave Shot" system that allows players to aim for a high score by getting as close to the enemy as possible to defeat it, which earns them a bonus. The "risk-reward" element, in which players are rewarded for taking risks, seems to add depth to the gameplay of this game.

An essential part of a shooting game is the boss.

One of the most exciting aspects of a shooting game is how to defeat the bosses, who overwhelm the player with their huge appearance and various attack methods. The bosses in "Neko Navy" are truly unique and fascinating. They include the "Melty Heart," a giant flying mecha, and the "Nikujin," a creepy living mass of flesh, all with impressive visuals, and they all stand before the player with a barrage of terrifying bullets. The boss battles were a model of what one should expect from a good shooter, where the player must figure out the attack patterns of the bosses while being beaten repeatedly, and when the bosses were defeated, the player could see how his or her skill had improved.

Although the loose-looking characters and the intense barrage of bullets tend to catch the eye, the game has been carefully designed to be easy to play, with "good visibility of enemy bullets," "score items and backgrounds are lightly tinted so that they cannot be confused with enemies or enemy bullets," and "scores change colors in four-digit increments. The score is divided into four digits and the color changes.

This is a game that can be enjoyed by a wide range of players, from those who love shooting games to those who are unfamiliar with shooting games.

Hidden Paws "

• Hidden Paws " by Manic Hyena
• Genre: Puzzle
• Released on March 23, 2018
• Price: 310 yen (as of February 14, 2021)
• Copyright: (c) 2018 Manic Hyena

The lyrics of a famous children's song say, "Cats curl up under the kotatsu." I was completely convinced that all cats are vulnerable to the cold because of the image of this song, but I was a bit surprised to find out that long-haired cats are relatively resistant to cold weather when I researched.

The "Hidden Paws" game introduced here is about a cat that gets snowed in instead of curled up in a kotatsu.

The game takes place on a cold island covered in white snow, where small cats stand shivering in the cold. The player's objective is to find the cats by moving the camera around in circles and clicking on them. This means that the player has "found the cats and brought them home," and hearts will fill up around the cats. Cute .......

The player's objective in "Hidden Paws" is to search for hidden cats on more than a dozen different islands of various sizes. It is like a cat version of the famous picture book "Wally wo Sagase" (Search for Wally), and can be called a cat-hunting game instead of a thing-hunting game.

The game is based on a "clear the stage" system, in which players advance to the next stage by finding a certain number of cats hidden in the stage, but there is no time limit.

Incidentally, in addition to cats, there are also yarn balls hidden in the stages. You need to collect a certain number of these balls to clear a stage, and you have to find them together with the cats, but since they are smaller than cats, it may be a little difficult to find them.

Cats in the real world can be found in unexpected places such as narrow spaces or high places, and the same is true of the cats in "Hidden Paws. Cats in "Hidden Paws" also hide in narrow crevices, behind objects, and in other places that are difficult to see at a glance. They may also hide in closed boxes or under bundles of lumber, forcing the player to click in every suspicious place. If the player still cannot find the cat, the "meow" is helpful. The cats in this game make little meowing noises when the player approaches them, so the key to finding the cats is to rely not only on the eyes but also on the ears to find them.

In addition to the cute cats, one of the most notable features of this title is the richness of the island's landscape. There are tall islands with spiral slopes, small islands with only a single house, a single tree, and a street lamp, and small islands illuminated by a huge lighthouse and its pale light. There is even an island full of penguins, which stirs the imagination as to why the cats have wandered into the midst of this flock of penguins.

Cute cats and the beauty of snowy islands soothe you in "Hidden Paws. If you are looking for a relaxing puzzle game, please check it out.

Cats are the flower of games and the best healer of all!

So, we have introduced three recommended games.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of games featuring cats in a variety of genres, including action, shooting, and puzzle games. No matter what genre of game you play, when cats appear in a game, it makes it all the more exciting and relaxing!　So, as a cat lover, I will continue to discover wonderful cat games, so please look forward to the next issue!