As a developer and gaming enthusiast, I often find myself drawn to unique and beautifully crafted mobile games. Recently, my fiancée and I have been captivated by "Cats&Soup," an enchanting idle-type game that has kept us entertained for over six months. Developed by HIDEA, this game is a perfect blend of adorable animations, intuitive UI, and relaxing gameplay, making it a standout in the world of mobile games.
About the Game
Cats & Soup is an idle mobile game developed by Hidea, available on iOS and Android, that was initially released on October 12, 2021. The game features a variety of different cats, each with their own unique abilities and characteristics, that you can place in your forest.
As the owner and manager of this unique forest kitchen, it’s your job to assist a team of cute and talented cats as they cook up delicious soups and other dishes. Starting with simple soups, you can expand your business by selling dishes and unlocking new stations, like the juice and grill. The cats will keep working and earning gold for you even when you’re not playing, so come back often to collect your earnings and invest in upgrades to keep your forest kitchen running smoothly!
Categories
💎 Collectibles: Cats, Fish & Food Items, Equipment, Furniture, Skins
📖 Menus: Facilities, Recipes, Gift Shop, Quests, Collection, Theme, Others
🎟️ Events: Periodic Events
🪙 Currencies: Skills
Overview of the Game on Launch
In "Cats&Soup," players collect various cats that contribute to different soup stations, rest areas, and play zones. The game's primary charm lies in its stunning illustrations and animations, which add a whimsical and delightful feel to the overall experience. The developers at HIDEA have truly outdone themselves in creating a visually appealing and immersive environment.
Intuitive UI Design
One of the standout features of "Cats&Soup" is its interactive and intuitive UI. The bottom of the screen features food icons that players can tap to sell the items the cats have made for coins. These coins are then used to upgrade various elements within the game. Accessing the craft menu is straightforward – simply press the hammer icon, and you can upgrade everything and anything with ease.
The UX design complements the UI by providing a seamless and enjoyable player experience. The game uses clear visual cues and smooth transitions to guide players through different actions, reducing any potential confusion. The feedback system, such as subtle animations when interacting with elements and the incremental progress indicators, ensures that players always know the impact of their actions. This thoughtful design keeps players engaged and makes the overall gameplay experience both relaxing and rewarding.
Crafting Menu
The UI remains consistent throughout the app, both aesthetically and functionally. Progress information, especially monetary details, is always displayed in a simple UI at the top of the screen, making it easy for players to stay updated. The crafting menu is not only simple but also highly effective, allowing players to switch between crafting options with a minimal aesthetic drop-down list for each category.
Consistency and Functionality
The game's UI design demonstrates a perfect balance between consistency and functionality. Every element is thoughtfully placed to ensure a seamless and enjoyable user experience. The crafting menu, for example, is straightforward yet highly functional, fitting the game's overall style while providing essential features for progression.
Additionally, the consistent use of color schemes, iconography, and typography throughout the game reinforces its cohesive aesthetic. This attention to detail not only enhances the visual appeal but also helps players quickly familiarize themselves with the game's interface. By maintaining a consistent design language, "Cats&Soup" ensures that players can navigate the game effortlessly, minimizing the learning curve and allowing them to focus on the fun aspects of managing their virtual forest kitchen.
Relaxing Gameplay
Beyond its technical aspects, "Cats&Soup" excels in offering a relaxing gameplay experience. It's the kind of game you can unwind with after a long day or when you have a few minutes to spare. The calming animations and soothing background music create a tranquil atmosphere that makes you want to keep coming back.
The cozy aesthetic is further enhanced by the UI/UX design, which promotes a stress-free experience. Soft color palettes and gentle transitions contribute to the overall soothing environment. The intuitive layout ensures that players can easily navigate through the game without feeling overwhelmed, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the delightful world of cats and soups. This thoughtful design approach not only makes the game enjoyable but also provides a comforting escape from daily stresses.
Recommendations
While "Cats&Soup" is already excellent, I would recommend a few changes to enhance the user experience further. For instance, adding some multiplayer elements like scores and sharing items or info with friends through the app. Additionally, providing more detailed tooltips or hints could help new players understand the mechanics faster, adding a tooltips feature in settings to adjust these would be great.
Some excellent points a daily user of the game, my fiancée, brought up include better categorization of upgrades by each station. When holding the auto upgrade button, it currently upgrades random stations. It would be more user-friendly to have sub-category options allowing users to focus on specific areas, such as Soup stations, resting stations, or chopping stations, for automatic upgrades. Another issue we both agree on is that clothing items can only be used on one cat at a time, which limits the customization options. Allowing multiple uses of each clothing item would enhance the users' ability to personalize cats in more detail.
Questions for Fellow Developers
As fellow developers, I'd love to hear your thoughts on "Cats&Soup" and its design. Here are some questions to spark our discussion:
- What principles of UI/UX design do you think were most effectively implemented in this app?
- How would you approach enhancing the user engagement and retention for a game like this?
- What do you believe is the most important step in designing an app, especially a game similar to this?
Feel free to share your answers and any additional thoughts in the comments below. Let's discuss and learn from each other's insights!
By sharing these insights and questions, I hope to engage with fellow developers and gain new perspectives on mobile game design. "Cats&Soup" is a beautiful example of how thoughtful UI/UX design can enhance the gaming experience, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how we can continue to innovate and improve in this field.
THIS IS IN NO WAY SPONSERED OR RELATED TO HIDEA OR ANY STUDIO INVOLVED, PURELY A POSITIVE REVIEW - BIG THANKS TO HIDEA STUDIOS AND ALL THE DEVS INVOLVED WITH THIS GAME
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