Tamagotchi returns to drive you crazy like it's 1997
The digital pets from the '90s are returning to the US for their 20th anniversary.
If you miss taking care of a little pocket pet -- or if you miss neglecting it until it annoyed you into submission -- you're in luck.
Bandai America is bringing Tamagotchi back to the US this November, and you can preorder a digital toy pet starting Tuesday for $15 at various North American retailers. The return celebrates the 20th anniversary of when Tamagotchi toys first launched in the US.
The new Tamagotchi toys will be smaller than their '90s counterparts, but should otherwise look and act the same to hit all the nostalgic notes you're hoping for. You can pick from six shells that each offer six different characters to care for.
If you weren't around for the first wave, Tamagotchi were little digital pets you carried around in your pocket. The egg-shaped toy showed you your pet on a tiny screen, and you needed to feed it using the buttons to keep it happy. Feed them properly, and your pets would transform into adults. Forget them in your locker, and the Tamagotchi toys would beep out reminders and the pets would possibly suffer a digital death if you neglected them for too long.
The updated toy, which is already out in Japan, promises to pay homage to the original with a similar LCD and demanding need for attention.