When it comes to the PC-98 library, English speakers tend to cite the same few specific games such as Snatcher as being iconic, must-play releases on the platform. Of course, many PC-98 titles are visual novels, which don’t easily lend themselves to being played by those without the ability to read Japanese. That might be part of the reason why Marble Cooking (マーブルクッキング) is another of the relatively well-known titles for the platform – there’s not much text to be had, and it’s easy to grasp the gameplay even if you don’t know the language.
With that said, it’s hardly a classic in any regard. The game kicks off with a cutscene that explains the incredibly simple story and premise: A group of schoolgirls have accidentally summoned a demon – and he’s horny. You’ll learn how this eyebrow-raising aspect plays into the game shortly.
The gameplay itself is super simple. Players are presented with a top-down view of a checkered board, some enemies, obstructions, and the protagonist. Our heroine, one of afforementioned schoolgirls, has one task: Destroy all the enemies on screen. The catch is, she can’t attack them directly. Instead, players select a tile for her to create a summoning circle on, then navigate her away from the circle around the board. As she walks away from the circle, she leaves a trail of carrots behind her. Once the trail is complete, a magical rabbit will appear on the circle and hop over the carrots. If the rabbit runs into an enemy on its path, it will destroy the enemy instantly.
It’s a puzzle game, but it’s an outrageously simple one. You’ll get more points by stringing together more enemy kills in a single carrot trail, but it’s hardly necessary. But the utter simplicity of progression makes sense, because it’s pretty clear that’s not the main allure of the product. Every three stages, you’re presented with CG art of one of the schoolgirls being controlled by the sex-crazed demon. These scenes are explicit, with only the slightest mosaic coverage.
If you’re looking for a mindless puzzler with some unexpectedly obscene artwork, then Marble Cooking is for you. The presentation as a whole is gorgeous, but the adult sequences certainly won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Anyone who wants to know the full “story” can grab an English patch from Ryo-Cokey’s Hentai Game Translations, but there’s not a tremendous amount of text or complexity to require one.
Here’s one more of the game’s handful of safe for work images for good measure:
