Animal lovers will be thrilled to hear about this one — Calico, a relaxing community simulator that is all about rebuilding the cat cafe of the in-game town, was unexpectedly launched today on multiple platforms, namely on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC.
Calico is developed by Peachy Keen Games and published by Whitethorn Digital, the former being composed of only two people. The developer wanted to create a cozy and cute animal-centric simulator and it was definitely able to convey that in this game.
That being said, some may find similarities between this title and the ever-popular Animal Crossing: New Horizons. For one thing, both games have players creating a new character and trying on new clothes, along with the fact that a major gameplay element for both have to do with befriending a variety of animals. Although in Calico’s case, the animal in question leans more towards cats.
Rebuild the town’s cat café and fill it with cute and cuddly creatures in Calico – out now on #NintendoSwitch! #IndieWorld
Purr-chase now: https://t.co/1D721ShFEo pic.twitter.com/fnto3WVEgz
— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) December 15, 2020
The most crucial part of Calico, as mentioned, lies in the animal interaction. You can make friends with every single creature you come across in the game. Not only that, you can even give them unique names and then add them to your party. If you do decide to add the creature to your party, they will accompany you wherever you go as well as listen to and obey your commands.
Another option would be to send the befriended animal to the cafe, which will become their cozy new home. Animals that have found refuge in the cafe will get to relax and play with the different customers who stop by.
Another important gameplay mechanic in Calico is decorating and designing the cat cafe, which you are tasked to rebuild. The game gives you the opportunity to collect all kinds of toys which you can arrange within the cafe, as well as a wide variety of decorations and furniture.
Some of the decorations meticulously added to the cafe will cater to the humans visiting, while others are designed for the animals’ benefit. To make things even more interesting, Calico has magical elements for you to enjoy, such as magic potions that turn your character into a giant-sized animal.
Of course, a cafe means that there are treats and drinks that customers can order. In other words, you’re also responsible for baking an assortment of delicious desserts to serve to the townspeople who stop by the cafe. The villagers have a favorite treat as well, so it’s up to you to learn what it is so that you can sell it.
In other news, Calico interestingly isn’t the only cat-related game to release on the Nintendo Switch today. Fisti-fluffs by Playfellow Studio was also announced as a timed Switch-exclusive title. It’s definitely an interesting cat game of its own, but vastly different to Calico in terms of genre. Both titles do have charming art styles though, but that’s essentially the only similarity.
It appears that Nintendo’s hybrid handheld console has a bunch of new additions to its roster today, and the number of feline titles is definitely noticeable. As animal and cat lovers, we look forward to more titles like this in the future.
