The original Aqua Kitty, a kitten-ified homage to 16 bit home computer takes on Defender, is one of my favourite games of the past decade.

It also has the dubious honour of being the only game I’ve felt compelled to buy PS4 themes for too. Look, I really like turning my PS4 on to be greeted by jolly pixel cats. Yes, I’m that easy.

I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting from a sequel but Astro Aqua Kitty isn’t it. This is a very good thing! Astro Aqua Kitty is lovely.

Leaving the arcade behind, Astro Aqua Kitty is a game of cave exploring, shooting and the occasional bit of inventory twiddling to make a number go up.

Each world (so far, anyway) has popped me into a small hub area and charged me with heading out, exploring the surrounding area and bringing back a number of things to open some other things. The caves are chock full of things to shoot, invariably they’re reasonably durable things to shoot so that’s where a bit of stat juggling comes into play.

It’s a familiar formula and one that thankfully isn’t a Metroidvania game or a roguelike so I can actually enjoy myself with it. Hooray!

It really helps that there’s few games that tread 16 bit home computer territory. So many games seem intent on replicating the experience of playing on a Nintendo console that there’s a huge amount of videogame history left untouched.

Home computer homages seem to be Tikipod’s speciality. Rock Boshers is a modern ZX Spectrum game and both Aqua Kitty games are tremendously reminiscent of Amiga games. Obviously, the graphics are a giveaway but also, there’s a really specific rhythm and speed to a lot of Amiga games that’s replicated here perfectly.

It’s slow. Not in a super padded out way, not in a numbers going up slowly way. I guess a better word for it would be “relaxed”. Here’s a game that knows it’s being played at home so there’s no need to rush, take your time a bit and all that.

The pace being more relaxed means it’s much, much easier on the reflexes and on the noggin. Yeah, there’s moments where the screen is full of bullets and enemies to clear but it’s never really frantic. There’s zero stress here and in 2021, I’m grateful for anything that goes a bit easier on my brain.

I tend to play this sort of thing slowly where permitted. I’ll clear a few small areas, pause the game, go do some reading or pop the kettle on, unglue the kids from the ceiling or remedy whatever pickle it is they’ve gotten themselves into this time. I prefer to play games this way these days so I’m always glad when a game is designed with that in mind.

I’m fairly certain it’ll take me much longer to wade through than most other people but I don’t really mind. Not whilst I’m in the company of space cats. And a rabbit.

It is a game that fits around me, not requiring me to dedicate myself to it and not requiring me to think beyond “that’s a higher number, that’ll do”. Obviously I want the game to be enjoyable too and Astro Aqua Kitty clears that barrier with ease.

All told, a more than pleasant surprise of a game. Some absolutely gorgeous graphics (with a special shout out to the portrait art which is universally glorious), a chill game and cats. Lots and lots of cats. It all adds up to a properly brilliant videogame that I’m super happy losing myself in.

Astro Aqua Kitty – it’s properly brilliant.

As usual, I’m playing on PS4 but other formats are available. If you’re quick, there’s even a Vita version.