The year 1996 was a big one for kids. It was the year that Yahoo! was born. Kids, a Nintendo 64 console, and a staple household cereals. The greatest invention of the '96 lot was the Tamagotchi, which was first introduced 25 years ago.
The original handheld egg watch/digital pet was released in 1996. This needy being sat impatiently in our pockets and was always ready to be nurtured and cared for, it was indeed hard work.
We knew it was due for a comeback, and it was updated in the year after that. The company celebrates the anniversary of the original digital pet with the release of the Tamagotchi Smart, the next addition to the brand's dynasty. The device is shown in the ad from Bandai.
Here's a hands on look.
The watch will feature our needy digital pets once again, but this time with enhanced technology, according to the website. You can stroke or speak to your pet with the microphone, which is included in this. The screen is in color, unlike the original one. You can take your pet to the bathroom, feed it snacks, and dress it up, as long as you keep it on top of you.
Food can be delivered through a mini game. You can find toys and accessories for your pet. The watches still have their distinctive retro aesthetic.
The Original Tamagotchi is available for pre-order on Amazon. They're priced at $19.99 and come in a bright, one-off case.
The popularity of the Tamagotchi is obvious. 10 million units of the toy were sold in the first year. More than 80 million Tamagotchis had been sold. Some schools had to ban the toys from their premises due to the fact that kids were both distracted and mourning if their digital pets died.
What made these little pets so addictive? The owner of a Tamagotchi is responsible for the life and wellbeing of the tiny digital pet. If you didn't clean the poop of the pet, they would die. It's unsurprising that the obsessive nature of Tamagotchi ownership became a well documented phenomenon. It was a life-or-death situation. According to reports, Aki Maita and Aki Hiroki wanted to make a movie about being a pet owner, but in a lower-stake sense.
The original egg-shaped Tamagotchi was pictured in 1997. Credit: Ralf Lutter/ullstein bild.
The revival of the beloved toy, the re-release of the treats, and our ongoing collective longing for the past are all signs of the unavoidable trend cycle. We're reliving the '90s and early 2000s more and more each day, with the Tamagotchi a core component of this comeback, re-entering our cultural consciousness and finding new life on social media. People are playing with their digital pets, both original and reformed versions, and sharing their experiences on social media.
It's possible that Tweet has been deleted.
It's possible that Tweet has been deleted.
If you're still loyal to the original digital baby, be sure to treat your pet extra special today. It is a big one.
