Unleashing the inner kitten
I’ve spent the week with a three year old, and I didn’t have to try so hard at getting her into games. The only thing is that for the most part she makes up her own games with existing components. She loves cats, so a few months ago, she made her parents buy Calico because the cat in the front looks like her cat. We took her to my favorite board game store, and she picked up Kittin. The tin box is so cute! She immediately fell in love.
Kittin is a fast paced polyomino dexterity competition for 2-4 players, and up to 8 if playing in teams. The game is designed by Caezar Al-Jassar and Simon Milburn and published by Alley Cat Games. In this game, you are racing to match the pattern and shout "Meow!" accurately wins the round, with the ultimate goal of winning three rounds to be crowned the "Cuddler Cat Chief."
Cuteness Overload: a Look at the Components
Super cute tin box
Rulebook
48 kitten figures in six colours
20 pattern cards
Cat's Cradle: Setting Up the Game
1. Shuffle the pattern cards and place them face down in the middle of the table
2. Put all the kitten figures around the pattern card deck.
Setup for team play:
- Form teams of two players
2. Place the kitten figures in the middle
3. Deal four cards around the kittens
Gameplay: a Pawsome Playbook
The game is played in rounds. Here’s a breakdown of the steps:
● The oldest player flips over the top pattern card so everyone can see it
● Players race to stack the kittens to match the pattern on the revealed card
When a player has a perfect match, they shout “Meow!”
Everyone stops stacking and verifies if the player who screamed “meow” matches their sculpture to the card
- If the stack is correct, that player wins the card
- If the stack is incorrect, the player is out for the round, and others continue stacking
To set up for the next turn, place all kittens back and flip the next card
How the Co-Op version differs
The teams race to build the stacks. There will be one builder and a partner. The partner can help grab the kittens, but is there for support, advise, and to ensure the stack looks as expected. This setup is great for an adult to play with a child.
Claiming the Catnip Crown: Winning the Game
The first player or team to win three rounds by correctly matching the stack to the pattern card wins the game
Nine Lives of Fun: Additional Challenges
For added difficulty, adults finding the game too easy can play using only one hand, and can add more cards to make the game longer
Conclusion: A Purrfect Choice
Kittin is a really cute palette cleanser. It combines quick reflexes and pattern recognition. The game’s simple rules make it accessible to younger players, while the competitive element keeps it engaging for older players. The team play variation encourages cooperation and makes the game accessible for little ones. Kittin is a purrfect choice for family game night, or at least it was with my three year old niece who is obsessed with cats. I can’t wait for her to get older, so I can introduce her to similar games that have a bit more difficulty and require more dexterity like Tinderblox
About the Author
Coty is an avid reader, board gamer, reviewer, and playtester who enjoys everything from
fine-tuning rulebooks (even in Spanish!) to designing 3D print upgrades. Follow her on
Instagram. More thoughts and favorites are shared at KaCo Plays.
