Tamagotchi

The Tamagotchi (たまごっち Tamagotchi) is a handheld digital pet created in 1996 by Aki Maita and sold by Bandai. The Tamagotchi is housed in a small and simple egg-shaped computer. Three buttons (A, B, and C) allow the user to select an activity to do, these include:

Feeding your Tamagotchi piece of food or a snack, which are definifed as "healthy" and "unhealthy" option, respectively.
Playing a game with your Tamagotchi, which keeps it's happiness levels topped up.
Purging the Tamagotchi's environment of it's excrement, this is done by "flushing" the screen.
Checking its status: It's age, weight, hunger level, happiness level, etc.

The Tamagotchi evolves into one of a wide range of characters three or four times in its lifetime depending on how well the user takes care of it, and which version of Tamagotchi the user has. Tamagotchi's were one of the biggest fads of the late 1990s.

Name origin and pronunciation

The name combines the Japanese word for egg ("tamago") and the syllable "chi" which denotes affection, so it could be taken to mean "loveable egg". It is also a pun on both "uotchi" (borrowed from English "watch", as in the time piece) and "tomodachi" (Japanese for friend). Because "tamago" is Japanese for egg, and "tomodachi" is Japanese for friend, Tamagotchi could also be taken to mean "egg-friend."

In Japanese, it is pronounced with a long "o" sound — ta-ma-goh-chee. The romanization of the name from the Japanese phonetics using the generally accepted method of doubling the consonant sound of the final syllable ("chi") produces the "tchi" spelling. The "T" in this case is not to be associated with the preceding long "o" and resulting in an incorrect pronunciation. Alternatively, the name could have been romanized as "tamago-chi" which preserves the correct Japanese pronunciation in non-Japanese text.

Tamagotchi Releases

This is a list of notable Tamagotchi releases. For the complete list, please see main article: List of Tamagotchi Releases.

The Original Tamagotchi

The original Tamagotchi was released in 1997 in both Japan and America.
there are 7 adult characters including 1 secret character, two teen characters, one toddler character, and one baby character, a total of 12 characters are available.
There is Generation 1 (also known as P1) and Generation 2 (also known as P2). They have different characters, and a number of other minor differences, such as different games and different Meal and Snack options. The screen is the same size on both.
Generation 2 (P2) came out with more designs than any other kind of tamagotchi in the world.^{[citation needed]}
The characters on P1 are: Babitchi, Marutchi, Tamatchi, Kuchitamatchi, Mametchi, Ginjirotchi, Masukutchi (a.k.a. Maskutchi or Masktchi), Kuchipatchi (main character), Nyorotchi, Tarakotchi and Gajintchi (a.k.a. Bill or Ketotchi).
The characters on P2 are: Shirobabitchi, Tonmarutchi, Tongaritchi, Hashitamatchi, Mimitchi, Pochitchi, Zukitchi, Hashizotchi (main character), Takotchi, Kusatchi and Zatchi.

Mori no Tamagotch (Tamagotchi Garden)

Released in February 1998 with four different designs. It was scheduled for release in America as "Tamagotchi Garden" but was never released.
This Tamagotchi introduced the "predator" function also used in the later Umi no Tamagotch (Tamagotchi Ocean). Occasionally, a predator (one is a foot and one is a frog from the ocean) attacks, and the care taker has to use the voice and touch-sensitive functions by shouting or tapping at the screen to scare away the predator. If the attack is a success, the Tamagotchi may become sick or even die.
The teenager phase of its life is replaced by a cocoon, which stays for 24 hours, during which time the care taker controls a temperature dial. If the environment is mostly hot, the Tamagotchi will change into the "warmer" creature for that quality of care, and vice versa for cold.
There are two types of eggs that can be selected to hatch in this Tamagotchi. The white egg is more like a traditional Tamagotchi, where it changes based on how it is cared for. The spotted egg always changes into kabutchi, the stag beetle, where the goal is to make it as large as possible (a "length" meter is displayed to track this).

Tamaotch

Named after Japanese actress Tamao Nakamura
Released in April 1998

Umi no Tamagotch (Tamagotchi Ocean)

Released in March of 1998 in Japan with four different colors.
Released in the United States in 1998 with four colors as "Tamagotchi Ocean"
This is known as one of the hardest Tamagotchi to raise, needing near-constant attention.
This Tamagotchi includes the "predator" function also used in the Mori no Tamagotch. Occasionally, a predator (a Polar Bear) will attack while the Tamagotchi takes a nap, and the care taker has to use the touch-sensitive functions by tapping at the screen to scare away the predator. Like in Mori no Tamagotch, if the attack is not successful, the Tamagotchi may become sick or even die. Also, another predator can attack (an octopus) while playing one of the games.
Includes a "water quality" meter in the status screen. Flushing the screen makes the screen cleaner, but if all four skulls on the meter are filled, the water becomes black and it has to be flushed in order to see the Tamagotchi again. This is a secondary use for the cleaning function and is not used in any other Tamagotchi to date.

Tenshitchi no Tamagotchi (Tamagotchi Angel)

Released in August 1997 with three different colours. This was later released in America as 'Tamagotchi Angel' with four different colours there.
Featured a motion sensor, used to scare away bats that tried to steal your Angelgotchi's snack and call it back when it went on a walk.
Discipline for the pet was replaced by praise for the pet only.
The Japanese version has a secret character called Sabotenshi but it was replaced with Kitsutenshi (Smiling Angel) on the U.S. version. Also available is the secret character Futagotenshi, the twin angels, and there are no twins on any other Tamagotchi version to date.

