Cats are cute. Cats are Cuddly. Cats are curious and … cats are CRUEL!! That is why they make such an awesome army, able to take down enemies one battle at a time.
In Battle Cats, players build and develop their own army of feline super troops and fight furry fiends all over the world, in order to win points and level up. The app was developed by PONOS and really is a wacky but wonderful game to play.
It is great for anyone aged 10 or over and is even suitable for dog-people. The app is supported by Android and iOS devices and is available to download from the apple store and the google play store. So read on to find out all you need to know about why Battle Cats is the purrfect app for you.
How Do You Play Battle Cats?
The first thing to say about Battle Cats is that it isn’t rocket science. The premise is very simple: defend your tower by sending your feline troops out into the field to fight the attacking enemy. Win battles and take over the world!
There is an old pirate-style map of the globe that you can scroll through to pick your battle location, and there are a host of hilarious (and very random) enemy creatures who you will come up against.
They range from rhinos to moths, and you have to deploy the best cat for the job depending on the qualities of your foe. Some cats have special abilities that make them ideal for tackling particularly speedy enemies, or strong enemies, or savage enemies.
So there is an element of strategy involved - and then loads of senseless button tapping too.
During the battle, you win points by killing and maiming the baddies and by preventing them from invading your tower. You can fire the cat cannon at enemies who are getting dangerously close to your base, and you can recruit weird and rare cat squaddies to outsmart the enemy.
The points you earn by winning battles allow you to buy new weapons and capabilities for your furry army, including tins of much appreciated cat food to keep the troops energy stats high.
As you progress through the 10 levels that the game has to offer, your cats will evolve from the cute (but rather scrawny) versions they begin as, to amazing macho cats with super strength and special powers! Their health stats will improve as they evolve too, meaning you have extra opportunities to win rewards and prizes.
So How Long is the Shelf Life of this App?
Let’s just say, this app has far more than nine lives! There are in fact hundreds of adventures for any one player to enjoy, spread across three different story modes and legend challenges, which means that this app has plenty of content and won’t leave you feeling short-changed.
Every player is different, but the average player can beat the game in about 12 hours. However, the developers are always adding cool updates that will draw you back in just when you think you have exhausted all the content.
There are so many different character combinations creating hundreds of different outcomes, and as you collect more coins you can unlock each cat’s true form. The evolved cats are awesome and will give you a greater chance of success in battle.
Players who make it all the way to the final battle get to take on the ultimate enemy, raging Bahamut Cat. And if you defeat him - you will discover his true form!!!
How Do the Tech and Graphics Shape Up?
One of the most charming things about this app is that the animated cats are so simple and sketchy. They are basically just line drawings (which you will probably find yourself doodling without realising all the time) but every character has a unique quirk and personality that makes it funny and individual.
The developers really have been very clever because, by keeping the graphics so simple and the world so 2 dimensional, they have created an almost retro aesthetic that has lots of ‘low-budget’ appeal.
The backdrops are all fairly similar, although they are meant to be located all over the world, but the enemies are very diverse and surprising, and the different battle towers have lots of humor and aesthetic details that players love.
The game itself is pretty gorey, with plenty of blood and guts, which is why it isn’t suitable for little kids - and also why elementary school kids love it so much! The different moves and attacks are cool (though not too sophisticated) and the weapons are very creative and unexpected.
One downside is that this app cannot be played offline. The game simply doesn’t work without an internet connection, which is annoying if you are on a long journey and fancy some good old-fashioned feline fighting to pass the time.
However, for a free title, Battle Cats has some pretty impressive tech and design qualities that suggest it was developed with love.
Can You Connect with Other Players?
Generally, Battle Cats is a single player game, although that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy chatting and comparing notes with other enthusiasts about the app.
There is an ‘invite friends’ option in the settings which allows you to invite friends to play, however you can only use this once. What is great is that Battle Cats can function across multiple devices and progress can be saved using the ‘save data’ option in the settings menu.
This way you don’t have to start all over again every time you switch between your tablet and your smartphone, but can pick up exactly where you left off in your quest to take over the world.
What About Ads and In-app Purchases?
We all know that ads and in-app purchases can be a really frustrating element of many mobile apps. And though Battle Cats does offer in-app purchases like so many free-to-play games, it is not one of the dreaded pay-to-win applications.
Pay-to-win (or p2w) apps are basically designed to be impossible to complete unless you open your wallet and cough up some money. Many developers suck players in with addictive games, and then make the higher levels of that game absolutely ridiculously hardcore, even for the most experienced players.
When they have you hooked, they offer an in-app purchase of a cheat or level up bonus that will propel you past the problem you are facing. This is unfair and incredibly dissatisfying.
But fear not! Battle Cats offers in-app purchases that buy cool gadgets and accessories for your troops, but the game itself is not impossible to complete without them.
If you can resist the temptation of buying bonuses and rare cat species when they are offered, you will be able to win them of your own merit by continuing to get better at the game.
The app also has ads, and you can pay (real money) to skip through them if you wish. But the ads don’t last too long and, if you can bear to hang around, you are rewarded with points just for watching, which allow you to revive dead cats and continue with the game!
What Are the Highlights of Battle Cats?
The highlights of this app lie chiefly in its creativity and wackiness. There are plenty of more advanced fighting games out there, with realistic graphics and a huge variety of detailed locations and storylines, but do they battle cats against other animals!?
This app keeps players hooked because of the whimsical artwork and the imaginative characters. The simplicity of the commands and controls make it accessible to young players and adults alike, and the many different tactics and strategies possible prevent the game from being too mindless and repetitive.
What is more, the game isn’t a pay-to-win model that aims to trick players out of their hard earned cash. Instead, it offers cool in-app purchases that will speed up your progress if you so desire, but the game itself is possible to complete without spending a dime, as long as you have the patience and perseverance to keep winning battles!
What Are the Downsides of Battle Cats?
The fact that the app cannot be played offline is annoying, because it is definitely the type of game that would be good for distracting you on a rainy camping trip.
It can also be annoying when you have to sit through adverts every time you lose a life in order to earn the points to revive. However, this could be seen as motivation for keeping your kitties alive in the first place!
In summary...
Battle Cats may not be the most educational app out there today, but it certainly is one of the most enjoyable. Yes, the graphics and design are simplistic and the premise of battling cats is bizarre, but that is precisely what makes this game stand out from the crowd.
The cat characters are amazingly individual, witty and creative, and their enemies are just as much fun. So if you like cats, and you like apps, and you like battles… then the Battle Cat App is a must try!
