{{Short description|2005 video game}} {{Infobox video game | image = Rub Rabbits.jpg | developer = [[Sonic Team]] | publisher = [[Sega]] | director = Takumi Yoshinaga | producer = Masahiro Kumono | designer = Emiko Sunaga<br />Takako Nagase | writer = | programmer = Yoshihiko Toyoshima | artist = Nanako Yarimizu | composer = Naofumi Hataya<br />Tomoko Sasaki | released = {{Video game release|JP|October 20, 2005|NA|February 7, 2006<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rabbits Rub To Retail - News |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/11041/rabbits-rub-to-retail |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=Nintendo World Report |archive-date=2023-03-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329001007/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/11041/rabbits-rub-to-retail |url-status=live }}</ref>|EU|February 10, 2006<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-01-25 |title=Nintendo announces some dates |language=en-gb |work=Eurogamer.net |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/news250106nintendodates |access-date=2023-03-29 |archive-date=2023-03-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329001003/https://www.eurogamer.net/news250106nintendodates |url-status=live }}</ref>}} | genre = [[Mini-game]]s | modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]] | platforms = [[Nintendo DS]] }} '''''The Rub Rabbits!''''', known in Japan as {{nihongo|'''''Aka-chan wa Doko Kara Kuru no?'''''|赤ちゃんはどこからくるの?||{{lit.}} "'''''Where do Babies Come From?'''''"}}, is a [[minigame]] [[Video game compilation|compilation]] [[video game]] developed by [[Sonic Team]] and published by [[Sega]] for the [[Nintendo DS]] handheld [[video game console]]. It was first released in Japan on October 20, 2005, and was later released in North America on February 7, 2006, and in Europe three days later. It is a prequel to ''[[Feel the Magic: XY/XX]]''.
==Plot== The premise of the game is that the player's female love interest gets into perilous situations or is placed out of reach from the male protagonist. A minigame must be completed in order to rescue her, or sometimes, get the male protagonist out of trouble. All of these minigames require use of the stylus, and the [[Nintendo DS|DS]] to be held in a certain way, even upside-down. Some require use of the DS's built-in microphone.
==Gameplay== Some examples of these minigames are: *The male protagonist runs up a downward moving escalator, and must avoid [[Sumo]] wrestlers along the way by moving left and right. There is a similar variation where he paddles up a river avoiding giant [[crocodile]]s. *The mysterious girl in lavender ties the protagonist to a chair and throws various food items at him. He must avoid eating the purple cakes, but can eat the other morsels like pizzas and white-iced cakes. *The female love interest performs yoga, while the male protagonist tries to keep a sweet-smelling rose within the range of her sense of smell.
The player's performance is graded as an amount of 'Hearts', which are given at the end of a minigame depending on how well they did.
There are a few multiplayer minigames which involve four differently coloured protagonists competing over the love interest, such as an elimination based game of catching an ever-growing beach ball which eventually explodes, and log rafting while trying to rescue the female from the water, while trying to steal her from other player's log rafts.
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==Reception== {{Video game reviews | MC = 68/100<ref name=MC>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-rub-rabbits/critic-reviews/?platform=ds |title=The Rub Rabbits! for DS Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |accessdate=July 6, 2016 |archive-date=March 14, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250314174532/https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-rub-rabbits/critic-reviews/?platform=ds |url-status=live }}</ref> | EGM = 5.67/10<ref>{{cite magazine |author=EGM staff |title=The Rub Rabbits! |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |issue=202 |date=April 2006 |page=105}}</ref> | EuroG = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Walker |first=John |date=February 14, 2006 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_rubrabbits_ds |title=The Rub Rabbits! |website=[[Eurogamer]] |accessdate=July 7, 2016 |archive-date=May 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509175150/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_rubrabbits_ds |url-status=live }}</ref> | Fam = 32/40<ref name=Fam>{{cite web |url=http://www.nozomi.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=185 |title=Japanese magazine scores |language=Dutch |website=Nozomi |date=October 18, 2005 |accessdate=July 6, 2016}}</ref> | GI = 7.5/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Rub Rabbits! |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=[[GameStop]] |issue=156 |date=April 2006 |page=134}}</ref> | GamePro = 4.5/5<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Johnny K. |date=February 7, 2006 |url=http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/ds/games/reviews/51832.shtml |title=Review: The Rub Rabbits |magazine=[[GamePro]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060904230241/http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/ds/games/reviews/51832.shtml |archivedate=September 4, 2006 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 7, 2016}}</ref> | GameRev = C−<ref>{{cite web |last=Silverman |first=Ben |date=February 24, 2006 |url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/36598-rub-rabbits-the-review |title=The Rub Rabbits Review |website=[[Game Revolution]] |publisher=[[CraveOnline]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009191553/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/feel-the-magic-2 |archivedate=October 9, 2015 |url-status=live |accessdate=July 7, 2016}}</ref> | GSpot = 6.2/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |date=February 6, 2006 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-rub-rabbits-review/1900-6143734/ |title=The Rub Rabbits! Review |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=July 6, 2016 |archive-date=January 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127083940/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-rub-rabbits-review/1900-6143734/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | GSpy = 3.5/5<ref>{{cite web |last=Theobald |first=Phil |date=February 13, 2006 |url=http://ds.