I downloaded this game on a whim after playing the ad I saw for it. I am impressed by the creativity of the idea for this puzzle, and love the cute aesthetic. The gameplay itself is also fun to play casually, and I don’t feel like my attention is being preyed upon, like in certain other games. I wish there was a way to use coins in the game, or a secondary currency, for things other than power-ups, though, especially customization items, like being able to purchase different game board/piece designs, different cat designs (such as replacing them with different animals, or giving them outfits), different visual effects when sliding/collecting cats, etc. (Maybe a/some free customization could be included in the base season pass, and premium customization options could be included in the premium season passes?)Also, this is a small thing, but I wish the game made use of haptics. If, for example, my phone “clicked” or vibrated when I collected cats and/or beat a level, I think it would feel more satisfying to do so.I did really appreciate the ability to change my profile picture and name, though; I thought that was cute. But I wish there were ways to unlock new customization options too. Having them be unlock-able rather than available from the start incentivizes me to play in a way that feels fun and like I’m working toward a goal. (This is true for the customization suggestions I mention above too.)

Great puzzle game, good mix of challenging and satisfying. I normally hate timed games, but it does add a level of urgency and constraint. I love the aesthetic too. I haven’t had to use any power-ups to get through a level yet, and I’m in the hundreds. That being said- I would like to have a zen mode, and also be able to either replay old levels or clear my progress so I can functionally replay the game. I don’t want to wait for updates to get more levels. Like- I don’t remember how to solve level 40, I’ll happily redo it for fun.I actually considered buying the no ads version, but $8 is a bit pricey. If it was like $3-$5 I would have paid to gave ads removed already. Plus I’ve seen some people complain about bugs and the app not working, and while I haven’t experienced those problems myself- I don’t want to pay $8, then have the app stop working because of a bad update or something. I’m using an outdated version of the game (Halloween edition) because I’m too nervous about bad updates- I’ve had too many bad experiences in the past. I had played the same company’s ‘Box Cat Jam’ which I liked- but the UI became so cluttered with Stuff that I ended up getting overstimulated when opening the app and so I stopped playing it- and I don’t want that to happen to this one.

A couple notes on bugs that would make the game much less frustrating if addressed: 1. If you're watching an ad to earn a life when the timer gets to 0:00 and resets to earn your next life, when you get done with the ad, you'll only have one life (not the two you should have). Strangely, I've found going to a different tab like the map right after this happens and then back to the main tab will have the second life appear, but if you're not on top of it you lose it, which is frustrating. 2. Something similar happens if you're earning coins using the free coin reward tasks and you earn enough coins to finish a Mystery Gem stage in the process. When you exit the coin rewards and go back to the home tab, the stage will show as completed, but you don't get the rewards from completing that stage. This is incredibly frustrating.Regarding the game overall, it's definitely a super fun concept, but if we're being honest, the game focuses far more on the timing than whether or not you can solve the puzzle. Many levels, especially up in the thousands, are puzzles you can know exactly how to solve in the most efficient way possible, and still have to go through several times because the timer makes it nearly impossible (so you'll watch more ads). I'd encourage someone on your team to play level 3298 without any power-ups or extended time and see how reasonable you feel it is.

Unlike every other game I’ve seen advertised, the core gameplay of Drop the Cat is really strong and it shines through even through the ads, which unlike most ads accurately portray the core gameplay. It’s a fresh take on the rush hour puzzle genre that’s more action oriented than most, with solid level design and endearing aesthetics. If levels existed in a game with traditional monetization and a corresponding classic puzzle game design where you could say replay levels arbitrarily to get more stars with better time, I’d give it five stars. Sadly the Candy Crush style monetization spoils the game by limiting playability and making levels far harder than they ought to be in order to coerce the player into spending money on boosts and lives. In particular, there is a ridiculous spike in difficulty after level ten. Despite the high difficulty, the game is entirely fair in the sense there is no randomization or hidden information in the puzzles, so you can plan ahead for levels you’re struggling with and get around some of the issues so the game remains playable even if you ignore the monetization, but it would be so much better if it I could pay once for a normal puzzle game without all the extra trash.