App Review: Kitten Sanctuary, and Friendly Fill-Ins for October 7

App Review: Kitten Sanctuary

Ever since old SoLT got her first Kindle Fire nearly five years ago, she has been convinced that there are few things in life better than a really good match-three game. She's since moved on to an iPad, but her love of match-three continues. Those of you who are addicted to these games will know what I mean. Just one more level, and then I’ll sleep… If this is you, you have a problem, and you should seek help.

But first, you should check out Kitten Sanctuary, available from Clockwork Pixels for iOS devices. It’s cute, it’s fun, it’s addictive...

Screenshot from Kitten Sanctuary

Saving kittens from alien abduction

Here’s the story: There is a place called Kitten Island, which would be paradise, if not for those pesky space aliens that keep swooping in and abducting kittens. Your task is to free the kittens by solving match-three puzzles. The puzzles do get more difficult as you go along, but old SoLT is on level 60-something and has yet to hit  a level that is maddeningly impossible. She plays in Easy Going mode, where there’s no time limit, but the game also has a Normal mode with a time limit and a Tricky mode that requires you to make more matches to rescue the kitten. The game also lets you choose between Standard and Dynamic tile movement. In Standard movement, the tiles fall straight down; in Dynamic movement, they can pop up less predictably.

The kittens are so cute!

Once you’ve rescued kittens, you have to keep them happy by providing supplies and entertainment. With coins earned in the game, you can buy toys such as a ball of yarn or a clockwork mouse. Then you play with the cats by setting the mouse down, dangling the yarn in front of them, and so on. Our favorite toy is the little horn you can blow at them. Totally unlike real cats, the kittens in the game love this. Also totally unlike real cats, the kittens in the game do cartwheels. Not realistic, but so cute!

Kitten Sanctuary details

This app costs $1.99 in the App Store. In the past, we’ve hesitated to buy apps that want a couple dollars up front, but we’ve gotten so frustrated with “free” apps that turn out to cost an ear and three whiskers if you want to advance in the game that now we’re more than happy to pay a reasonable price for a good game.

And Kitten Sanctuary is a good game. It’s currently our favorite game. You can make the gameplay as easy or challenging as you want, and the kittens of Kitten Island are just too cute to pass up—not realistic, mind you, but cute. When you get tired of matching tiles, you can take a break and play with the kittens. It is surprisingly gratifying to make those kittens happy!

Kitten Sanctuary is available for iPhone and iPad. Check out the video below!

A note on the "Paws Up" system: Miss C gives either one or two paws up. One paw is for a good app; two paws is for a great app. She never gives three or four paws because that would require her to lie on her back...and Miss C does not do that!

Friendly Fill-Ins, October 7

Next, we’re excited to be participating in the Friendly Fill-Ins again this week. The first two fill-ins are from Ellen of 15andmeowing and were completed by She of Little Talent. The next two are from Annie of McGuffy’s Reader and were completed by Real Cat Paisley.

Old SoLT's answers 

1. My favorite store is a place in Frederick, MD, called the Common Market. It’s a co-op that features natural foods. I actually haven’t been there in years since I don’t live or work in Frederick anymore, but oh, how I miss the smell of spices and just general goodness you got when you walked in the door!

2. An unanswered prayer I am thankful for is…hmm…I have thought long and hard over this one, and I can’t think of one!

Real Cat Paisley's answers 

3. At Halloween, I hide, ’cause people get all weird.

4. I fear the supernatural, because it is NOT NORMAL!