# Mysterious Creatures

> Seek and collect miniature sea creatures hidden within virtual shirasu. (iPhone/iPad app by Masakazu Yonehara.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mysterious-creatures/id457832536 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Masakazu Yonehara](https://appshunter.io/developer/1339210794)
- Category: Games, Entertainment, Casual
- Price: Free
- Rating: 3.40/5 from 5 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 13 MB
- Languages: English, Japanese
- Released: 2011-08-27
- Data updated: 2026-07-06
- Monetization: ad-supported
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mysterious-creatures/id457832536/reviews.md

## What is Mysterious Creatures?

Find the mysterious sea creatures lurking in the shirasu!

What's shirasu, you ask?

Shirasu, also known as whitebait in English, are the small young of fish like sardines and anchovies.  
They are very small and are used as a garnish or topping in many Japanese dishes, most commonly found as a simple topping for rice.
Shirasu are caught in large batches and have an opalescent white color and resemble super tiny fish!  
They are cooked and salted lightly after being caught. Their close culinary cousin are chirimen, which are baby sardines that have been fully dried.  
Shirasu, on the other hand, are only partially dried, and have a softer consistency.
They're a delicious and simple way to spice up a plain bowl of rice and an everyday part of cuisine in Japan.

But... there's more to them than meets the eye!  Because the small fish are caught in large batches, occasionally another miniature deepsea creature gets mixed into the shirasu.
They're harmless, but you can sometimes find a mini squid, baby shrimp, or tiny fish in the mix!  Of course, some are more rare than others, but this kind of seek-and-find suspense has caught on big with children and adults alike.  Think of it as the deep-sea version of breakfast cereal...

This game simulates the experience of sifting through the shirasu to find mysterious little beasts.  See if you can collect them all!

How to Play
- Using your fingers, sift through the shirasu and look for mysterious creatures.  Tap one to add it to your collection.
- Pressing the pause button at top right will allow you to look through your collection.
- Pressing the Twitter button will allow you to tweet the number of samples you've caught of the selected specimen.
- Pressing the magnifying glass at top left will display a hint.  Hints are replenished after 10 minutes.
- The game is saved each time the pause button is pressed.

※The creatures in the game have been stylized for uniformity, so their color and shape may differ from the real thing.

## Key features

- Sift through virtual shirasu
- Discover hidden sea creatures
- Collect miniature marine life
- Build a personal collection
- Hint system for assistance
- Save game progress

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mysterious-creatures/id457832536/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Good but...

*2015-04-02*

Good concept, but a bit boring after 2 minutes of sifting through white fishies.

## Frequently asked questions about Mysterious Creatures

### What is Mysterious Creatures?

Mysterious Creatures is a casual game where players sift through virtual shirasu (small fish) to find and collect various miniature sea creatures. It offers a simple yet engaging seek-and-find gameplay experience.

### How do you play Mysterious Creatures?

Players use their fingers to sift through the shirasu on screen, tapping on any mysterious creatures they find to add them to their collection. A pause button allows access to the collection and game saving.

### Does Mysterious Creatures have ads?

Yes, Mysterious Creatures contains advertisements. This is how the game is supported as it is offered for free.

### Can I get hints in Mysterious Creatures?

Yes, there is a magnifying glass icon that provides hints. These hints are replenished every 10 minutes, helping players locate creatures they might be missing.

### What devices can I play Mysterious Creatures on?

Mysterious Creatures is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It is designed for iOS users.

### Is Mysterious Creatures suitable for young children?

Yes, Mysterious Creatures has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for young children. The gameplay is simple and the theme is engaging for a younger audience.

### How often is Mysterious Creatures updated?

The latest version of Mysterious Creatures is 1.6.0, and it was last updated on February 18, 2023. This indicates the game receives periodic updates.

### What is the user rating for Mysterious Creatures?

Mysterious Creatures has a rating of 3.4 stars based on 5 user ratings. This suggests a mixed reception from its player base.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.7.0 — 2026-06-23

Update SDKs.

### 1.6.0 — 2023-02-18

- Update SDKs

### 1.5.1 — 2018-11-29

- Fixed bugs.

### 1.5.0 — 2018-11-01

- Fixed for iOS12.

### 1.4.0 — 2017-12-11

- Fixed for iOS11.

## Apps similar to Mysterious Creatures

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [タネからっち ～サクサク進化する！～](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6738832351) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Games |
| [MomoTopia](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/momotopia/id6466198498) | 5.0 (6) | Free | Games |
| [7Leaf](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/7leaf/id517533467) | 4.7 (3) | Free | Games |
| [しぇるぱか](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6569232921) | 4.5 (2) | Free | Games |
| [Jako Collection](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jako-collection/id1570083237) | 4.8 (1,203) | Free | Games |
| [RINGO AME - Japan Apple Candy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ringo-ame-japan-apple-candy/id1012749182) | 4.5 (2) | Free | Games |

## More apps by Masakazu Yonehara

- [Salmon Roe](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/salmon-roe/id436078937)
- [Odd Cat Out](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/odd-cat-out/id441062266)
- [Pan Touch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pan-touch/id451106542)
- [Planet Bom Bom](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-bom-bom/id470500682)
- [Hurdle Hell](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hurdle-hell/id484819577)

All apps by Masakazu Yonehara: https://appshunter.io/developer/1339210794

## Related topics

[mysterious creatures](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/mysterious-creatures)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-06.*