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/where-do-babies-come-from/688268p1.html |title=GameSpy: The Rub Rabbits! |website=[[GameSpy]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |accessdate=July 7, 2016 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304185437/http://ds.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/where-do-babies-come-from/688268p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | GameZone = 7/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Raymond |first=Justin |date=March 12, 2006 |url=https://www.gamezone.com/reviews/the_rub_rabbits_nds_review |title=The Rub Rabbits! - NDS - Review |website=GameZone |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222105205/http://nds.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r28194.htm |archivedate=December 22, 2007 |url-status=live |accessdate=July 7, 2016}}</ref> | IGN = 8/10<ref>{{cite web |last=Harris |first=Craig |date=February 3, 2006 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/02/03/the-rub-rabbits |title=The Rub Rabbits! |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=Ziff Davis |accessdate=July 6, 2016 |archive-date=March 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322123542/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/02/03/the-rub-rabbits |url-status=live }}</ref> | NP = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Rub Rabbits! |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |volume=201 |date=March 2006 |page=87}}</ref> | rev1 = ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' | rev1Score = 3/4<ref name=Detroit>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=Jim |date=March 19, 2006 |url=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060319/ENT06/603190330/1044 |title=Crazy in love |newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903122711/http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20060319%2FENT06%2F603190330%2F1044 |archivedate=September 3, 2006 |url-status=dead |accessdate=July 6, 2016 }}</ref> | rev2 = ''[[The Times]]'' | rev2Score = 1/5<ref name=TheTimes>{{cite news |last=Kendall |first=Nigel |date=February 25, 2006 |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-rub-rabbits-csjtwvtxvzl |title=The Rub Rabbits |newspaper=[[The Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929063410/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,18589-2050691,00.html |archive-date=September 29, 2006 |url-status=live |access-date=July 6, 2016}}{{subscription required}}</ref> }}
The game received "average" reviews according to the [[Review aggregator|review aggregation]] website [[Metacritic]].<ref name=MC/> In Japan, ''[[Famitsu]]'' gave it a score of two eights, one seven, and one nine for a total of 32 out of 40.<ref name=Fam/>
''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' gave it a score of three stars out of four and stated, "The music here and the design all are distinctly Japanese, with crazy refrains like "Rub it!" being shouted all the time. Don't ask me to explain. Just pick up and enjoy."<ref name=Detroit/> However, ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' gave it a C+, saying that "True love takes more than moony-eyed flirting; Sega needs to get the mechanics right to make the magic happen."<ref>{{cite news |last=Dahlen |first=Chris |date=March 7, 2006 |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-rub-rabbits-1798209095 |title=The Rub Rabbits! |newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318042649/http://www.avclub.com/content/node/46126 |archive-date=March 18, 2006 |url-status=live |access-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref> ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'' gave it two-and-a-half stars out of five, stating that the game is "inventive, creative and strangely compelling, but the more difficult tasks can be frustrating and its lasting appeal is limited."<ref>{{cite news |last=Hill |first=Jason |date=March 2, 2006 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/games/the-rub-rabbits/2006/03/01/1141095746560.html |title=The Rub Rabbits |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |accessdate=July 6, 2016 |archive-date=January 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127083830/http://www.smh.com.au/news/games/the-rub-rabbits/2006/03/01/1141095746560.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[The Times]]'' gave it one star out of five and called it "mind-bogglingly shallow".<ref name=TheTimes/>
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==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{moby game|id=/nintendo-ds/rub-rabbits}} *{{official website|http://www.sega.com/gamesite/rubrabbits/}}
{{Sonic Team}} {{Portal bar|Video games}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rub Rabbits!, The}} [[Category:2005 video games]] [[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]] [[Category:Nintendo DS games]] [[Category:Nintendo DS-only games]] [[Category:Romance video games]] [[Category:Sega video games]] [[Category:Sonic Team games]] [[Category:Video game prequels]] [[Category:Video games developed in Japan]] [[Category:Video games produced by Yuji Naka]] [[Category:Video games scored by Naofumi Hataya]] [[Category:Video games scored by Tomoko Sasaki]]