scientists develop video games for cats on [technabob]

scientists develop video games for cats

filed under: just plain fun | video games

posted: April 1st, 2008 stumble it!10 comments author: technabob

Sure, you’ve played the Wii, the PS3 and the Xbox 360, but now your favorite feline friend can get into the action thanks to the latest in video gaming technology — the CatBox 360.

CatBox 360 Gaming System for Cats

Each time kitty steps into the automatic litter box, a new game is activated and a random music track starts to play. Colored indicators scroll down the flip-out LCD screen much like they do in a game of Guitar Hero or Rock Band. As each paw scratches across the litter, it triggers the notes, and every time your cat leaves a “present” in the litter box, the game enters a bonus multiplier mode for extra points.

The system includes such cat-friendly tunes as Cat Scratch Fever, Stray Cat Strut, and of course, Cool for Cats.

The makers of the CatBox, Pawsitivity Games, say they’ve tested the device with hundreds of cats. With time, most of them do start to scratch to the rhythm of the music. An unfortunate side effect, however, is that a handful of cats have started “doing their business” any time they hear music playing — so beware when you crank up your stereo — you might get an unexpected surprise. Hopefully, they’ll work out this minor kink before the CatBox hits the market.

Pawsitivity hasn’t announced a release date or price for the system yet, but my cat can’t wait to get his paws on one.

10 comments comment

1. jeff | April 1st, 2008 at 8:40 am

this is crazy! love, amy
2. kika | April 1st, 2008 at 9:41 am

OMG! Someone’s got to sell this idea to Activision or MTV.
3. Dhiram | April 1st, 2008 at 9:42 am

April fool’s prank????
4. kika | April 1st, 2008 at 10:15 am

Surely it’s a pank. But my friend was reading this like totally serious and even asked me to translate it for her!
5. Kevin | April 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am

Ok, here’s the crazy thing… while I never envisioned a CatBox 360, I have envisioned a video game for cats.

I have a 52″ hdtv I have hooked up to my pc. In fact, I’m sitting on the recliner right now surfing on a glorious 52 inches of high definition heaven. It’s really great for making surfing and watching youtube videos and such, something more of a group activity that the whole family or many friends can enjoy.

Well, of course, I also play video games on this set up and one of the games I play is World of Warcraft. It was while playing WOW that I noticed my cats starting to watch the TV with great interest. When I would stop moving in a highly populated area, such as the Trade District of Stormwind City, one of my cats, Murry, would literally go crazy trying to catch all the “people” running around the Trade District.

That led me to think about creating a special Dance Dance Revolution type step-gamepad that was calibrated to a cats weight, and then create a simple video game designed to get a cat’s attention, and then the gamepad to cause changes on screen that corrospond to where the cat steps on the pad.

This is a free bee idea to the masses of young computer engineers out there wanting to make a buck. As far as I know, no one has made such a product and I’ve had the idea for over a year. I have too much on my plate already, so it is something I’ll never persue.

That said, if someone makes a real video game for cats, I’ll buy it, because my cats love video games.
6. technabob | April 1st, 2008 at 1:16 pm

Next up Cat-tar Hero.
7. Hanie | April 1st, 2008 at 8:11 pm

The CatBox 360……Good idea….If someone makes a real video game for cats, I’ll buy it, because my cats love video games.I can enjoy with my love cat…
8. Jason | April 2nd, 2008 at 9:05 am

Oh.. Korea Kimchi so delicious
9. technabob | April 2nd, 2008 at 6:24 pm

In case you didn’t figure this out yet, this was an April Fools Day post (I’m pretty sure it was obvious, but you never know.)
10. overklokan | April 22nd, 2008 at 3:27 pm

“Surely it’s a pank. But my friend was reading this like totally serious and even asked me to translate it for her!”

LMAO