The Mori de Hakken! Tamagotchi (森で発見!たまごっち Mori de Hakken! Tamagotch meaning Forest Discovery! Tamagotchi), but much more commonly referred to as the Morino or Forestgotchi, is a bug-themed Tamagotchi released by Bandai in February 1998.
An American release, titled the Tamagotchi Garden, was planned for summer 1998, but it was canceled.
The device features Mushitchi, forest-dwelling Tamagotchi that are based on a number of insect lifeforms that previously debuted in Game de Hakken!! Tamagotchi 2.
Design[]
The Morino is the same size and shape as a classic Tamagotchi. Four shell designs were produced for Japan. Four designs were shown for the English release, but none were produced.
Like the Tamagotchi Angel, Tamagotchi Ocean, and the TamaOtch, the Morino Tamagotch had a sound sensor that reacted to sounds of tapping and yelling, which was used to scare away Predators.
Backstory[]
On Tamagotchi Planet, lives a special race of bug-like Tamagotchi characters called Mushitchi. While Mushitchi can be found all over the planet, their biggest and safest home is the Mushitchi Forest. Mushitchi hide amongst the leaves, grass, dirt, and under the ground.
Due to this, other Tamagotchi wandering in the forest accidentally step on them occasionally. On the Morino Tamagotchi, the user is tasked with caring for a Mushitchi, helping it grow big while avoiding getting injured.
Functions[]
Eggs, Growth and Lifespan[]
Once the device starts, a white egg will appear on the screen. After the user sets the clock, the user will be given the option of choosing either the white egg or a black polka dot egg.
The chosen egg will hatch three minutes later and begin its life cycle, which are different between the two eggs and determine which Evolution possibilities are available.
A Mushitchi will eventually die of old age, and the maximum age varies by which adult character is raised. As the Mushitchi grows older, they become more difficult to care for, and injuries from being attacked are more likely to make them die early.
White Egg[]
Babymotchi will hatch from the White Egg after 3 minutes. After 12 waking hours it will evolve into Imotchi, who will make its cocoon (Mayutchi) at the 12th, 24th or 36th waking hour if by any of those times a weight of 40mg is reached, or at the 48th waking hour if 40mg is never reached, an adult form will come out of Mayutchi after 24 hours depending on the cocoon's temperature management. Ending the 24th hour of Mayutchi at extreme temperatures will most times result in death.
Which adult is earned is determined both by how long it takes the user to increase the Mushitchi's weight to a specific range and the cocoon's temperature. If the user maintains a middling temperature Mayutchi will evolve back into Imotchi, and will evolve into Helmetchi after becoming Mayutchi a second time if the correct requirements are met.
Polka Dot Egg[]
When hatched, the polka dot egg will begin with Imotchi. 1-4 days later, it will evolve into Mayutchi, and evolve into Kabutotchi one day later if the temperature of the cocoon is managed properly.
Cocoon Stage[]
The teen stage from traditional Tamagotchi releases is replaced with the "Cocoon Stage", when Imotchi evolves into Mayutchi and cannot be directly interacted with until it evolves again. Instead, the user must adjust the temperature of the cocoon to ensure the Mushitchi's survival. When opening the Meter icon, it will show a temperature gauge with Hot (H) on the right, and Cold (C) on the left. The user presses A to make an arrow point in either direction, and B to confirm. Afterward, the temperature will gradually move in the desired direction. Long hours of extreme temperature may result in the Mayutchi dying prematurely. Temperature, along with weight, will determine what adult will be raised, unless it was born from the polka-dot egg.
Clock[]
The user must set the time before the Mushitchi can hatch. Pressing the B button when no icon is highlighted will bring up the clock screen and holding A and C will allow them to adjust the time - doing the latter is not necessary from a fresh start. A adds hours, B adds minutes and C confirmed the new time, and pressing B again will return to the normal screen. The Mushitchi will not age, lose hearts, poop etc. as long as the clock is in adjustment mode, thereby allowing it to be used as a "Pause" mode.
Zoom In and Out[]
Unique to the Morino Tamagotchi is an alternate sprite for the Mushitchi, depicting them at the same scale as other Tamagotchi characters. When interacting with the Mushitchi, the screen is "zoomed in" to show the character in detail. After leaving the device idle for ten seconds, it will "zoom out", showing the Mushitchi as a small, black dot wandering between a pair of trees. This dot will not move when the Mushitchi is still an egg, asleep, injured, or during the cocoon stage. The screen will also depict the Mushitchi in its "zoomed out" sprite when being attacked by a predator. When any button is pressed, the screen will "zoom in" again.
Meter[]
The Health meter screen shows the Mushitchi's overall stats. The first screen shows the Hungry meter, the second screen shows the Happy meter, and the third screen shows the age and weight, measured in milligrams. If the user is raising Kabutotchi, a fourth screen showing Kabutotchi's length, measured in millimeters, will also be available. Using the Health meter regularly allows the user to know their Mushitchi's needs, allowing them to make decisions that influence the Mushitchi's overall care, which in turn impact the Mushitchi's evolutions throughout its life cycle.
Weight[]
Weight plays a significant role in which adult character the Mushitchi will become. Every 24 hours, the game checks if Imotchi's weight has reached 40mg. If so, it will evolve into Mayutchi. After 96 hours, if Imotchi's weight is not brought to this number, it will become an unhealthy adult. Due to the lack of the standard "Snack" option of other devices, the user must carefully manage the Mushitchi's weight between the different food options and how often the game is played.
