iPhone · iPad · Apple TV Native beta

Cat Climber

One more perch. One more jump. One very tall cat tower.

Game design and creative direction: my wife.
Development and implementation: Richard Ziolkowski.

Kimmy the charcoal cat stands on a perch in Night Sky, with a dog above and the one-thumb movement, jump and hold-to-grab cues below. — Kimmy in Night Sky, with the new tower furniture and gesture cues. I set up this scene to check the visuals in the iPhone simulator on 9 October 2026; these changes are in beta 10.

About this project

Cat Climber, named Endless Cat Tower in the native beta, is a climbing game for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. One bottom gesture area handles sideways movement, upward jump swipes and held grabs on scratching posts or hanging mice.

My wife leads the game design and creative direction, and I’m building the game. The tower combines jumps, toy swings, mushroom bounces and mischievous obstacles. You can practise first, save on a stable perch, and choose from ten cats and thirty wearables. I’ve brought the latest visual changes into TestFlight build 10.

Along the way

Project notes

What’s changed, what I’m trying, and what comes next.

15 October 2026 #

One thumb and a tower full of mischief

The cat tower now uses one-thumb gestures, with climbing, swinging, optional practice and a much fuller wardrobe.

My wife’s playtest feedback pushed the controls further than the two-thumb layout in my last note. I have moved steering and jumping into one bottom gesture area. Swipe sideways to move, swipe up to jump, then lift and swipe up again for the extra jump. A fresh still hold beside a scratching post or hanging mouse lets the cat grab; lifting lets go.

Those controls now support more of the tower’s toys. You can climb posts, swing from mice, bounce from floating mushrooms and steer out of a pond towards a dry perch. Dogs, a spray bottle, a vacuum and a startling cucumber create different reactions, with immediate air steering so a frightened leap still leaves you a chance to recover. A separate, replayable practice tutorial pauses to explain each move before you try it, and saved climbs resume safely from a stable perch.

The wardrobe now follows the full concept collection: ten cats and thirty wearables that fit through climbing, jumping and landing. I have refined clothing around the face and paws, lightened the glasses, and given the cats more individual poses and a proper grooming sequence. The tower furniture also changes with the height zone, from warm timber and moss to rope cradles and slate-edged perches.

I sent beta build 10 to both testing groups on 10 October, for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. I’m still working out how it plays in the hand, how quickly treats should unlock the collection, and which parts of a climb feel inviting enough to try again.

Cat Climber’s wardrobe shows Ivy in the preview studio, the ten-cat and thirty-wearable collection tabs, and illustrated cat choices. — The wardrobe now holds ten cats and thirty wearables. Captured in the iPhone simulator on 7 October 2026; these visuals are included in beta 10.

3 October 2026 #

Touch steering and a second jump

The native cat tower now has direct iPhone controls, a double jump and a fuller pixel-art world.

The native Cat Climber beta, named Endless Cat Tower, starts with a little calico cat and keeps climbing through Home, Garden, Rooftops, Clouds and Night Sky.

The biggest change I’ve made is to the touchscreen controls. Instead of choosing a landing and charging a pounce, you can slide your left thumb to move on perches and in the air. Tap the right side to jump, then tap again while airborne for a double jump. Lifting the steering thumb stops movement; a little edge grace and landing input forgiveness make close jumps more approachable. Apple TV keeps its aimed pounce.

I have also implemented richer world backdrops, twelve calico poses, fitted hats and scarves, animated hazards, and small effects for takeoff, landing and collecting treats. The wardrobe shows the same character used in play. Treats and best-climb records save locally, and cosmetics keep the same movement rules.

The new controls passed my automated engine and interface checks across iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. The visual beta is in internal TestFlight, and I’ve uploaded a mobile build with the new controls. I haven’t yet confirmed that build is available to testers. I’m also working on more climbing interactions and cat animations.

Cat Climber native iPhone game with a calico cat on wooden perches and instructions to slide left to steer and tap right to jump. — The revised iPhone controls: slide on the left to steer; tap on the right to jump and double jump. Native simulator capture, 3 October 2026.

Cat Climber Apple TV garden scene with layered wooden towers, a jumping cat, fish treats and remote pounce controls. — The Garden region in the native Apple TV simulator, 3 October 2026. TV retains the aimed pounce.

Cat Climber native wardrobe with Pip the calico cat and cosmetic coats purchased using fish treats. — The native wardrobe keeps coats and accessories cosmetic. iPhone simulator capture, 3 October 2026.