Himmapan Marshmello Saga – the Thai “Tamagotchi”
Tamagotchi toys, neopets and other virtual pet games were all the rage in the 90’s and early 00’s. Next month, Thai gaming company, Holy Basil Studios is releasing its very own digital pet game, the Himmapan Marshmello Saga. The characters will be based on Thai mythical creatures, specifically ones that went viral on Facebook and inspired the game’s creator.
This virtual pet app is similar to the Tamagotchi – it was created by Mr.Tinnapop Sornpom. The game was inspired by viral photos depicting unique statues of Thai mythical creatures at temples in Isaan.
Raise Thai mythical creatures
The beta version of Himmapan Marshmello Saga is now available for Android and iOS devices, but only in Thai. However, it presents a great opportunity to digitally raise a pet while learning about Thai culture and brushing up your language skills. Mr. Sornpom did mention, though, that there may be an English version available soon.
Image credit: @TonsTweetings
Tua Mom, which is a lion-dragon hybrid and Hera, a half dragon-half serpent are the most coveted pets. The objective of this game is to catch and raise the Thai mythical creatures until they’ve evolved into their final form – the newly evolved pets will then be added into your collection. The more pets you have and the stronger, the more points you receive. The system is quite comparable to a Pokedex from Pokemon – so gotta catch em all!
Different aspects of pet development in Himmapan Marshmello Saga
Image credit: Bear Tai
Birth of the game
Abbot Phra Kru Soota shared photos of unique looking statues of Thai mythical creatures on an Isaan tourism facebook page, Sim, in early December 2020 with the hashtag #HimmapanMarshmallow.
Himmapan is the name of the fabled magical forest where mythical creatures live – the second part of the hashtag refers to how some depictions of the creature resemble the fluffy confectionary.
Adapted Images: สิม
When the photos of these statues went viral, they were nicknamed as Non by Thai netizens – which is a shortened version of the word Nong, which translates to “little one”. The viral pictures and clever hashtag inspired Mr. Sornpom to develop the game.
“In my day we played Tamagotchi and Digimon games,” creator Tinnapop Sornpom, 33, said in Khaosod English, “then I saw the hashtags about non, who were so cute.”
Thai culture in virtual reality
In the midst of closed borders and travel restrictions, the game could be fun for Tamagotchi fanatics and those who love Thai culture in general – Like every culture, Thai culture has its own uniqueness and creativity like the game here.
More on games here:
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- 9 Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Games On YouTube & Netflix For Interactive Adventures From Home
- 9 Online Games All 90s Kids Played And What They Look Like Now
- 23 Iconic 90s Video Games To Play During WFH To Resurrect Your Childhood Memories
- 10 Free Video Call Apps In M’sia With Games, Filters & Party Functions To Stay Close To Loved Ones
Featured images adapted from: สิม, Himmapan Marshmello Saga
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