Purr Pals

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Im-purrfect cat sim stresses obligation over fun.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

Find out more

Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that these virtual cats won't die if neglected. The game encourages kids to take good care of their virtual cats over time so that they can win cat shows and more virtual dollars to spend on their pets or their home. To win a show, the player has to turn on the DS at least twice a day and care for the virtual pet. Depending on the kind of cat show, the game tracks the player's ability to care for a virtual pet over a period of one to five days.

  • Not applicable.
  • Purina is clearly written on your cat's feeding bowl. Other Purina endorsements appear within the game.

What's it about?

In PURR PALS, you select a kitten from the 40 different breeds, and then customize it by choosing its markings, eye color, and whiskers. You can also decide if your kitty is female or male, and name it. Your cat lives in your DS in a three-room abode with a garden where you care for it by petting, playing, feeding, and grooming it. You get a daily allowance to spend on food and other items for your cat, based on how attentive you are to your cat's needs.

You can add to your income by entering and winning cat shows, and by playing four Mini games. Our testers' favorite was the Music Game, which combines Dance Dance Revolution mechanics with Elite Beat Agents gameplay. You interact with your cat by selecting icons: Tap the hearts icon, for example, and you can pet your cat by simply rubbing your stylus over its body. Entering cat shows can also win you money, but there is nothing to them.


Is it any good?

 

While these kittens are cute, their antics were not enough to sustain the interest of our testers over time. The routine quickly changed from fun to obligation. Also, the game is buggy, with camera angles that stick your kitten's head into a wall and screens that freeze up, requiring you to reboot the game.

If you are thinking of getting a cat, this simulation may actually work to dissuade you. Cats are much more entertaining in real life. And the price of this game is a bit high, so you might want to rent instead of buy.


Sign Up Message
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Each week we send a customized newsletter to our parent and teen subscribers. Parents can customize their settings to receive recommendations and parent tips based on their kids’ ages. Teens receive a version just for them with the latest reviews and top picks for movies, video games, apps, music, books, and more.
Please enter an email address.
Please check your email address for possible typos.
Sorry, you must be 13 or older to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Sign me up!

What families can talk about

Families can talk about whether taking care of this virtual kitty is fun or an obligation. Do you like getting a new virtual kitty or do you feel attached to the first one you bought? Does playing this game make you want to own a cat? Did you notice the Purina advertising in the game?


This review was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
Kid, 13 years old
November 27, 2009
 
Excessive Purina-ness, Educational and Sends Positive Messages about Taking Care of a Cat
This is a good game for the kitty lovers. Purina is obviously shown on the food, but overall it is very educational. It teaches young children how to take care of a cat. It's cute and fun. It also sends good messages about keeping your cat happy and playing with it so that it will always feel like it loves you. It's an overall really cute game for girls and boys!

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 13 years old
November 1, 2009
 
Perfect for all ages!
This game is fun. It lets you take care of up to 5 cats, play games, and dress up your pet. Great game!

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 12 years old
September 29, 2010
 
It gets boring after a while. You need a lot of money to get a new cat, and the most you get is about 5, 10 bucks. But it does teach about taking care of a cat.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 14 years old
June 6, 2010
 
Not worth $$
Good game. Stresses Purina, though. A lot of in-game ads. Overall a pretty good game. Not worth the price tag, though.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 15 years old
February 11, 2010
 
cute...
a super cute and some-what relaxing game. the only thing little kids might think is scary is that you can give your cat red eyes and fangs. an adorable game that would not hold a boys attention for over an hour.

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 15 years old
January 31, 2009
 
my sister loves this game
she found the game very interesting

Flag as inappropriate 

This review was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
Platforms:Nintendo DS
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Simulation
Developer:Crave Entertainment
Release date:March 29, 2007
Price:$30
ESRB rating:E

This review was written by Jinny Gudmundsen

Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.

 

Review It

Share your review with others

Hang on! You need to be a member to post your review.
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines.

Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.


About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

Great alternatives handpicked by our editors

 

vote now

Will you play Purr Pals?


Already played it? What do you think?

 

Been There? Tell us about it