Yume Neko DS is really an adorable little game. Its a fun way to spend time, and I enjoy leaving the DS open while I work on other things. Since Reno can take care of a lot of his needs on his own, I don’t have to worry about feeding him or anything really going wrong. Its a soothing distraction, and is very realistic. Many of Reno’s actions and reactions are identical to my real cat’s.

I knew cats were complicated, but I had no idea just how tricky it was to keep them happy until Yume Neko DS came along. During the game, the upper screen displays a series of bars that each cover a certain aspect of Reno’s well-being. Since there wasn’t much to do before the shopping trip, most of the bars are either entirely empty, or in the red.

I was tired of sitting inside all day, catering to a cat - especially since there wasn’t much to do with him yet. I decided to explore the town and find new items for Reno. There was 50,000 burning a hole in my pocket.

The home started out pretty bare. Only the cat essentials were present - food and water dishes and a litterbox. It was no way to live. Plus it couldn’t be comfortable or interesting for Reno. So my next mission was to do some interior decorating.

I wanted to start things out right, so I decided to first engage in some basic interactions with Reno. After all, he is a virtual animal who requires virtual love and care. So I decided that, before exploring or analyzing Yume Neko DS, I’d try and cover my new cat’s basic needs.

Yume Neko DS (aka Dream Cats DS) is essentially Nintendogs with felines. It’s an incredibly polished and well executed pet sim, which should come as no surprise since it is from Sega. My copy arrived the other day, and I eagerly created a kitty.