Exploring: My Talking Tom [Your Pet Cat for Android]
A little while back I saw my young cousins talking to their tablet and laughing their heads off. Naturally curious and also wanting to laugh with them I inquired. Turns out they were talking to Tom, a cute cat featured in My Talking Tom app. This was the first time I had seen the app at work. Previously I only saw Tom on social media saying whatever its owner wanted it to say.
Initially when I saw Tom on Facebook, I thought it was a web based voice converter. However, now that I have tested and played around with the app/game myself, it seems to be a lot more than that. Basically what the app does is repeat what you just said in a funny tone. The premise is simple but when you physically get to use the app, it sure is funny.
I would like to point out that this app is not for users older than 8. It is a very simple app that will entertain you for a very short period until becoming boring and repetitive.
This app, however, will be one of the best apps to keep the kids busy, much like the best games for kids list. There are also in-app purchases available which can be disabled by you, so the kids don’t purchase 700 dollars’ worth of fur.
Bringing Tom Home
Installing the app is very simple. You just need to follow the link and tap on install, Google Play will handle the rest. The app took a little while to download on my smartphone, but I blame the spotty 4G connectivity in the office for that. The app also took a little while to install; I think the assets were sent compressed, but I may be wrong.
After the app is installed, you can launch it by traditional means. The initial screen showed My Talking Tom in an Indiana Jones outfit running from a temple.
I became excited about playing a game akin of Temple Run with My Talking Tom however that was not the case. The first screen asks you the year you are born, possibly to deactivate the IAPs if you are young.
The Tutorial
My Talking Tom is not a hard app to grasp. Like I said, it is designed to be played by the youngest of the users and that too without adult supervision. Thankfully the app comes with a great tutorial that will guide you through the whole process of getting familiar with My Talking Tom.
The first screen tells you about changing rooms. You can tap the icon to take Tom to the dinner table. Now you can feed him stuff by dragging it to his mouth.
There is nothing complicated about this app, and it shows. Next up is the trip to the bathroom. Thankfully, Tom takes care of that business himself.
After that, you can play with him to increase happiness. By “play” I mean rub his belly until he is a hundred percent happy. That’s about it.
Now you can finally put Tom to sleep. Tap on the bulb icon to make the room dark. Tom gets groggy and goes immediately to sleep.
Playing with Tom
Unfortunately, the tutorial is basically the whole gameplay of the app. This is why I’m hesitant of calling this a game. You do these activities over and over again, and the very same animations play out.
However, I noticed a fun thing to do in the app. As weird as it may sound, slapping Tom is very funny. The poor cat falls after a very audible and impactful slap sound. This is perhaps one of the best things I enjoyed in the app, possibly because I don’t want to hurt actual cats.
There are some changes in the gameplay as you spend more time with My Talking Tom. For example, I noticed a sponge and bucket appear in the bathroom. I gave Tom a bath by lathering him up with soap and then rinsing him with the shower. It was a fun thing to do for the first time, but I won’t be returning to do so again.
Tom will send you a push notification when he awakes, which I guess is a good or a bad thing depending on your enthusiasm.
The Other Activities
There are around 10 mini-games that you can play within this app. The games range from simple bubble shooters to simplified endless runners.
They are a great way to earn coins and have fun at the same time. The gameplay is kept simple so everyone will be able to enjoy the games. These simple 2D games will keep the young ones busy for quite some time.
You can also record your own Talking Tom videos and will be able to share them easily. Or you can watch the videos other people made and have a lot of fun.
The Dress up Game
There are a ton of outfits you can use on Tom, and this is perhaps the most important aspect of the app. Everything you do earns you coins that then can be used to purchase new outfits called furs.
There are a lot of furs you can select in the app. To be honest, some of them are actually cool.
Then there are dresses, head accessories and even eye colors that can be unlocked and used. However, the only thing is, you will have to grind the boring activities to gain coins.
Or you can watch videos and gain some daily, a clever way of making users watch ads. Another way is to play other games from the developer, which again is a great way of advertising and gaining users on multiple apps.
So what’s the problem here? Well, you still won’t be able to afford the most expensive of the outfits without caving in and spending real cash. I guess the developer deserves some cash but for an app that has not much to offer, spending real cash seems a little risky.
Conclusion
My Talking Tom is a fine little app that houses good games, a cute cat and a ton of outfits. After exploring My Talking Tom, I think of it as a hub of entertainment. You can have leisurely fun with the main app or challenge yourself a little with the mini games. There are a lot of ways you can have fun with Tom.
If you have a young child at home who needs a virtual buddy, get this app on a tablet and watch him/her laugh. In conclusion, there are multiple ways you can be entertained by this app that houses games with-in.
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