REVIEW
Written byMags
Cats MiaoMiaoMiao~ has the sort of appeal its name promises: it is lovely to look at, very cute, and built around a simple match three idea that makes for an easy way to pass some time. The cats are the main attraction, and the game’s gentle presentation gives the puzzle format a soft, cozy feel. I liked the concept, and when I could play without interruption, it was pleasant to settle into a few levels.
My trouble was getting that uninterrupted play. On Steam Deck, using the touchscreen caused the game to freeze repeatedly. That made the experience frustrating in a way the relaxed presentation does not prepare you for. I opened the game on PC to see whether the touch controls were the cause, and ran into a separate disappointment: my progress had not carried over between platforms. I had expected what I had already done to be saved to my account, but switching devices meant starting without that progress.
Once I understood those limitations and used the indicated controls, I was able to advance without further problems. That distinction matters. I did not find the game impossible to play, and the controls it points you toward worked for me. But the repeated freezes were a real obstacle when I was playing with the Deck touchscreen, and the missing progress transfer makes moving between Deck and PC less convenient than it should have been.
There is a caveat to my complaint about touch controls: the freezing did not happen for me in infinite mode. I cannot say whether the normal levels behave differently because of their controls or difficulty, or whether I simply encountered an issue specific to those circumstances. I do not want to turn that uncertainty into a confident explanation. What I can say is that the problem happened often enough in my normal level play to affect my enjoyment, while infinite mode did not give me the same trouble.
So my view is mixed, but not because the basic idea failed to charm me. The art is genuinely adorable, and the match-three setup is a good fit for a low-pressure pastime. The friction is in the practical experience: touchscreen play on Deck was unreliable for me, and my progress did not follow me to PC. Using the recommended controls let me continue, but it does not erase either issue. Cats MiaoMiaoMiao~ is appealing in its look and premise, yet the device and control limitations are worth knowing about if you expect to move between platforms or rely on the Deck touchscreen. I can describe it as a cute, casual diversion, with enough caveats to keep my recommendation measured rather than wholehearted.
— Mags / Noobsnoplay