Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector+ Apple Arcade

Our Site Score

89/100

Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector+ is less of a 'game' in the traditional sense and more of a digital pet terrarium, and it is absolutely brilliant at being exactly that. In an era where mobile games constantly demand your attention with push notifications, daily energy meters, and flashing advertisements, Neko Atsume is a breath of fresh air. It asks for maybe three minutes of your time a day: you fill the food bowl, buy a new cardboard box, snap a picture of a fat cat stuck in a tube, and leave. It’s pure serotonin.

The progression is slow and steady. You are heavily incentivized to save up for the yard expansion, which completely opens up the game and doubles your feline real estate. Figuring out which specific, expensive toys attract the 'Rare Cats' (like the baseball-playing cat or the samurai cat) provides a nice long-term goal. The art style is minimalist and incredibly cute, and the little animations of the cats face-planting into cushions never fail to make me smile.

Having this on Apple Arcade is fantastic because it removes the temptation to just buy your way to the premium currencies. You earn your Golden Fish the old-fashioned way—through patience and quality cat food. If you need a completely stress-free app to briefly escape into during a busy day, this is essential.

Reviewed on: Sun Oct 15 2023

Dinsun Review

I don't understand the fascination with this. You put out a bowl of food, close the app, and come back later to see a picture of a cat. That’s it. There is no skill, no strategy, and no agency. Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector+ is less a game and more a digital screensaver that occasionally pings you to look at a cartoon animal. It’s the ultimate 'non-game' for a generation that doesn't want to actually play anything.

Now, if you want something that requires zero effort and provides a tiny hit of dopamine when a new cat shows up, I suppose this is perfect. The art is cute, and it’s certainly peaceful. But as someone who grew up needing reflexes and brains to beat a level, I find this incredibly tedious. It’s well-made for what it is, and I appreciate that the Arcade version removes the 'nibbling' microtransactions, but it’s still just watching paint dry with whiskers.