Moshi Monsters facts for kids
Moshi Monsters logo
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| Developer | Mind Candy |
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| Launch date | 16 April 2008 |
| Discontinued | 13 December 2019 |
| Platform(s) | Web browser (Adobe Flash) |
Moshi Monsters was a British web browser massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) aimed at children, with over 80 million registered users in 150 territories worldwide. Users could choose from one of six virtual pet monsters (Katsuma, Poppet, Diavlo, Luvli, Furi, and Zommer) they could create, name and nurture. Once their pet had been customized, players could navigate their way around Monstro City, take daily puzzle challenges to earn 'Rox' (a virtual currency), play games, personalize their room and communicate with other users in a safe environment, although this has been disputed.
The servers for the game were officially closed on 13 December 2019, due to the game requiring Adobe Flash Player, which ended support on 31 December 2020.
Mind Candy continues to actively use the "Moshi" intellectual property in the mobile app Moshi, an award-winning app featuring bedtime stories, games and guided mindfulness meditations aimed at young children.
Contents
History
The game was created in late 2007 by Michael Acton Smith, and developed in 2008 by entertainment company Mind Candy and officially launched in April 2008. As of December 2009, there were at least 10 million players registered. In March 2010, Mind Candy announced that there were 15 million users and by September 2010, that number had surpassed 25 million. In June 2011, it was announced that there were 50 million users. On 13 November 2019, it was announced that Moshi Monsters would be closing down on 13 December 2019, due to the end of support for Adobe Flash Player.
Gameplay
Moshlings
The in-game pets keep their own smaller pets, called "Moshlings". They came in a huge variety of themed sets, including Ponies, Beasties, Kitties, and Spookies. Those who were not paying members could keep two "Moshlings" in their room, whilst paying members could keep up to six and visit other pets in the zoo.
Easter egg
As an Easter egg, the Moshlings and in-game pets could also happily sing "Poesje Mauw" together while holding tulips, wearing wooden shoes, and wearing traditional Dutch outfits and Dutch hats. Same for those who were not paid members. This would happen if the screen was touched three times. A video of it can be watched on YouTube here.
Almost every player of the game knew about this and has seen this, and they thought it was the best part ever. Most of the youngest players found it funny and wanted to keep doing it over and over again, making the song become their favourite song.
Lyrics of Poesje Mauw:
Poesje mauw, kom eens gauw
Ik heb lekk're melk voor jou
En voor mij, rijstebrij
O, wat heerlijk smullen wij.
Other
Merchandise
Since its digital popularity, Moshi Monsters has grown commercially to include physical products, including games, toys, the Moshi Monsters Magazine (number one selling children's magazine in the UK in 2011), a best-selling DS video game, 2 music albums, books, membership cards, bath soap, chocolate advent calendars, trading cards, figures of many Moshlings, mobile games, and a Moshi Monsters feature film. Eight Moshi Monsters toys were included in McDonald's Happy Meals in the United States and Canada in December 2013. The toys were exclusively available at Toys "R" Us.
Nintendo DS games
In November 2011, Activision released Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo for the Nintendo DS. The game is themed around moshlings and collecting and caring for them. It also came with an unlock code for a secret moshling to adopt in the main online game.
In October 2012, they also released Moshi Monsters: Moshling Theme Park. The game takes place after the events of the previous title, and its plot involves the Monsters going to Moshlings Theme Park so that they can take a break from looking after the Moshling Zoo, only to get their plane hit by thunder and to find out that the park is now abandoned in terrible condition, so they attempt to restore it to its former glory. Like the previous game, it also had a secret moshling unlock code.
Mobile games
In July 2013, Mind Candy released Moshi Monsters Village on Google Play, a 3D city-builder published by GREE and developed by Tag Games. After GREE UK shut down, Mind Candy decided to take over the game as the publisher, leaving the development to Tag Games. The game was relaunched on Apple devices on 18 December 2013 immediately ahead of the release of the movie.
In December 2013, Mind Candy published the companion app Talking Poppet, also developed by Tag Games.
In February 2014, Moshi Karts was released on iOS by Mind Candy.
In June 2014, Moshling Rescue a "match-three" game based on the Moshling characters was released on iOS and Android.
In early 2015, Mind Candy released an app called World of Warriors which was shut down in October 2018.
In November 2016, Mind Candy released the Moshi Monsters Egg Hunt app, alongside a companion storybook of the same name.
In December 2017, Mind Candy released Moshi Twilight, an app featuring audio-based bedtime stories. The app was later renamed Moshi and expanded to include guided mindfulness meditations. The app is aimed at young children. The Poesje Mauw song can also be heard if the screen is tapped four times, then the song would play.
Music
In March 2012, Mind Candy confirmed a major partnership deal with Sony Music. The deal followed the recent launch of Mind Candy's own music label, Moshi Monsters Music. The deal saw Sony Music handle the distribution aspects of Moshi Monsters' music releases, starting with the debut album Moshi Monsters, Music Rox! Jason Perry, formerly with the UK rock band A and head of Moshi Music, drove the new album. The Moshi Monsters series features music from Sonic Boom Six, Beatie Wolfe, The Blackout, Portia Conn, and songs such as "Moptop Tweenybop (My Hairs Too Long)", "Moshi Twistmas", and "Poesje Mauw". Two albums are available on iTunes and Google Play, as well as on disc. One album contains the songs from Moshi Monsters: The Movie, and another album has some of Moshi Monster's first songs. 2 Single discs for "Moptop Tweenybop (My Hairs Too Long)" and "Moshi Twistmas" were also included free with the magazines in the UK.
Kids Movie
In 2013, Mind Candy announced a Moshi Monsters kids film. In September 2013, Issue 34 of the Moshi Monsters Magazine included a Moshi Music DVD with a short trailer. On 10 October 2013, a short preview of the trailer was broadcast on ITV Daybreak. Later that day, the trailer was released on MSN. The film was released on 20 December 2013 in the UK and 20 February 2014 in Australia, and was a box-office bomb in both countries. The DVD and Blu-ray were released on 14 April 2014 in the UK and 3 April 2014 in Australia.
Decline in popularity and relaunch
The developer of Moshi Monsters, Mind Candy, suffered a loss of £2.2m in 2013 due to a drop in sales from Moshi Monsters. The company's financial reports had shown that the profit declined by 34.8% from £46.9 million in 2012 to £30.6 million in 2013.
In 2015, Mind Candy revealed that they were preparing to relaunch Moshi Monsters for a younger target demographic of four to seven-year-olds, initially as animation with apps and toys to follow. However, no changes had been made to the Moshi Monsters site during its lifespan, apart from the removal of the forums section and the removal of the game.
From 2015 onwards, the decline of Moshi Monsters and the site's creator Mind Candy continued. The peak of Moshi Monsters' popularity was in 2012 at £46.9m, and it continued to decline. In 2018, total revenues were £5.2m, compared with £13.2m in 2014.
Closure
On 13 November 2019, Mind Candy announced that Moshi Monsters would be closing down on 13 December 2019 due to the end of support for Adobe Flash Player. On 13 December 2019, the game's servers had shut down as planned, and the website has been defunct ever since. However, the Moshlings and in-game pets singing "Poesje Mauw" together, can still be watched on YouTube here.
