Healed by realistic purring sounds…3 "recommended cat games" that cat lovers are hooked on

For many people, this time of year brings a growing excitement for summer vacation, with the thought of "just a little more work, then Obon holidays!" This summer, with its extreme heat, it's likely that many are planning to "lounge around at home." 

At such times, cat games that offer healing can be enjoyed. In fact, I'm such a game enthusiast that I bought a "Steam Deck," a handheld gaming console that can play PC-exclusive games. This time, I'll introduce a few games with cat elements that are sure to resonate with cat lovers. Please consider them for your holiday companions.

The Classic Cat Game: "Stray"

This cat game was very popular for a while. While it may not need an introduction now, I'll briefly outline the game anyway.

The setting is a cyberpunk city with mysteriously glowing neon lights. The protagonist, an orange tabby cat, explores the dilapidated cyberpunk city.

This game is played from a third-person perspective, making it accessible even to those who are not good at FPS (first-person shooter) games. Moreover, despite being a third-person perspective, the world seen from a cat's eye view is incredibly realistic, making you exclaim, "So this is the kind of scenery cats see every day...!"

(Source: Nintendo Store)

Since I live with an orange tabby, my beloved cat's image overlapped with the protagonist cat, making it feel even more realistic. I believe those who live with an orange tabby, like me, will become even more engrossed in the story.

This game has combat elements, making it an exciting work that offers thrills and excitement. However, what really hit home for me was being able to do things from a cat's perspective that we normally see from a human perspective, such as knocking things over or getting into paper bags.

Whenever I saw my beloved cat doing such things in daily life, I used to wonder, "Why do they do that?" But doing it myself in the game was, to put it mildly, incredibly fun. After playing, I sympathized with the cat's feelings, thinking, "Of course you want to knock things off the table and get into bags!" I've reduced the number of times I scold my cat for mischief.

This game fulfills the dream of cat lovers to "become a cat" while also teaching a little about the challenges of living as a cat. Please give it a try.

Realistic Purring for Healing in "Moonlight Peaks"

For those who find games with combat elements a bit daunting, I recommend "Moonlight Peaks," a life simulation game that just launched this summer.

The protagonist of this game is, surprisingly, a vampire. In typical life simulation games, you usually act during the day and sleep in bed at night, but since the protagonist of this game is a vampire, their active hours are at night. Furthermore, the residents you interact with are not human; they are werewolves, witches, mermaids, and so on.

(Source: Nintendo Store)

Life simulation games often feature heartwarming relationships, but this game has a somewhat darker backstory, with residents struggling with alcoholism and children troubled by their fathers, which paradoxically adds a sense of realism.

In this game, the protagonist shares their life with a three-eyed black cat. When you pet this black cat, a realistic purring sound plays, which is incredibly soothing! While it doesn't particularly increase your bond level, listening to this purring is so comforting that I spent my in-game mornings, after waking from my coffin (bed), immediately petting the cat. It's just like real life...

And this cat has quite a variety of dialogue patterns. Every morning, when you talk to it, it says something different. What's more, its lines are exactly what you'd expect from a cat-sama, treating the protagonist, its owner, as a mere servant. As a cat lover, I can't help but chuckle. 

Without giving too much away, as the story progresses, the protagonist gains the ability to transform into a cat and move around—a feature that will delight cat lovers! I felt that this game also fulfills the cat lover's dream of "wanting to be a cat."

Brain Training with Cats in "Meowdoku"

Finally, there's the mobile game "Meowdoku." This is a new puzzle game that combines Sudoku and Minesweeper. It's a brain-training game where you deduce and find cats hidden somewhere on a color-coded board.

(Source: Google Play store)

As is common with mobile games, the initial stages are quite smooth and exhilarating. As the levels increase, the stages become so difficult that you might think, "I have no idea where the cats are..." However, you can get hints by watching ads, so there's no need to worry about getting stuck and unable to clear a level. 

My husband found this game, and I got hooked as well. We enjoy competing by asking each other, "What level are you on now?" and asking for help (mostly me) when we get stuck.

I'm not good at math, and games with numbers like Sudoku make me groan, but perhaps because of the cuteness of the cats, I'm able to enjoy this game without any resistance.

What's cute is that when you find a cat, it meows, "Nya!" And the meows have a variety of pitches, from high to low. Sometimes I even laugh and think, "That cat's meow was low, wasn't it?"

If I had one wish, it would be for cats with different fur colors and patterns besides the bicolored cats to appear. I think the game would be even more fun if we could find a wider variety of cats.

There are surprisingly many games featuring cats, and encountering them always brings joy. If you have any other recommended games with cats, please let me know.

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