Poppy Playtime’s Smiling Critters debuted in Deep Sleep, and they’re certainly among the more interesting toys to show up in the factory. Actually, CatNap himself is a Smiling Critter, though he’s the only Bigger Buddies member who deserves the title of ‘evil.’ Right, let’s dive in and learn about each member. Prepare yourself. One meets a truly horrifying end. Well, that you actually get to see, but the others most certainly met an awful end, too.
We can go into great detail about one member of the group, Poppy Playtime’s CatNap, though we can also let you in on some things about Poppy Playtime’s DogDay, the leader of the Smiling Critters. You may also want to know more about other characters that appear in Poppy Playtime Chapter 3, so make sure you check out our Poppy Playtime Kissy Missy, Poppy Playtime Poppy, Poppy Playtime Ollie, and Poppy Playtime Prototype articles for more information.
Here’s everything we know about the Poppy Playtime Smiling Critters.
Who are the Poppy Playtime Smiling Critters?
The Poppy Playtime Smiling Critters are comprised of eight different toys, of which the leader is DogDay, while the most notorious is CatNap. Playtime Co. created the line of toys in 1989, and to ensure they had the best launch possible, the company made a TV show of the same name. However, while the idea was good in concept, the cartoon proved to be more creepy than parents appreciated, letting their concerns about CatNap be known.
It turns out that people had reason to be concerned about the cat toy beyond his appearance in the show, as a manufacturing mistake meant that the CatNap plushies emitted a red gas that induced nightmares in children. The opening clip of Deep Sleep gives you a look at the gas and what CatNap can do, showing that ill-fated episode.
Despite the questionable results of the Smiling Critters, they did become the main mascots for Playtime Co., going on to become part of the Bigger Buddies initiative, during which the staff made a horrific mistake in which orphan they chose to become CatNap.
Each Smiling Critter has a unique scent associated with them and a pendent that represents a core aspect of their personality. Playtime Co. designed the toys to emit their scents through their mouths and tails, helping the children relax or sleep.
As for the individual Smiling Critters, they are:
What’s the Poppy Playtime Smiling Critters’ role in the story?
Beyond CatNap being the big bad of Chapter 3 and DogDay offering us some crucial information before chasing us in the Playhouse, the mini Smiling Critters are an enemy you must face as you search for DogDay. It’s also them that ultimately kill the poor pooch.
What happened to the Smiling Critters?
As the only Bigger Buddies Smiling Critters you encounter are CatNap and DogDay, it’s evident that the other six members met their demise before you arrive in the factory. If you interact with their cardboard cutouts throughout Chapter 3, you can even hear some of them scream – it’s harrowing to listen to and gives a good indicator of what happened to them.
The likelihood is that CatNap deemed them all to be heretics, much like he did with DogDay, killing them in the name of the Prototype. It’s the only logical explanation, given they’d still be around if they agreed with the recalled member of the group.
While you can’t see them in The Hour of Joy tape, it’s highly likely that the Poppy Playtime Smiling Critters also fought back against the staff that harmed them. However, while CatNap is a malicious being, we suspect the others may have been like Kissy Missy, attacking those who deserved it while leaving the innocent alone. There’s no proof of this, of course. It just seems that not all the toys in this factory wanted harm to befall everybody. It could also be that Bobby BearHug and co didn’t partake in the massacre at all.
Poppy Playtime Smiling Critters’ personality
Each Smiling Critter has a different personality, though all are caring in their own way. Some want you to be healthy, others care about your creative flair, and a few just want to see you smile (hence the name). It’s only right to take a look at them as individuals, so we’ll go into what they’re like, what scent they have, and what symbol. This guide doesn’t go into how callous CatNap is; he has his own guide for that grisly tale.
CatNap
You all likely know just how evil CatNap is by now, but before those horrific events, CatNap is said to have a calming presence for critters, ensuring that both he and his friends get the right amount of sleep each night – makes sense, given his role as helping to put the children to sleep in Playcare. His scent is lavender, which is also heavily associated with sleeping, while his pendent is a crescent moon.
CatNap recall
Of all the Smiling Critters, it’s only CatNap that underwent a recall, the reason being that instead of emitting the peaceful lavender gas to put the kids to sleep in Home Sweet Home, he began emitting red gas, a substance that caused the children to have nightmares.
DogDay
What happens to the Bigger Buddy DogDay is nothing short of cruel, and we’ll never forgive CatNap for it. However, looking at who DogDay was, he’s the leader of the Smiling Critters, with a sunny, determined, and strong disposition that leads his friends to turn to him when they need help looking at the bright side of things. This pooch is there for his friends no matter what, with his sunny pendent and vanilla scent at the ready.
