It is difficult to think that the recovery of obsolete forms such as that of the classic platforms can come from the mobile sector, but the Super Cat Tales PAWS Review try exactly this. Of course, it is a gameplay modified and adapted to work better with the touch screen, but among the simple, geometric and clean shapes of the game world you can see some of the magic of a genre that has practically built the video game universe. between the 80s and 90s. It's a distant reflection of the brilliance of the great classics, mind you, but the spirit that emerges seems like that of the lesser platform games that could be found on mythological platforms like NES, PC Engine, Mega Drive and Super Nintendo, at a time when this seemed to be the main genre.
The official website of the team. Neutronized describes the studio as specializing in "creating classic games with a modern twist" and, in fact, that's exactly what Super Cat Tales: PAWS offers, as it feels like an old platformer but plays like a modern title for mobile platforms.
This aspect can also be seen as a weak point by traditionalists, but it must be considered that on smartphones there is certainly greater room for maneuver for productions of this type, a reason that pushes independent developers in this direction even beyond the objective limits of platforms to accommodate. certain types of game. There simplification applied to the control system is evident, but it did not prevent the developers from carrying out some study in the design of the levels, which are still capable of offering interesting challenges.
Platform between classic and modern
The story is about the heroic cats of the PAWS team who, as secret agents, are on a mission to save Neko Land from a dark threat. In short, a pretext like any other to present cats as protagonists of a bizarre film platform adventure, within different scenarios and with levels reachable from a general map, as corresponds to the classic canon of the genre. Super Cat Tales PAWS is in fact the third chapter of a series that began in 2016 with Super Cat Tales and continued with its sequel, so PAWS is presented in a sense as a kind of spin-off. However, the structure is practically the same: it consists of going through several levels full of obstacles and enemies, trying to reach the goal unscathed and at the same time collecting the different collectibles scattered throughout the stages. Beyond the basic skill between platforming and combat, the collection of objects unleashes the most complex and interesting elements of the level design, thus providing some levels of reading for each level, which can be tackled with different degrees of challenge.
Il control system It is what distances Super Cat Tales PAWS the most from the most classic platform tradition, since it has been designed entirely to work better with the touch screen. With brief touches on the edges of the screen we direct the cat in one direction or another, walking or running to expand the radius of the jumps and violently hit the enemies.
Jumping, a fundamental element of the platform genre, is simplified here by a semi-automatic system: the solution could be mortifying for big fans of the genre, but it is actually well implemented in the mobile context, similar on the other hand to what the Nintendo itself with its Super Mario Run. In short, it is still a simplified model that somewhat limits the direct control of the protagonist and distances him from classical traditions, but it is still functional for this type of use.
Speaking of purely mobile versions, we highlight that Super Cat Tales: PAWS is distributed for free with the presence of advertising, but it is possible to remove ads by unlocking them for 5,99 euros, which, in fact, makes the game a real premium with price finite
Conclusions
Tested version Android, iPad 1.0.27 digital delivery app store, Google Play Price Free Holygamerz.com 7.5 Readers (3) 8.1 your voteThe simple and clean graphics, bright colors and geometric figures of Super Cat Tales PAWS can only evoke memories of old platform games for those who witnessed the video games of the 80s and 90s. The gaming experience is profoundly different, especially due to To the controls created for mobile platforms, this is true, but it is still possible to find a spark of the classic platformer like we haven't seen in a long time, and this in itself is an excellent reason to try it and perhaps appreciate it in the small breaks typical of mobile phone use.
PRO
- Graphics and atmosphere typical of a classic platform game.
- Level design that demonstrates some good ideas.
- Pretty honest free distribution
AGAINST
- Touch controls are always unpleasant
- Definitely simple if you're not looking for collectibles.
