Classic Games Database
ClassicGames DB

Alley Cat

Review

This action game challenges a cat to brave alley dangers and complete mini-games to woo a feline neighbor.

Alley Cat was originally released for the Atari 8-bit family in 1983 by Synapse Software. The DOS version was published by IBM in 1984 as part of the PCjr software lineup.

About Alley Cat

Alley Cat presents a series of short action challenges linked by an overarching objective. The player controls a cat attempting to court another cat residing in an apartment building, navigating an exterior environment to gain entry.

Points are accumulated through various activities, including consuming mice on clotheslines and successfully finishing interior scenes. These interior segments are brief, timed tasks such as displacing objects like vases or birdcages, or consuming items like fish or birds, often while avoiding a moving broom.

Exterior navigation involves climbing on garbage cans and fences, then moving across clotheslines and through windows while evading hazards like dogs and thrown garbage. After each completed interior challenge, the player returns to the alley and must navigate back inside for a courtship sequence.

This final sequence involves ascending a row of hearts while avoiding rival cats and projectiles. Successfully reaching the lady cat increases the overall challenging nature of the game for subsequent attempts.