Wow, thanks, nice to hear you liked it! Good idea to add fullscreen illustrations; will add it to my to do list post-jam.
Funny to read your story about keeping the monster hunger at bay but not completing the level! My wife had the exact same experience (before I had to tell her "the point"). It's clear that the goal (filling the bar) should be better emphasized.
And obviously it's a Brizlzop! But the likeness to Venonat is uncanny indeed. ;)