Punirunes Virtual Pet Embraces Its Gimmick

Virtual pets are, by their very nature, a very hands-off experience. You typically can’t actually touch or interact with one. In the case of a Tamagotchi, for example, it comes down to pushing buttons. Well, back in 2021, Takara Tomy started releasing the Punirunes virtual pet in Japan, and now Spin Master picked them up for a worldwide release. The “game changer” here is a fourth button that is designed to make it feel like are actually touching the squishy, slime-based pet. It… works way better than I expected.

Punirunes works much in the same way a Tamagotchi does, so for the most part the virtual pet should feel familiar. You need to feed it, pet it, play with it, and clean up after it to ensure it stays alive and doesn’t melt away. Many of these actions are kicked off by navigating the interface through the three buttons on the front of the unit, guiding the character through its three stages of life. Depending on your care, different evolutions appear.

The difference here is tied to the most important part of the interface, a joystick inside of the unit. When you start playing, you select a skin color for your hand. Pretty much every element of the character’s care then also involves “touching” it by pressing or moving the joystick with what is basically a squishy thumbpad on top. Want to make it happy? Place your finger inside. The sensor reads it and shows it on-screen. Rub the joystick. It’s happy!

Other actions are similarly tied to such movements, and as a result create a virtual pet experience that feels like you’re “actually interacting” with the character. Feeding it the default gummy bear? You need to press down on it with your finger to put it in front of your friend. Want to make different food? Buy some, use the orbs you collect by playing, and actually stir the pot with your finger. Is the room dusty? The Punirunes folks are apparently sticky, so move them around the room by shoving them around. Then, select a bath and rub their head to clean off the dust. The only major action that doesn’t involve touching is cleaning up poop, which is appreciated!

As you’d expect, part of earning money for in-game cosmetics or food is tied to minigames. What surprised me was the range of offerings in Punirunes, as there are more options than in a virtual pet like a Tamagotchi. These rely on the interior joystick to play. In one, you pound mochi as quickly as possible to create a snack. Another is like “whack-a-mole,” though you attempt to only hit the soft Punirunes character and not one with a spiky head. There is a platformer, which involves holding down on the joystick and left or right to jump while avoiding enemies. A dance game appears, as does one about collecting bubbles underwater. You also can try and help a character get items in a grabbing machine.

The quality of these varies. I really appreciated the mochi and platformer more than I expected. The input sensitivity for the dancing minigame kept it from being a top tier choice. But really, the only “loser” feels like the swimming one, as it can be finicky to move around properly. But as a plus, the screen, color choices, and backlight are so vibrant that everything is easy to see.

Not so easy to photograph, however. See what I mean?

I do think there are two concerns with this type of toy that don’t necessarily come up with a Tamagotchi or other virtual pets. The first involves the touching mechanic. The interior orb does feel a bit tacky, at least initially, so you want to make sure your hands are clean when playing. I could also see that as being a dust magnet, so keeping the area covered when not in use could be wise. 

Also, unlike Tamagotchis, I didn’t really notice any alerts. The screen goes dark quickly too. As such, it can be really easy to step away for a few hours or maybe even forget to check in, then you discover your character is in dire straights. I didn’t have any melt on me in this way, probably because I was setting timers for myself, but it might be upsetting to lose due to not hearing any chimes reminding you to come back. 

I really appreciated how Punirunes leaned into the “touching” gimmick for the virtual pet. Takara Tomy and Spin Master released something that does feel very unique. There’s a fun range of activities there. Just make sure you take proper care of it.

The Punirunes virtual pet is available worldwide, and the second season of the anime based on it is airing in Japan. The anime episodes are also available to watch on YouTube.