Pou

Pou is a virtual pet game in which you look after a small, brown, slightly blob-shaped creature. You feed it, wash it, put it to bed and play games with it, and in return it grows happier and more expressive. The idea is old as virtual pets themselves, but Pou's friendly face and simple care routine make it feel fresh.

The daily care is straightforward. Pou gets hungry, dirty and sleepy over time, so you check on it by feeding it from the fridge, giving it a bath and turning off the light when it is tired. Each action is a small tap or drag, and the creature reacts with a funny expression. If you ignore it for a while, it becomes sad, which gently encourages regular visits.

Mini-games provide the fun. Pou has a collection of simple arcade games, such as a sky-jumping game, a memory game and a sort of café-based reaction game, and the coins you earn in them are spent on food, clothes, hats and room decorations. That gives the game a loop of care, play and customisation, which is easy to understand for young children.

You can change Pou's colour, outfit and room, and many players spend time creating a look.

There is no violence and no competition, so the game is generally suitable for younger children, though parents should be aware that it contains ads and optional purchases. Pou can also be visited by friends in some versions, and sessions are short, which makes it easy to keep within a sensible daily time limit.

For adults, the game is mostly a nostalgic pleasure. It recalls the small virtual pets of earlier decades, and the routine of checking in a few times a day is oddly relaxing. It works offline, takes little storage and runs well on older phones, which is why it remains popular around the world.

Updates over the years have added new rooms, minigames and costumes, so long-time players often find something new when they return. Because the game is light on storage, it also runs smoothly on older devices that cannot handle larger titles.

Younger players also learn a little routine from it. Remembering to feed, wash and rest Pou a few times a day is a gentle introduction to responsibility, and the stakes are low, so forgetting for a day is easily forgiven.

If you want a gentle, undemanding game for a child, or a bit of nostalgia, it is simple and harmless.