Of course they’ll be plenty of games we’ll be playing and not playing at E3 next week, but it’s not next week yet.

Today in “What We’re NOT Playing,” Jason Cipriano and I run down our list of pre-E3 week games we’re going to ignore, even though we have the time.

Lately, we’ve been obsessed with cats. Even though “Purr Pals” features plenty of them, that’s not the kind of cat game we’re looking for:

JasonCipriano: Make the cat the star. It’s been quite some time since there has been a great cat staring in an action platformer. It’s about time someone made a game like that.
JasonCipriano: Bubsy was essentially a Sonic rip off, but it was the last “good” cat platformer.
JasonCipriano: Feel free to rip off “Super Mario Bros.” It’s just that “Bubsy” came out 15 years ago.
JasonCipriano: Give the kitty a new game.
TraceyJohn: Ha. So you hear that game developers? Give us a new platformer starring a cat. Cip will be first in line.

Read on to learn what other games we’re skipping, what games we’ll actually be playing instead, and why we’re worried about “Carnival Games“…

JasonCipriano: So Tracey, you’re back from Paris, and you get to stay put for about six days before you get to go to E3… what won’t you be playing while you’re at home in NYC?
TraceyJohn: I would like to play a napping game with myself to see how long I can sleep without interruption.
JasonCipriano: That would make for an interesting title
TraceyJohn: I mean, there’s a competitive eating game where I can lose by puking. Anything is possible.
JasonCipriano: “Major League Eating” isn’t out this week.
TraceyJohn: True. I’m just saying… Anyway, as for what I’m not playing? I think I’m going to ignore one type of game this week.
TraceyJohn: Namely mini game collections, like “Sports Party” (Wii), “Wonder World Amusement Park” (Wii) and “Carnival Games” on DS
JasonCipriano: That’s like 1000 games you’re ignoring then
TraceyJohn: True, though actually…
TraceyJohn: I may pick up “Carnival Games” just to see if they’ve added new skin tones to the avatar creation
TraceyJohn: Since I (and GoNintendo) pointed out that there aren’t any non-Caucasian options.
JasonCipriano: Is it fair to ignore a game that doesnt represent the player’s race?
TraceyJohn: I’m ignoring it because I don’t enjoy playing it. But yeah, as I’ve said before, I don’t think that a game that’s as generic as “CG” has an excuse to have such limited skin color palette for avatars.
TraceyJohn: But no, I don’t ignore games just because the player-character’s race isn’t my own. I play a white dude all the time.
JasonCipriano: All it is is a pallete change, you’d think they’d set aside a day to do that
TraceyJohn: Yeah, that’s all I’m saying.
TraceyJohn: But I digress. So what about you? Are you ignoring these as well?
JasonCipriano: Yeah, I dont think I’ll be playing any of those titles this week, but none of them are my pick.
JasonCipriano: That dubious honor goes to “Purr Pals”
TraceyJohn: WHAT? But you love cats!
JasonCipriano: I love real cats.
JasonCipriano: and I take care of… real cats.
TraceyJohn: I am going to play it based on the fact that I want to see kitten breads!
TraceyJohn: So you’re not a fan of games that simulate what you’d do in real life.
JasonCipriano: Not particularly.
TraceyJohn: I mean, I kill people all the time, yet I still find enjoyment in video games…
JasonCipriano: If I want to get the experience of taking care of a cat, and mix it with video games I’ll sit on my couch, throw in “Mario Galaxy” and have my cat curl up with me. I dont need a virtual one to satisfy that need.
JasonCipriano: Plus, what if Link and Coleco found out I was taking care of virtual cats? They might get jealous
TraceyJohn: That is very considerate of you.
TraceyJohn: But you do like games with cats in them though right?
TraceyJohn: I do remember the fact that you saved all 100 cats in “Superman Returns”
TraceyJohn: Was that more for your love of cats or your love of Achievements?
JasonCipriano: I saved all the cats in “Superman Returns” for the sake of the cats… if Superman wasn’t going to save them … who was?
TraceyJohn: How noble of you.
JasonCipriano: And I do like games with cats in them. Make the cat the star. It’s been quite some time since there has been a great cat staring in an action platformer. It’s about time someone made a game like that.
TraceyJohn: Bubsy?
JasonCipriano: Bubsy was essentially a Sonic rip off, but it was the last “good” cat platformer.
TraceyJohn: So you’re looking for a platformer starring a cat that doesn’t rip off an existing franchise?
JasonCipriano: Feel free to rip off “Super Mario Bros.” It’s just that “Bubsy” came out 15 years ago.
JasonCipriano: Give the kitty a new game.
TraceyJohn: Ha. So you hear that game developers? Give us a new platformer starring a cat. Cip will be first in line.
JasonCipriano: We can wrap up — what stuff will you actually be playing?
TraceyJohn: Well right now, I’m playing some stuff I’m writing about… and I have to pack some DS and PSP games for the trip to LA… Definitely still working on “The World Ends With You,” and I have a whole stack of stuff I’ve been meaning to get to. I’d like to play “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith” before I leave though.
TraceyJohn: You?
JasonCipriano: I’m hoping to get to relive the history of the world in “Civilization Revolution,” and then shoot a whole bunch of stuff in “UT3”
TraceyJohn: oh yeah, I want to get to “Civ Rev” too
TraceyJohn: Sounds good. Enjoy!
JasonCipriano: You too.