OVERALL IMPRESSION:
Cats & Soup Magic Recipe is on the surface a matching game about cats making soup. As you delve deeper into the game, it’s actually a series of mini-games that allows you to acquire new cats, new outfits and decorate a house. The main draw of this cozy game is the undeniable cuteness in the art design. The storybook like aesthetic is perfect for a relaxing game. The charm comes not just from the cats and outfits, but also the array of mini-games that you encounter along the way. The core gameplay is a basic matching game that lets you acquire ingredients for various recipes. Along the way you’ll also unlock various mini-games like chopping fruit or blowing up balloons. These games help keep the overall experience interesting and fun. The other major aspect of the game is dressing up your cats and upgrading their home. Overall, it’s a simple and relaxing experience that allows you to feel like you’ve progressed with short play sessions.
GAMEPLAY & ART DESIGN:
The core gameplay is a matching game. There are specific ingredients that you need to create. You’ll have access to basic ingredients and can combine the same type of ingredient to gain a new one. As you progress, you’ll gain access to more base ingredients and the cycle continues with new recipes. Along the way, you’ll also gain access to different mini-games. There’s a bit of everything here, from manoeuvring a rocket ship to popping balloons, cutting fruit, fishing and arranging items in a specific sequence to name a few. The variety and introduction of new games helps keep the experience feeling fresh. The games themselves offer a fair challenge. To achieve the highest score in each of them you’ll likely need a few tires, but most of them are achievable.
The long term draw of the game is the ability to gain new cats and a wardrobe to customize and dress them up as you see fit. The art design is well executed in a style that is akin to a classic kids’ storybook. The designs are simple, elegant and effective to produce maximum cuteness. It’s some of the best in the cozy genre. In addition to dressing up your cats, you’ll also be able to upgrade your home for them. So far the options seem fixed in that you won’t be able to actually customize the home, but more so develop it along a pre-determined path. Nevertheless, it’s still a fun way to feel like you’ve progressed in the game as you go from a single tree to an actual home.
CHALLENGES:
The main challenge and charm is the basic gameplay. This is a simple and relaxing game that’s meant to be played in short bursts. Although there are a variety of fun mini-games along the way, the long term appeal of the game may dwindle as the core mechanics of the matching game and mini-games can become repetitive over time. However, since much of the game revolves around getting cats and dressing them up, those that enjoy the customization that is available may be motivated to stay with the title in the long run.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
Cats & Soup Magic Recipe is a cute and cozy matching game that allows you to dress up your cats and upgrade their home. It’s a nice and relaxing title that you can enjoy a little bit each day. Although certain elements of the simple gameplay loop can get repetitive, there’s still a lot of joy in watching your home evolve and acquiring and dressing up your crew of cats. For those that love a cozy game with cats, cooking and mini-games you’ll want to check this out.
GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: Android, iOS
RELEASE: 2024
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Hidea
GENRE/TAGS: Cozy, Match, Mini Games, Dress up, Decorate
TARGET AUDIENCE: Those that love cats, cooking, playing dress up and a relaxing gameplay experience.
THANKS:
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