Remember Tamagotchis? They’re Officially Back

Published on April 21, 2021
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If you were around in the 1990’s, then chances are that you either heard of or owned a Tamagotchi. The beloved 90’s toy icon is officially back, but it’s been given the 2021 treatment. Bandai America, the parent company behind Tamagotchi, announced that the Tamagotchi Pix is officially the new toy in the line of Tamagotchis.

The New Tamagotchi Pix

The New Tamagotchi Pix

The features that make Tamagotchis what they are remain: egg shape, three buttons, and raising a virtual pet. The goal is still the same, keep that virtual pet alive as it goes through the various stages of its life like hatching from an egg, growing its needs and demands, and needing to be fed and entertained. The pet can also die within a few days, just like the original.

So where’s the new feature? Well, gone are the days of pixelated black and white screens. Now Tamagotchi Pix comes with a full color screen that comes complete with a camera that lets your take pictures with your virtual pet. Just like in real life, you can cook your pet food or instead choose to have it delivered to you instead.

In the new explore mode, you can find Tamagotchi friends that can join your pet to do virtual activities with. They can go on “playdates” and you can also connect with your friends through the Tama Code. You don’t need a Wifi connection in order to do this.

The Original Tamagotchi

The Original Tamagotchi

The toy costs $59.99 and goes on sale in July 2021. It’s not the first time Bandai has tried reviving the Tamagotchi. In 2017, Bandai launched a mini version of its original Tamagotchi toy in order to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

In 2019, Bandai launched Tamagotchi On, which was the first time the Tamagotchi was on a color device in the US. The company said: “We do have plans for the next couple of years to continuously bring new items into North America.”

It has been about 25 years since the Tamagotchi has been on the market and about 82 million units have been sold around the world. The original company was founded in 1996 in Japan and was brought to the United States in 1997.

Tamagotchis exploded in popularity in the 90’s in America, but then faded away. However, in Japan they never declined in popularity. The company said: “Just like here in America, there’s certain products that all kids play with. This is that product … for them in Japan.”

Take A Selfie With Your Tamagotchi Pix

Take A Selfie With Your Tamagotchi Pix

 

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