 "Kitten Cannon!" | |
| Author: | BurstStudio |
|---|---|
| Audio used: | N/A |
| Origin: | 03/30/2005 |
| Size: | 263.5 KB |
| Score (As of 13 June, 2010): | 4.15/5.00 |
| Awards: |  Daily Feature
|
| Author's comments: | |
| Enjoy Kitten Cannon as it approaches its 4-year anniversary.
Now updated with the NG API | |
| Note | This information only refers to the official release on the Flash Portal. |
Kitten Cannon! is a 2005 game by BurstStudio. It is widely credited with popularizing the "Toss" genre on Newgrounds.
Gameplay
It is somewhat similar to Toss the Turtle, but a bit older and more crude. Players control a cannon that shoots a kitten. They can change the angle of the cannon's barrel, which can be changed using the up and down arrow keys, and the power of the cannon. For maximum distance, the optimal angle is always 45 degrees. However, the cannon's power is determined by a red bar that rapidly increases and decreases. Therefore, timing is essential. Once the kitten is shot using the spacebar, the player has no control over the game. The kitten will fly forward, occasionally bouncing on the ground. Certain objects lie on the ground that can alter the kitten's progress. Bombs, TNT, and trampolines will send the kitten flying skyward, while spikes and Venus fly traps will kill it, ending your shot. The game then tells the player how far they shot the kitten and their personal high score. There aren't any high score leaderboards.
Presentation
Preparing to fire the Kitten.
Even when compared to many games of the era, Kitty Cannon! has simple graphics. There are only a few sprites for the kitten and cannon. The obstacles have one sprite each, the background repeats, and blood is crudely drawn. The game has no music. However, a number of sound effects are used.
Reception
Kitten Cannon! was well received on Newgrounds. As of March 2010, it has over 1.6 million views, a score of 4.15/5, and an average review of 8.7/10. It also won the Daily Feature and is featured in the Cats Collection and in Flash Portal History. More importantly, it popularized the toss genre, which has had a number of popular games. In the words of Tom Fulp, "Kitten Cannon started the Western craze of games that involved tossing things into the air and seeing how far they can bounce." [1] Spiritual successors include Toss the Turtle, Hedgehog Launch, and Shopping Cart Hero.