Minimalism, mild effort, relaxation. These three words describe our ideal game. Thankfully, some angels in Japan pulled through and created Neko Atsume (ねこあつめ). As three individuals who have zero concept of Japanese culture except for our local sushi establishment, Shogun, this game was a life changing experience. The concept of Neko Atsume is simple. There is a yard. You fill this yard with toys available for purchase with gold or grey fish, which are gifted to you by your visiting cats. Starting off your yard is a slow process and only the strong willed persevere.

The more you check it, the more cats you will see! The whole point of the game is to collect all the cats and photograph them. When you gather your cats you also have the option to name them. Names can rage from your favorite composers, to juice flavors. It’s oddly satisfying. Just like any other game in the iTunes store, you can spend actual money to gain leverage against the game itself. Do you have $3.99 to splurge? If so, you can purchase 300 goldfish to splurge once more. These goldfish can be used to buy toys, yard expansions or more grey fish.

If you try to speak to a Neko Atsume gamer a frequent response may be, “I’m taking pictures of my cats right now, I don’t have time for this”.

No risk, high reward capitalism is the next wave in gaming. Gone are the days of stressful Diner Dash where constant attention is crucial to the success of the game. With Neko Atsume, pure love fuels the system forward, allowing for more cats and more fun.

With minimal effort we discovered that there is a cult following on the internet. There is merch off the charts! You can find shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, backpacks, and phone cases.

Neko Atsume has changed our lives, and it can change yours as well. Download it on the iTunes App Store today, we don’t care if you are an Android user.