CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars

THE CATNIP OF MOBILE GAMING. Free with IAP | www.catsthegame.com

CATS STANDS FOR Crash Arena Turbo Stars, but let’s be honest, it’s really just an excuse to use kitties as protagonists. It takes inspiration from the popular Robot Wars phenomenon — a TV show in which teams would kit out their robot with weapons like flamethrowers or flippers, and then send it into battle against their opponents’ creation — but the robots are instead cute little boxcars and are driven by cats. You compete against human players, in both quick matches and (rather complex) tournaments, although you don’t get to directly control the action. The battles play out automatically, with you watching as a helpless spectator as the two carts clash. Everything you interact with relates to the workshop side of things, from customising your cart, to selling components and even betting on other battles. Neither the cartoonish animation nor soundtrack are anything special — the music is inappropriate, scrappy blues guitar — but the fundamental gameplay mechanic of modifying the perfect cat-tank overshadows any lacking character. The game is stupid, but this is good. Stupid games work well on mobile, and this particular one is surprisingly fun despite your lack of agency in the action. There’s a good chance that the addictive nature will lead to extensive in-app purchases, but the free offering is ample fun if your willpower is strong.