Spider-Man is the hero of Spider-Man: Miles Morales. That’s not a statement about either of the Spider-Men (Peter Parker or the titular Miles Morales) but about Spider-Man, the bodega cat who charmed the internet to pieces earlier this fall. Insomniac’s web-slinging action game, out now for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, allows you to unlock a suit complete with a bodega cat—named Spider-Man—in a backpack. There’s only one problem: Though you meet the little fella early on, you can’t team up with him until after the credits roll.
Spider-Man (the cat) first shows up when you unlock the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man app. You’ll get a notification alerting you to a robbery at a nearby bodega. When you show up, the owner, Teo, is despondent—not just because his store was ransacked, but because the perpetrators snapped up his cat and ran off to a nearby power station. So you do the hero thing, infiltrate the base, beat up the bad guys, and rescue the cat.
You’d think, because this is a video game, that completing this mission would grant you a prize—prefurably in the form of a trusty, feline companion. After returning Spider-Man (the cat) to Teo, you’d be disappointed. And, sure enough, when you open the suits tab in your menu, you’ll see two requirements for unlocking the coveted Bodega Cat Suit: “Complete the ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ side mission” and, as a killing blow, “Finish the campaign.”
The “Cat’s Pajamas” mission doesn’t open up until you’re in the epilogue. In classic open-world fashion, after you defeat the final boss, you’re dropped back into the game. First, swing back to Miles’ apartment. Then, leave the apartment. That’ll automatically add “Cat’s Pajamas” to your quest log. Once that’s queued up, head back to Teo’s bodega. That’s it. That’s the mission. Spider-Man (the cat) is your new best friend.
Unlike other suits in the game, the Bodega Cat Suit doesn’t give you a suit mod. You will, however, unlock a new finisher, in which Spider-Man (the cat!) leaps out of the backpack. The kitty finisher doesn’t happen every time you perform the move—more like one in five—but, when it does, it’s glorious.
There’s also an IRL workaround that will allow you to meet everyone’s favorite bodega cat. Today, Hot Toys announced a Spider-Man: Miles Morales figure, and, hoo boy, does it have all the bells and whistles. You can affix Venom to Miles’ arms. You can swap in some of the best accessories, including the Santa hat and the backpack. And yes, the pack comes with Spider-Man (the cat...keep up).
Unfortunately, Hot Toys’ figure currently has an estimated delivery date of January 2022, at the earliest. By then, you’ll have finished the main campaign. From tip to (furry) tail, it shouldn’t take you more than 12 hours.