Two weeks ago, a Facebook friend shared a screenshot Neko Atsume a Japanese app/game. I’m not really sure you can call it a game since it’s all about collecting cats. Neko Atsume literally means cat collecting. Best of all the app is free (but has in-app purchasing).
The premise of the game is simple:
- Place food, toys, and furniture in your yard. Options are diverse: hats, balls, cat condos, cardboard boxes, vases (!), stuffed animals and pillows.
- Cats come visit and play with the toys
- They gift you with fish when they leave. The fish are the currency you need to buy fancy food and nicer toys.
I find the game relaxing and low maintenance. The kids find the cats to be incredibly cute. (Me too.) One week into the game, we earned enough gold fish to expand our yard. A few days after, we remodeled our space to become more “zen.”
The cat isn’t officially “collected” until you photograph him/her and add it to your “Catbook.” Now the kids are on a mission to collect every rare cat. Make sure you visit the “News” section in the menu everyday for the password. Entering the password nets you gifts of fish.
Neko Atsume Rare Cats
Here are the rare cats we’ve collected so far and what objects you need to attract them.
Xerxes IX prefers the zanzibar cushion.
Billy the Kitten likes the cowboy hat.
Guy Furry (like Guy Fieri): likes the glass vase or the heating stove.
Joe DiMeowgio (Guess who he’s named after): To get Joe, you need to buy the baseball.
Mr. Meowgi likes the scratching log.
Ms. Fortune visits when you have the cardboard house.
Ramses the Great prefers a pyramid tent.
Senor Don Gato will duel against Mister Mouse.
You don’t need anything special for big fat Tubbs. He’ll just come randomly and eat all your food–as long as the bowl is outside. He doesn’t come inside. he’s also a fan of the giant cushion.
Bob the Cat will come when you have a cat metropolis.
The kids are working on getting some other rare cats. We’ve collected almost everyone!
Do you play Neko Atsume? Who’s your favorite cat?
Thanks for this! My girls are home sick this week–one with flu and one with strep–so I downloaded the app for them and they’re really enjoying it.