Spoon Pet Collector builds on the Neko Atsume formula

Neko Atsume was an unprecedented success for Hit Point. The cat collecting game where you set down food, leave the app, then stop by at various intervals to check for cats. It’s achieved worldwide fame. While there’s no Neko Atsume 2 yet, Spoon Pet Collector is the next best thing. It’s a new collecting application that involves accruing diminutive hamsters, rabbits, chicks, bees, cats, dogs and bears.

First, what’s a Spoon Pet? It’s a children’s toy by Sega. They’re about the size of your thumb and, when you press their backs, begin vibrating. This is supposed to make it look like they’re moving forward and interacting with accessories. A standard Spoon Pet comes with a small animal, tiny spoon to pick it up in and a cup that says, you guessed it, “Spoon Pet” on it.

Spoon Pet Collector’s gameplay is nearly identical to Neko Atsume’s. You set out food, then leave. When you return, Spoon Pets may or may not have gathered to sample it and play with the goods you’ve left out. You can take pictures of the animals that have immediately assembled and add them to a book. Said book also offers descriptions of each character, lists of their most used and enjoyed items and a record of how often they’ve visited.

The differences, however, are all big improvements. Spoon Pets aren’t stationary, like the Neko Atsume cats. They may be moving around when you check in. You can use a spoon to move all Spoon Pets around, dropping them on toys and accessories to force them to interact with them. You can set the scene almost any way you like.

There’s also a playground that allows you to earn a few extra spoons each day. This minigame involves using a spoon to pick up a specific Spoon Pet. However, it’s accompanied by multiple other animals and they’re all constantly moving. You need to grab the right one to get a silver or gold spoon reward, which you use to purchase goods and themes. You have three opportunities to earn spoons in the easy and hard difficulty levels every 24 hours. You’ll never make a fortune, but the ten or so extra spoons will help when it comes to getting new toys.

Best of all, you get better rewards for luring Spoon Pets to your shack. Neko Atsume gives you trinkets after cats have visited a certain number of times. Spoon Pet Collector gives you hats. Once earned, they can be put on any pets you’ve photographed. It’s a much better incentive, as it lets you personalize your visitors.

Spoon Pet Collector is a chance to start fresh. It’s a new opportunity to collect an array of additional creatures. The characters are just as cute as Neko Atsume’s cats, while offering a little more interactivity.