If you were alive in the mid to late 90’s, there’s a very real probability that you got caught up in one of the era’s biggest fads: The Tamagotchi.
The little egg-shaped computers housed digital pets that had all the annoyance of real pets, but none of the snuggly charm. You had to feed them, keep them happy and healthy – and also clean up their digital droppings, all without getting anything remotely resembling love and affection in return.
I had one. I’m not convinced it was an original, Bandai-made one, but I had one. I had a love/hate relationship with my digital critter, a collection roughly chicken-shaped LCD pixels that demanded my attention. I was happy to see it go – but perhaps you may be happy to see the Tamagotchi return.
They’ve never really left of course, becoming a bit of a niche item that was last released In an updated form in 2015. There have also been attempts to revive the craze through mobile apps and games but they’ve not quite had the impact Bandai may have wanted.
In a world that seems to be taken by nostalgia at the moment – with the return of the NES and the Nokia 3310 – perhaps Bandai can reignite Tamagotchi interest with a return to its roots. In honour of the thing’s 20th anniversary, Bandai has released an old-school Tamagotchi that’s very similar to its original release (via Engadget), only decidedly smaller.
They’re only available in Japan at the moment, at a cost of ¥2,000, which is around R250. R250 to be annoyed? Hard pass.
Last Updated: April 12, 2017
Kikmi
April 12, 2017 at 11:12
But can it run crysis?
Actually, I wonder if there will be any update to them at all. More pixels require a faster cpu and then thats an increase in battery power. That being said I dont think the visual fidelity was ever a talking point for a pocket monster device
Tracy Benson
April 12, 2017 at 11:14
Mine was a knock-off brand called Dinky Dino but I loved that thing to bits
Ottokie
April 12, 2017 at 11:37
I also still use my knock-off 😛
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/233831174970015744/301640376186568704/IMG-20170209-WA0006.jpeg
Original Heretic
April 12, 2017 at 11:33
How did these things actually work? If it died, could the device be reused?
Viper_ZA
April 12, 2017 at 11:34
Think it could yep, used to have a knockoff as well. I was raised cheap…hahahaha xD
Original Heretic
April 12, 2017 at 11:35
So if you wanted to, you could become a Tamagotchi serial killer?
Viper_ZA
April 12, 2017 at 11:36
Yeah, at some stage you could get a “4 in 1” etc. essentially allowing you to “choose your poison” as such 😛
Original Heretic
April 12, 2017 at 11:37
A 4in1?
I have no idea what that means.
Viper_ZA
April 12, 2017 at 11:39
Those days it referred to choosing one of 4 possible pets, like a chicken, dino, dog, cat. The “rad” ones had an alien lol
Original Heretic
April 12, 2017 at 11:40
Could you choose to let the Dino eat the Dog? Or the alien conduct experiments on the chicken?
I feel evil now.
Ottokie
April 12, 2017 at 11:42
You heretic xD
Original Heretic
April 12, 2017 at 11:46
I’ve never claimed to be otherwise. ’tis my sanguine nature.
Viper_ZA
April 12, 2017 at 11:43
Maybe with a 3rd party firmware update that could be possible yep xD
Original Heretic
April 12, 2017 at 11:45
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/db740912651b5a81a55f175d52e9fd85f24b2784dd6ec66409c0d19a005e6d47.jpg
DragonSpirit009
April 12, 2017 at 11:56
A the memories…. I actually miss mine!