Mochi-O review - "Battle hordes of enemies, wielding only a hamster"

• A quirky and adorable arcade shooter with sim elements
• Feed Mochi-O seeds to bond
• Unlock upgrades to deal devastating damage

In a world ravaged by a high-tech war, there is only one thing capable of saving humanity: an adorable hamster.

Mochi-O is both a hamster and an experimental weapon, and as his new handler, it’s up to you to care for him and temper his bloodthirsty rage. Unlock new weaponry, upgrade Mochi-O’s stats, and build a bond with the hazardous little furball in this eclectic tower defence experience.

Mochi-O is an Adorable Secret Weapon

Dubbed a compact anti-personnel annihilation weapon, Mochi-O is a classified government weapon capable of mass destruction that just happens to be oh so cute.

As you get to know this little furball of fury, you’ll begin to feel bad for forcing him to fight. Is it possible there’s a future where hamsters don’t have to fight our wars? It’s a dream you can make a reality if only you can manage to free all the experimental hamsters.

Mochi-O may be the one with all the firepower, but someone has to hold this hazardous hamster in hand and take aim. After the tragic death of his former handler, that task falls to you.

Gameplay is pretty easy to get the hang of. Your goal is to protect the city by preventing enemies from breaking through the barrier. It’s okay if a few slip by as long as you still have some health when the clock reaches zero.

Collect Seeds to Unlock Upgrades for Mochi-O

As you destroy enemy forces, seeds will appear on the ground. Collect enough of these, and you’ll level up. Each time you level up, you’ll be able to choose from three randomised upgrades. Most upgrades are combat-based, unlocking new weaponry or increasing attack power.

For instance, the sunflower rifle shoots seed-sized bullets at enemies, with subsequent levels improving its damage, while Daylight Death Ray summons a killer beam of light from the sky. 

You can also use coins you earn from completing levels and earning achievements to purchase new upgrades that can be unlocked during battle. These unlockable upgrades include Mr Nibbles, a friendly helper who collects seeds while you’re busy in combat, and Emotional Abyss, which generates a black hole that damages nearby foes.

If you see a green crate, be sure to snag it. A meter will appear, and you'll need to tap the screen when the cursor is on the blue or green section. Doing so unlocks bonus upgrades.

Unlock Sub-Hamsters to Aid Mochi-O in Combat

Remember all those pink seeds you’ve been hovering up during missions? You can feed them to your little death hamster in between battles to increase your bond. You’ll need to toss the seeds into the furball’s mouth. The higher your bond, the more upgrades Mochi-O can accumulate. 

Progress far enough, and you’ll be able to equip a sub hamster in your left hand. Sub-hamsters don’t pack the same punch as our furry hero Mochi-O, but they offer some helpful backup. You can also feed your sub-hamsters seeds to further increase the amount of upgrades you can get each round.

Mochi-O Deserves All the Love

Before each mission, it’s recommended that you give Mochi-O some well-deserved scritches. While this isn’t mandatory, it does unlock some bonuses that will give you an edge in the upcoming battle. Potential bonuses include coins, pink seeds, and upgrades.

Mochi-O is an adorable and chaotic adventure. You’ll bond with a homicidal hamster while saving cities from enemy forces. In this off-beat side-scrolling shooter, you’ll unlock powerful new upgrades and use strategy to cause the most devastation possible.

Plus, in between the high-stakes action, you get to give Mochi-O all the scritches and snacks he can handle.