An Asmik puzzle-platformer, one of the cleverest on Game Boy. Two cats to swap, enemies to transform, and crucially: time rewind (rare in 1990!). Varied levels, elegant puzzles. A real little gem, recommended for fans of puzzles with time-rewind before its time.
Your verdict
Category
Puzzle1 player3+
Description
Puzzle-platformer with two cats freeing prisoners by transforming enemies, featuring the unique ability to rewind time. Published by Asmik, released in 1990 in North America. Two cat characters with different roles, time-rewinding mechanic, one hundred puzzle levels, and cooperation.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
Compare prices
Loading eBay listings…
Alert active — budget
$
Collector interest
Asmik's Catrap holds a rare place in puzzle history: its time-rewind feature, present back in 1990, predates a mechanic that became standard much later. The North American release stayed obscure, giving even loose carts a firm price for a Game Boy puzzler. Sought by enthusiasts aware of that mechanical precedence rather than by the wider market.
An underrated gem
Long before time-rewinding became fashionable, this Japanese puzzle-platformer already let you undo your mistakes at the push of a button. Released to relative indifference under the name Catrap, it hides a hundred fiendishly well-designed brain-teasers. Ideal for fans of demanding logic who can forgive a modest visual presentation.
Is Catrap still worth playing in 2026?
Catrap is a puzzle platformer of surprising modernity, offering as early as the start of the nineties a rewind mechanic long before it became common. Being able to undo your moves to solve block pushing and monster clearing puzzles makes the experience both accessible and deep, without fear of mistakes. This visionary idea and its careful level design give it real staying power. A little known gem, an absolute must discover for fans of smart puzzles.
