The hit Japanese virtual pet, Punirunes, is launching in the US this summer and I can almost guarantee that most of you have never seen a toy like this before. A play on Japanese mimetic words for “soft” (a spoon), Punirunes has a design peculiarity that distinguishes it from other devices of its type: a pasty button in the center of the device that serves to simulate physical contact with your pet. How do you get to that button? Poking my finger into the quarter-sized hole in the side of the plastic casing.
Without a doubt, it is a bit strange. The device will even show an animation of your finger on the screen when you do this (you can choose from a variety of skin colors during setup). But once you get past the strangeness of the aforementioned act and really get into the things it allows you to do, Punirunes' strangest feature actually makes it a pretty rich virtual pet experience. The squishy button feels like a joystick wrapped in mochi, which makes sense because the characters themselves are adorable, gummy-like creatures who start their lives as little blobs. You can pat them on the head to show affection and bounce them to catch objects; You can even drag them to clean the virtual floor using their sticky bodies as a mop.
The device has a full color LCD screen and the potential to generate 55 different characters. There are 6 built-in games, each using the smashing mechanism, plus a food cooking activity where you have to mix the ingredients yourself. To play the mini-games or visit other locations, including the market and the forest, you must bounce your character through a window portal. Super Mario 64-style. You can also customize your pet and change the decoration of its room. I've been playing with Punirunes for a few days now and I must say I'm having a lot of fun. The characters are so cute it hurts.
Anyone who follows the digital pet space closely has probably come across Punirunes at some point. The toys were first launched in Takara Tomy's Asian markets in 2021 and have since grown to include several generations of devices. They even inspired an anime series, which was released in the fall of 2022. I'd had my eye on Punirunes myself for some time, but I was hesitant to buy the Japanese version because the gameplay seemed a little more complex than something like a Tamagochi.
Its expansion into the US comes through a partnership with Spin Master, the company behind Paw Patrol, Hatchimals and many other popular kids brands. Punirunes will make its US debut in August and will be available in teal at major retailers for $40.
