Tamagotchis Are Back, And They've Been Radically Overhauled

I'm pretty sure a lot of gamers have roots in Tamagotchi games somewhere. The colourful gaming pebbles were everywhere at one point, hidden in pencil cases, swinging from backpacks, and in the hands of enthusiasts who wanted to desperately keep their digital friend alive and well. Now, Tamagotchis are back. But they look very different from the original handhelds we know and love, they're now in the form of watches.

Here is the official trailer for the Tamagotchi Smart...

The watch seems to be both a place to keep time and keep a best friend, from a wide array of new characters and old ones too. There will even be a voice command option so you can call to your pals when you want. Eventually, customers will also be able to buy cards that plug into the watch to further diversify the content available.

It's all in an effort to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the brand which comes in November 2021. Though we all definitely remember the handheld version of these digital pets, there have been plenty of merchandise options associated with the characters since their original release. A personal and very dear favourite was Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2 a life simulator game available on the Nintendo DS in 2006. I can still remember the excitement of seeing Princess Tamagotchi in my shops to this day.

These watches will be available on November 23, 2021 in Japan, but there is no word on a further international release date yet - or even if the watches will ever be available elsewhere.