Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector
By Dana Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Buy stuff for awww-inspiring kittens; optional purchases.
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Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector
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What’s It About?
First, watch a brief tutorial for NEKO ATSUME: KITTY COLLECTOR that leads you through the (very few) steps required to play. Then, tap Menu and Shop to buy a few items (food, a ball of yarn). Next, tap Goodies to place the items in the yard to attract kittens. It's important that players note how many regular fish and gold fish they have because they can only purchase items within that limit (or buy more gold fish with real money). Then, it's all about waiting for the first kitty to appear. Once that happens, check the Cat Book for the name of the cat and its specific characteristics, take photos of the cat, and buy more stuff. Sometimes a message appears saying that you have "gifts," and you can accept those. Players need to return to the game many times before they'll see many cats, and sometimes all the cats may be gone, so you'll need to add new items.
Is It Any Good?
There's something satisfying and appealing about collecting the cats and buying them treats, but make sure kids know your rules around purchases. The animation style is distinctly Japanese; the kittens and objects to purchase (including sashimi) are just a cute as can be. Players watch the kittens being adorable by rolling balls of yarn and getting their heads stuck in cake boxes as they wave their little tails in the air. However, kids have to wait for new kittens to appear, which could lead to lots of device checking. Also, though you can change a cat's name in the book, it's unfortunate that there aren't more opportunities for users to interact with the game, such as by adding their own notes. For kids who like to collect things and love all things cute and simple, this is a perfect fit: Just make sure they don't spend a fortune or compulsively check for new cats.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about your in-app purchase rules. Are kids allowed to make purchases? If so, for how much and how often?
Talk about the appeal of this type of game. Is it distracting? Do you find yourself wanting to check the app often? If not, why not?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Pricing structure: Free (optional in-app purchases: $0.99 to $3.99)
- Release date: February 4, 2016
- Category: Kids' Games
- Topics: Cats, Dogs, and Mice
- Publisher: Hit-Point
- Version: 1.5.6
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later; Android 2.3 and up
- Last updated: July 26, 2016
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