Little Kitty, Big City Review

is the best cat simulator on the market, bar none. Double Dagger Studio’s debut adventure game wears its feline admiration proudly, condensing this love into a bite-sized but nonetheless rich experience. Taking the nudging chaos of and tying it into some familiar platforming and collectathon fundamentals, elicits a broad grin at nearly every turn. It’s therefore hard not to leave it wanting much more, but we’re grateful for the time spent in its welcoming little world.

A timed demo for first appeared during the last Steam Next Fest and offered a quick taste of the game, letting players inhabit the viewpoint of a rascally black cat navigating a quaint small town, tripping passersby with a casual stride and pouncing on small birds unaware. The complete version fulfills the demo’s promise in spades, with a colorful and stress-free playpen of charming street critters to meet and casual goals to pursue at leisure.

Little Kitty, Big City is one of the best cat simulators ever.

The central kitty here is as adorable as they come, a standout star at the outset who steals the show on cue. From their expressive green eyes to each delicately animated wriggle, it’s impossible to get distracted away from this avatar at the center of the screen. And that's even with other cute animals vying for attention, including ducks, shiba inus, a tanuki, and a few other cats scattered around the map. The protagonist stands out as a wondrous and lively creation, full of bespoke reactions to the world and smooth and responsive controls.

Even when mistakenly stumbling off a thin perch back onto the street – unharmed and on all fours, of course – it’s hard to ever get frustrated or mad. The kitty slides and skids when turning sharply during a run, realistically curls when turning around on a dime, and menacingly pounces on birds (who are, of course, quickly set free). There’s very little if any jank or ragdolling to be found, with every physical flourish appearing handmade, deliberate, and