Ah, Tamagotchis: the delightfully needy little digital creatures that lived in colorful plastic eggs hanging off of pretty much every backpack in '90s kidhood. They were everywhere. Even just hearing the name floods my brain with memories of the countless times I had to hit the impossibly tiny reset button on mine with a mechanical pencil because I forgot to feed it for a few days and it passed away (R.I.P., sweet Kuchipatchi). Unfortunately, though, the fad — as all fads do — died off eventually, leaving most Tamagotchi in garage sale bins and attic boxes.
Now, though, Bandai Namco is trying to rekindle some of that virtual pet care magic. Today, they've released My Tamagotchi Forever for iOS and Android, a brand new take on the popular simulator that lets you feed, care for, and play games with your Tamagotchi in more ways than ever before.
- My Tamagotchi Forever - Free with IAP - Download now
In My Tamagotchi Forever, you basically have all of the same responsibilities as you did in the old school version of the game. You need to feed, play with, and bathe your Tamagotchi on a regular schedule, as well as cleaning up any accidents they may have and making sure they get adequate rest.
However, unlike in the older version, there are little meters for all this that also function as the action buttons so you can make sure all your little friend's needs are being met. Each time you complete a task for your Tamagotchi, you earn virtual coins that you can then use to buy food and playground equipment (that, by the way, are required for your pet's care). Each Tamagotchi has different preferences, too, so you have to pay attention to things like what foods they're craving in order to keep them happy. When you get new equipment, you can also capture "memorable moments" by taking photos of your pet interacting with it in Tamatown. All of this earns you achievements, and helps your Tama evolve.
Because it's a phone game in 2018, there are also in-app purchases that allow you to skip over the more tedious aspects of your pet's care, like waiting for them to wake up when they're asleep. If you've got a kiddo that's playing the game, be careful — like with any other game that offers IAP, it's incredibly easy to rack up a sizable bill.
If you want to get a better glimpse at what gameplay is like before you download, check out Bandai Namco's official trailer below.
Thoughts?
What do you think of My Tamagotchi Forever? Give us a shout in the comments!
