Short Trip: The Hand-Drawn Cat Carrying Experience

Short Trip offers a charmingly tranquil escape from holiday stress, inviting players into a world of hand-drawn whimsy, meditative travel, and feline companions.

The holiday season is upon us, and with it brings many emotions. Aside from the cliched holiday cheer, people can also often experience higher levels of stress due to the pressures brought on by this time of year.

Certain aspects of the season such as isolation, job security, financial status, change in weather / lack of sun in some places, and even grief can infiltrate and sour what is supposed to be an otherwise joyous time. That being said, whether it be finals in school, long work weeks, or last-minute shopping, the importance of taking a break during these hectic times cannot be overstated. Luckily we’ve got just the game to help you catch your breath in this final dash towards the holidays.

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“Short Trip”, created by Alexander Perrin, is a serene gaming experience in which the player operates a tram up and down a mountain as they pick up and drop off passengers. The player character, and the travelers, are all uniquely drawn cats!

The player utilises either side of the touch screen or the left and right keys in order to navigate the gorgeous hand-drawn landscape. The experience takes about 5-10 minutes to complete, but can be repeated on loop! It’s a fairly simplistic game, but the darling drawings and the thoughtful sound design make for a whimsically peaceful experience.

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My playthrough felt reminiscent of that scene in Spirited Away on the train— there can be something quiet and contemplative about public transportation that is captured beautifully in that scene and in this game. Travel is all at once isolating and unifying— the mystery of each passenger and their destination invites speculation. It is such a fascinating way to be alone together, and in that way there is peace to be found in the act of going somewhere.

The game replicates that feeling beautifully and fosters the urge to silently ponder about each little kitty traveler the player picks up and drops off. It is surprisingly relaxing, and it was designed to be so— encouraging those who come across it to unwind from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives.

The game and its storybook style sketch work took Alexander Perrin five years to complete. The interactive illustration went viral and has been played millions of times now. It acts as a short and sweet stress-free game for those in need of a break from the grind. The game is now being expanded upon and added to Steam this December with new content.

For those who are more incentive-driven, players can now keep track of passengers delivered to the appropriate station and set high scores in the new “schedule” mode. There will also be plenty of behind the scenes extras that showcase the development process. Be sure to check out the new and improved “Short Trip” this December on Steam if you are in need of some cat related catharsis this holiday season, which I will boldly assume that we all could use quite badly.