This Desktop Cat Game Brightens My Mondays

This morning, I started my day by downloading a demo version of Bongo Cat before heading off to work. Despite being just a demo, it genuinely feels like a complete game. The concept is delightfully simple: this charming cat hangs out on your desktop while you dive into your daily tasks, typing and clicking away. As you input each letter, you rack up points.

But there’s more to this digital feline than mere adorableness. With every tap of its little paws in sync with your keystrokes, there’s a reward system that adds a layer of fun. Every half hour, a new hat becomes yours to collect. In my virtual hat collection, I’ve already gathered a tiny cowboy hat, a beer stein, a ball cap, a festive party hat, and even a charming backdrop of falling flowers. And if I manage to collect ten hats of the same quality, they can be traded up for a superior one.

Bongo Cat, brought to life by Marcel Zurawka and published by Irox Games, promises even more features when it’s eventually completed, though it already feels quite polished. According to the patch notes, cat skins are part of the current offerings, though I’ve yet to stumble upon them. The full game will also expand into trading and selling cosmetics, an indispensable feature for any solid clicker game.

I’m eagerly anticipating the option to customize my cat’s coat and color scheme. Imagine the delight of equipping your desktop companion with quirky props like a tiny mechanical keyboard or a steaming cup of coffee. But even if these features never see the light of day, Bongo Cat is already a delightful companion, offering plenty of enjoyment in its current form.

Right now, you can dive into this demo as part of Steam Next Fest. For those patient enough for the full experience, mark your calendars: the complete version of Bongo Cat is set to launch in March 2025 for Windows PC.