I had a cat once. She was cute but had some habits that drove me crazy. Sneaking into the neighbors house to eat their dog's food, but worst of all, sneaking into the bedroom at night and launching an attack on my feet while I tried to sleep.
Perhaps Angus has had experience of cat ownership, because his game, Krazy Kitties, covers all the bases of cat ownership. Angus has made a game that includes:
- Cats
- Cats attacking your feet
- Cat food
- Cats stealing neighbor's cat food.
Rather wonderfully, this game was written on on a real toastrack speccy and saved it to tape. However, Angus could not locate any software to make a TZX file so he has not been able to make a proper game file with loading screen. On the up side, he attached the screenshot (above) - which is rather charming. Although, getting the game as an actual tape in the post would have been brilliant!!
Angus, AKA "absinthe_boy" on WOS forum, has entered the crap game comp on and off since about 2011. But while Angus assures me that his crap games are usually the finest simulations the 8-bit world has ever known, this time Angus has tried something different. He has decided to celebrate cat ownership. "Krazy Ktties" sees Dave and Dolly trying to attack your foot. The game's blurb promises "Superb graphics that realistically capture Dave and Dolly in all their furry glory. Fast paced arcade action. Thrilling intro sequence. Realistic meows! Random bonus screens where the neighbour's void cat breaks in and tries to steal your kitties' food! Literally minutes of fun for all the family, and that's just loading the thing! Full instructions provided - Believe the hype!"
But does the actual game deliver on all this outrageous hype?
No. No, it doesn't. This is a proper crap game of the most charming variety. Firstly, this basic game has the typical flashing UD Graphics. The word 'FOOD' is written in the top left of the screen - for reasons unknown. If you walk over it with your foot, then it disappears.
You play a red foot, that moves slowly, being chased by 2 'cat' UDGs that move very quickly and make a b-line to your location. You may last a few seconds before either or both the cats get you foot and you lose a life.
Then when you least expect it, the game changes mode, and now a pair of YELLOW cats eyes appear and head directly for the FOOD. Now, if you walk over the FOOD word it is redrawn, for some reason.
When this cat is on screen the words 'VOID CAT' appear on right panel, for some reason. I have no idea what to do during this part. The cat walks to the food and stays next to it. Nothing I do makes any difference.
So I move the FOOT around a bit. There is a purple frame for the play area, BUT you cannot enter the bottom line of the playing area.
Its all bonkers, weird and crap in the best way possible.
Final thoughts
Angus tells me he has recently got a cat after a long period of cat-less living. I wonder if he is regretting it? No, surely not. No-one who so vividly captures the experiences of cat ownership in an 8 bit game could have such regrets.
This game is crap in all the right ways, and plenty of effort has been made - as Krazy Kitties has 2 games modes, nice intro and cool loading screen. While the fact it was made on a real spectrum and saved to tape is just - well, the cat meow!
Try here
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