Featured Graphic by Destiny Mizell
Story By Grace Howland
“Pui Pui Molcar” is a Japanese stop motion mini series created by Tomoki Misato. The series revolves around guinea pigs who are cars, known as molcars. There is no dialogue in the series, except for guinea pig noises which sound like, “pui pui.” While humans do drive them around, they can also act on their own. The series dives into their silly adventures and has quite a few pop culture references.
These adorable molcars have merchandise and video games. I am going to focus on one video game adaptation in particular, which is a Nintendo Switch exclusive called, “PUI PUI MOLCAR: Let’s MOLCAR PARTY!”
About the Game
It was a bit difficult trying to find a physical copy of the game, but I managed to find one online. The game comes with English language support as well. If you want a digital copy of the game, it is available on the Japanese Nintendo eShop.
The game is a mixture between a party game and a simulation game, though the game focuses more on the party genre. In the game’s plot, the molcars receive an invitation to a place called Moltown, which is supposed to be filled with carrots.
Upon arriving at the town, they discover that it is barren and must be rebuilt. In order to turn the place into a bustling town, you must earn in-game currency (which is also known as PUI) and spend it on different buildings. You can earn it by playing party games and completing different objectives.
The buildings include different mini games and there are ten of them total. One is called “Mol Rhythm,” where you must press buttons to the rhythm after you are given a cue to do so. Another is “PUI PUI Racing,” where you can race against other molcars and eat carrots to run faster. “Mol Soccer” is soccer except with molcars, and it even has a stand-alone free game on the Japanese eShop called “MOL SOCCER ONLINE Lite.”
The main gameplay is single player only, but the mini games can be played in multiplayer mode. Other than playing mini games, you have the ability to watch over molcars as they walk around the city. You can also unlock and collect more of them as the game progresses. You can even feed them carrots and they may fight each other to eat them. Players can also dress them up, pet them and take photos of them.
My Thoughts
“Pui Pui Molcar” has got to be one of the most interesting and adorable shows I’ve ever watched, so I was stoked when I found out it had a Switch game. I played the demo from the Japanese eShop and knew I needed the full game.
The mini games are fun and replayable. The characters are absolutely adorable. The game can be great to play by yourself or with friends. I love games that are happy and hilarious, and this game fits right into my collection for those reasons.
If you are looking for a cozy party game with a bizarre premise, then I would recommend checking out this game. The original “Pui Pui Molcar” show can be found on Netflix.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on Twitter at @Sidelines_News.
