Yosio Ishii's love of cats is the basis of the Neko series, an adorable (if a bit bland in appearance) collection of games starring cats (pronouced "neko" in Japanese). And while his previous work was exclusively Shockwave games, it appears that he has made the switch to Flash with his more recent efforts.
Neko Juppiki is one of his recent Flash-based designs. In this Lemmings-like game you start out with a large group of cats on the top platform of the stage. The object of the game is to get as many of the cats as possible down to the bottom, by manipulating traps and trap doors. Each time you click the screen about half of the trap doors will open, but also about half of the traps will also activate trying to bring your kittens to a spiky demise. The cats will often end up on different levels, so you have to juggle keeping them safe with delicate timing to keep them all alive. Two modes of play are available: the first allows you to lose up to 10 cats before it's game over; the second mode a bit more hardcore, in which the death of a single cat means game over. Click.
Kumo Neko is one of his older Shockwave games and it is a lot of fun to play. In this game you have to swing around on a rope and interact with various pegs dotted around the stages as you try to collect jewels and avoid diamonds (the shape, not the jewel). Just press the mouse button and the cat repels and swings from the stretching rope. On some levels it becomes necessary to move the fulcrum to another peg, by pressing a key (any key will do) just as the rope hits a peg, as the entire play field for a level may be much larger than the game window. It is in this way that you can make your way around the level.
Once you've gathered all the jewels a 'goal' will appear that you must then make it to before you can move on to the next level. Sounds easy, right? It isn't. The diamonds are located precariously near the jewels, and at points in the game you may swing to places you cannot even see. You will have to make split second moves, or guesses, to avoid diamonds lurking near the sometimes elusive jewels. Click.
Analysis: The Neko series of games isn't very amazing with respect to graphics and supporting sound. The graphics are comprised of only two colors throughout, though the use of the grayish blue was somewhat reminiscent of an old Nintendo game, so I was able to appreciate it. The sound is just as basic, with only a few sound effects in Kumo Neko and none in Neko Juppiki. But since the sound only plays a supporting role to the gameplay, it doesn't pose much of an issue at all. However, I would like to see improved graphics in the future.
The games are so simple that they do not leave a lot of room for flaws in the game play. A few times the game was a little inconsistent about whether I could swing through the diamonds when traveling at higher speeds in Kumo Neko, and my cats sometimes went a bit too far beyond the walls in Neko Juppiki; but other than that they ran extremely well.
As with all games in the Neko series, the games were simple yet attractive, and perfect for a quick pick-me-up during the afternoon, or during a lunch break. I recommend not only checking Juppiki and Kumo, but also the other games in the series, too.
Happy Gaming!
a cat massacare woot!!!
While doing this review I sucessfully killed the cats by drowning them, impaling them, making them fall from great heights when their ballons popped. I got them stcuk behind walls, crushed, dropped by a crane into a bottom less pit. All for the sake of casual gameplay.
Ironically, during all of it, I had great fun...is that a morbid way to spend a afternoon, or what?
If anyone is wondering how get through Kumo-Neko, the left mouse button lowers your string allowing you to wrap the string around other points, while holding down allows you to lower the string, causing the place where the string is connected to move to the point the string came in contact with.. if that makes sense.
Wow, that first one is pretty difficult! It takes quite some planning to get through even the first few levels. Amazing, as it just takes a single button to operate...
He should've added the space bar as an alternate control, and a speed up button, but the core of the game is pretty fun. Frustratingly fun perhaps... ;)
Wow, I made quite the catastrophe with the Juppiki game >.<
darn you spikes!
It's quite hard, but fun, and simple...but not!
There's a string of UberCute games this week, yes? I like.
I definitely agree with Pieter, this one's "Frustratingly fun." Maddening enough to make me want to throw Lappy across the room.
Don't worry, I restrained myself!
It's oddly satisfying to click onto the next level, and then twice as evil as the cat either swings into a *Snowflake? Star? Spikey thing of Doom?* and dies, or six walk off a door that you didn't realize was still open.
*AAHHHHH!!*
If I pull out all of my hair, it's SO your fault, Elliot!
Other than that, Great review! Thanks!
Yany, I'll buy you a wig if that happens ;)
I agree, half of the time I'd watch all my cats fall through a door that was closed, OR I'd have one cat on the top floor while the rest were somewhere in the middle, relativly safe, and I'd focus on the upper cat so much I'd accidently kill all the others.
PS-We seriously need a name for the diamonds.
Ok Elliott, but only if it's one of those big technicolor clown wigs that make your head look ten times bigger. :D
I'm really going to kill these cats. I should have been sleeping an hour ago, but NoOooOoOOo, I have to get *just one more level* Alas, the casual gamer's paradox.
As for the evil little diamonds of "UGH!" I vote we call them "A Giant Pain In The Butt." Or maybe just "Crash," For the sound my computer makes as I throw it through the window.
Work at 7am? Eh, that's what they invented coffee for.
*Random Added Note to the Author*
I just noticed that you put "Lemmings" as a tag.
*wipes aforementioned coffee off of keyboard*
Elliott, you now owe me a keyboard, in addition to the wig. I'll put it on your tab. ;)
Now, to kill more kittens *muahahahahaha!!*
I love it, kill the kittens. I love diamonds! this is classic at it's best.
I like these ones, even though I end up killing the cats a billion times. :) Great find.
Wait, I owe you a clown afro, I'll give you that...but why do I owe you a keyboard?
0_0
Man I'm having some troubles on Xananeko 2...
Anyone know a guide for it? lol
Elliott,
LOL, that's what you owe me for making me shoot the coffee out of my nose onto the keyboard after tagging the entry with "Lemmings." >.<
It's clearly all your fault.
I'm still killing the cats. I think the local PETA representatives are about to break down my door. o_O Or maybe that's a psychiatrist, here to medicate me for Post Traumatic Stress disorder, all of this kitty violence isn't good for me. I'll have to stick to watching Pulp Fiction and Boondock Saints, no more animated animal death.
I'm really addicted to this game, and as I said before, Elliott, it's All Your Fault.
Thanks!!
can anyone else not see any of the games in the second *ancestor* list? it just says done at the bottom of the windowwith a big white box.
I didn't know there was a second list. Also, may I point out a new game called Neko-Tuna is out, for those who are interested.
i need help w/ kumo neko, level 3... the one with the three diamonds and the round dot thing. THANX!
@Jake, I know this is pretty old now, but for Level 3, you need to swing until you are bending around the point there, and press any key on the keyboard. Then your fulcrum is moved to that point, and more jewels are shown.
Here is another game for a Flash Game Festival where, ironically, you play a cat who shoots cats.
[[http://www.nekogames.jp/mt/2007/05/post.html|CAT SHMUP!]]
How, ever so how, do you get through
Xananeko 2?? How do you get to the room that is enclosed by walls on the first floor?
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