As we await Apple’s review, we figured “Why not experiment on small children?” so we gave it to a 5 year old to see what happens.
The 5 year old played the game straight (on Casual mode, which is intended for younger players) for 2.5 hours, mesmerized. They kept playing until their hand hurt too much to continue on. Their favorite feature was catching the stars and purchasing things from the store. This makes sense, because really, how much shopping can a 5 year old do in the real world?
Afterward, the parent told us they were impressed at how totally engaged their child was, as when they don’t like a game they simply put it down and walk away. More importantly, no instruction was required for the 5 year old. There were a few areas where the parent needed to read the dialog, but other than that, they were on their own.
So there you have it: Catch the Monkey is the ultimate 5 year old babysitter!
(And it’s fun for adults too!)
