Nursery Rhyme is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Lump of Sugar and released on November 25, 2005 for Windows. The game, taking place 500 years after the events of Tayutama: Kiss on my Deity, is set in a fictional Japan where the existence of magic has been recognized by society, and thus has been the subject of much research. Magic is also applied to everyday life; for example, stuffed toys are able to talk. Users of magic must wear a special ring which controls their powers, and are urged to blend in with society. Despite Nursery Rhyme being set in the future, Japan's culture is depicted as unchanged for the most part. Many of the characters attend Shousei Gakuen, a prestigious all-girls school which provides its students with magic classes, as well as academic courses. Shousei Gakuen hosts a female-dominated sport event known as Sophilos.
The player assumes the role of Shizuma Hasekura, a sensible teenager who, while his parents are working overseas, is visiting his energetic childhood friend Makina Tomoe. She is talented at sports such as Sophilos, although her grades are suffering. Makina has an older twin sister called Yukina Tomoe, who is more mature than Makina. She enjoys gardening, and is skilled at cooking. Shizuma meets spoiled rich girl Tita Flawless Brandt. She is a tsundere, and is in constant competition with the twins. The last two heroines are Krile Shikishima, a genius with dog-like ears and a tail, and Rin Lim Venus, a shy and clumsy elf who is aiming to become a teacher.
