Case study / Production case study
CAT BEAT: five modes built around left and right inputs
CAT BEAT : Wake the Beat is a cat rhythm action game in development at Level Up Today. Its shared left and right controls support different combinations of timing, pattern memory and target recognition in each mode.
Article summary
- Compare Boxing's direction and timing challenges with pattern memory in VS Boss.
- See how Cat's Day, Fishing and Practice vary their targets and progression.
- An in-house production example from Level Up Today, which also operates this publication.
CAT BEAT : Wake the Beat · Development screenshot
An actual development screenshot of VS Boss mode. Players remember a demonstrated pattern and counterattack.
Image credit: Level Up Today · Source page ↗ · Original image ↗
Shared input and mode-specific rules
In Boxing, players strike incoming pigs on the matching side at the right moment. VS Boss has them remember a demonstrated pattern and counterattack. Cat's Day asks them to distinguish catnip from obstacles. Fishing and Practice build on remembering a rhythm and playing it back.
Timing decisions and pattern memory
Boxing asks players to read the target approaching now. VS Boss asks them to recall an earlier sequence before responding. Both use the same number of buttons, but the information players need and their time to prepare differ. A mode description should explain that task alongside its controls.
The same two hands, five different modes
| Mode | Primary information | Core action |
|---|---|---|
| Boxing | Direction and timing of incoming pigs | Strike back on the matching side |
| VS Boss | Order and rhythm of the demonstration | Counter with the remembered pattern |
| Cat's Day | Distinguishing catnip from obstacles | Decide according to the target |
| Fishing | The rhythm just heard | Reproduce the remembered beats |
| Practice | Correspondence between rhythm and input | Learn through repetition |
CAT BEAT : Wake the Beat · Development screenshot
A development screenshot using the Chapter 3 boxing background. Players counter incoming targets by matching their direction and timing.
Image credit: Level Up Today · Source page ↗ · Original image ↗
Feedback immediately after input
Punches and impact sounds communicate the result of an input. The question is whether players can identify a target and read the feedback that follows. Each mode can express its own rules through those responses while sharing the same controls.
The homepage demo and the full game
The official homepage presents actual development screenshots from five modes. After the video, visitors can enjoy a standalone note-tapping demo with no wins, losses, HP or score totals. Progress and saving in the full game are handled within the game; official announcements provide release timing and entry information.
CAT BEAT : Wake the Beat · Development screenshot
Cat's Day in development, showing a challenge built around distinguishing target types.
Image credit: Level Up Today · Source page ↗ · Original image ↗
CAT BEAT : Wake the Beat · Development screenshot
Fishing mode in development, showing a challenge built around listening to and remembering a rhythm.
Image credit: Level Up Today · Source page ↗ · Original image ↗
Sources & scope
Level Up Today operates both Game Making Notes and CAT BEAT. This article introduces screenshots and controls from its own game in development. Play feel and device-specific synchronization remain topics for subsequent playtests.