Length[]
Length is a special function exclusive to Kabutotchi. The goal is to make Kabutotchi as big as possible. It will gradually grow depending on what foods the user feeds it, and determines how long it survives.
Feed[]
The Morino offers a selection of four different foods. All four foods count as meals, and therefore cannot be fed if the Hungry meter is full.
- Option 1 is a leaf. It raises one Hungry heart, and increases the weight by 1. This is the only option available during the baby stage, and is available at every stage.
- Option 2 is a special snack. The snack is cherries in the morning, a soft-serve ice cream in the afternoon, and nutmeg seeds in the evening. These raise 1 Hungry heart, and increase the weight by 2. This option becomes available from the child stage, and becomes the third option when the Tamagotchi reaches adulthood. If the player is aiming to obtain Twinaritchi or Helmetchi, they must only feed Imotchi this option.
- Option 3 is a special food that is unique for every adult character. It takes the second spot in the menu, and the food raises both 1 Hungry and 1 Happy heart, while increasing the weight by 1.
- Option 4 is Kabutotchi's special food option. This option is not always available, but may occur at random when the user opens the food menu, and disappear if the user closes the menu. Each food that appears in this option helps to increase Kabutotchi's length.
Game[]
This icon allows the user to play a game with their Mushitchi to raise its Happy meter. However, the game also lowers the Mushitchi's weight by 1 each time it is completed. The object of the game is to find a leaf hidden under one of four hats. The user must press the A button to move the cursor, and then press the B button to select a hat. If a leaf is found under the hat, the round is won.
Each game lasts four rounds, and the user must win two rounds in order to win the game. Winning a game raises the Happy meter by 1, while playing a perfect game (winning all four rounds) raises the Happy meter by 2. If the user presses A or B after the end screen, a new game will start. If the Mushitchi poops, calls for attention, or falls asleep while in the process of playing the game, the game will not resume after the end screen.
Bathroom[]
Throughout its life, the Mushitchi will leave poo on the screen. The user must select this icon to clear it away. If ignored, multiple poos may gradually fill the screen.
? Box and Predators[]
The ? Box is the fifth icon, depicted as a cube with a question mark ("?") on one side. Under normal circumstances, the icon cannot be selected; the cursor will automatically move to the medicine icon instead. However, when the Mushitchi is being attacked by a Predator, the ? Box is the only icon that can be selected.
When the Mushitchi is in danger, it will call for attention and play a unique animation for 2 minutes. When interacted with, the screen will depict one of two possible predators about to injure the Mushitchi: either a large footprint, or Keropyontchi. The user must then scare the predator away tapping the side of the shell (tapping elsewhere or making a loud noise in proximity also works).
If the carer fails to respond within these 2 minutes or does not respond sufficiently, the predator will attack, causing the Mushitchi to get injured. The risk of getting injured increases if the Happy meter is low, or if the user raised a poor care adult. Successful attacks when the Mushitchi is older or had survived attacks before are more likely to cause the Mushitchi to die.
Medicine[]
Unlike other devices, the Morino Tamagotchi does not naturally get sick throughout its life. Instead, it will become injured if a successful attack occurs, resulting in a care mistake. Instead of the traditional skull, the screen will depict the Mushitchi wrapped in bandages and leaning on a crutch. Selecting the medicine icon will heal it of its injuries. Leaving the Mushitchi injured for a long period of time will cause it to die early.
Light[]
When the Mushitchi goes to sleep, the user selects this icon to turn the lights on or off. Not turning the lights off before the Attention icon vanishes will result in a care mistake. A Mushitchi will only grow and age while it is awake, and a year will be added to its age on the check meter every time it wakes up. Every Mushitchi has its own waking and sleeping hours. Turning off the lights while the Mushitchi is awake will not impact its health, but will make it impossible for the user to see if the Tamagotchi has made a poo.
Attention[]
This icon cannot be selected and lights up on its own when the Mushitchi needs something - Hungry or Happy being completely empty, falling asleep and requiring the lights to be turned off, or calling for help when it's about to be attacked. If the user does not tend to their needs within 15 minutes, the icon will turn off and a care mistake will occur (unless the Mushitchi was calling for help, in which case, it will be attacked). If a Mushitchi dies while the attention icon is on, it will remain lit on the death screen until a new egg appears. The Mushitchi will not call for attention when it poops.
Death[]
A Mushitchi will eventually die due to either injury or old age. The death screen shows a bush with a cross on it on the right side, and a bug-like Obaketchi on the left side. Unlike other devices, the user cannot see their Mushitchi's final stats. The B button cannot be pushed to view the clock, and pressing the A and C buttons simultaneously will bring up the egg selection screen, starting the cycle over.
Sound and Battery[]
Pressing the A and C buttons simultaneously will disable or enable the sound, indicated by a unique beep. This can only be done on the main screen, and won't work if the Mushitchi is dead or in the middle of a specific animation, such as pooping or dying.
The Morino Tamagotchi features a low battery screen, depicted by the word "BATT" at the bottom of the screen.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The Tamagotchi Garden is one of two Tamagotchi releases known to have been cancelled, the other being the Tamagotchi Music Star: World Tour Edition.
- The Tamagotchi Garden was on display at the 1998 Toy Fair. However, no photos of the units are known to exist.