Mesutchi and Osutchi

Released in December of 1997 in Japan only.
Features interlocking mating using the same technology that Digimon introduced for the Tamagotchis to give birth.
Both Mesutchi and Osutchi features 31 characters each. Five different generations of Tamagotchi are available, but only one has a growth chart that is affected by caretaking skills; the other four are linear.
If the caretaker becomes lazy on his or her care for their Mesutchi/Osutchi, the Tamagotchi will become an unmateable creature.
If the caretaker feeds the Tamagotchi too much food and it starts to weigh 99 pounds, it will turn into a "Debutchi" which takes up the whole screen. The caretaker then has to help lower the weight of the Tamagotchi before normal functions resume.

Yasashii Tamagotchi

Released in October 1998 in three colours
As the 'easy Tamagotchi', it has slightly different evolutions than other Tamagotchi and features a larger case.
Instead of icons there were backlit buttons that lighted up whenever the Tamagotchi needed something. The number of buttons at the bottom of the case were reduced to two- Select and Cancel.

Santaclautchi

A Santa Claus and christmas-themed Tamagotchi.
The Santaclautchi character didn't evolve but its appearance could be changed by items.
If neglected, Santaclautchi would return home and the user would have to summon 'Super Kuchipatchi' to return him.
Santaclautchi had to go to the Tamagotchis' houses and give presents, assisted by the user. If the presents weren't given in time, Santaclautchi would become sulky and the user would have to start over.

Gejintchi

Also known as the Caveman Tamagotchi.
Gejintchi was only released in theatres playing the movie "Peking Man", which is the movie the Gejintchi was based on.

Mothra no Tamagotchi

The character was a winged beast, Mothra.
Released only in Japan.

Debirutchi no Tamagotch (Tamagotchi Devil)

Released in September of 1998 in four colors for ¥2079.
Some aspects of the care are similar to the Tenshitchi no Tamagotch (Tamagotchi Angel, Angelgotchi), only the Devilgotchi Power is supposed to be kept at a minimum, while the Angelgotchi Power is supposed to be kept high.
Care is almost exactly the same as Angelgotchi, but unlike the Angelgotchi characters, who are eager and did good deeds for the caretaker, the Devilgotchi characters are naughty and played tricks on the caretaker.
The Devilgotchi game was almost the same as the Angelgotchi game, but unlike the Angelgotchi game where the caretaker had to help the Angelgotchi jump over the stars, on the Devilgotchi game, the caretaker had to help the Devilgotchi catch the stars in its mouth so it could eat them.
Uses a touch screen and a voice sensitive unit, similar to Umi no Tamagotchi.

Tamagotchi Plus

Released in Japan on March 20, 2004.
Mostly the same as the Tamagotchi Connexion/Connection Version 1, the only difference being the language.
Includes characters from the original Tamagotchi as well as several characters new to the Tamagotchi series.
Implements an infrared port to connect to other Tamagotchi to "make friends," play games and exchange presents with other Tamagotchi's (Tamagotchi Plus, Connexion, and Connection), including later models, and also breed and create a new generation of Tamagotchi.
Can also connect to Deka (huge) Tamagotchi in Japanese retail stores and restaurants for an exclusive "friend".

Tamagotchi Connection

The English-language version of the Tamagotchi Plus released in North America on August 15, 2004.

Also called "V1" or "Version 1".
The version released in Oceania, Asia, and Europe is known as Tamagotchi Connexion. Connexion is mainly the same as the later U.S. released Connection, with slight changes in the wording of menu screens (such as 'style' instead of 'gender', and 'absent' instead of 'away'), and a few cosmetic changes, such as the connecting screen saying 'Proceed' with a line below instead of 'Connect' without a line below.
Allows players to connect via infrared to other players systems and become friends, get married, and produce offspring.
There are six stages of life: egg, infant, child, teenager, adult and senior; the senior stage is new to the Tamagotchi product.

Keitai Kaitsuu Tamagotchi Plus (K-Plus)

Connects to Japanese mobile phones.
- In order to connect the Tamagotchi with cell phones, cell phone users first had to download a Tamagotchi game onto their phone. Afterwards, when connecting, the Tamagotchi could do many things, such as visit its parents, play games, and even find a mate.
Connects to the original Tamagotchi Plus and Deka Tamagotchi models.
Ten digit passwords unlock food from each region of Japan and items for the Tamagotchi.
Features old characters as well as new characters not in the original Tamagotchi Plus.

Chibi Tamagotchi (Tamagotchi Mini)

This model is a miniature Tamagotchi 80% of the size of the original toy which has limited features and is promoted as a fashion accessory.
In Japan, the three colors available are identical to three of the six colors of the original Tamagotchi (pink, light blue, and white). The keychain attachment is a small ball-chain loop. Although more colors were released later that were miniature versions of Japan's "P2" original colors, the characters in the toy were still "P1" characters.
In America, it debuted with four colors (black with flames, light blue, pink, and purple) and several months later followed with four more colors (yellow with dots, purple with dots, a darker blue, and yellow with stripes). The keychain attachment is a short link-chain with a lanyard clasp at the end.
7 Adult characters are present, along with a secret character in the Japanese version only.

Tamagotchi Connection Version 2

(Also called Version 2, Vr. 2, Ver. 2, or V2) Version two of the Tamagotchi Connection (the cousin to Japanese Tamagotchi Plus) was released on June 21 2005 in the U.S. with new features. It included:

Newer Characters and ones taken from older tamagotchis like Osutchi and Mesutchi and the original Tamagotchi.
"Gotchi Points," or GP, were introduced in V2. GP are earned by playing the games and are used to buy items from a shop. The maximum amount of GP is 9999.
Caretakers can connect (using IR capability) with other users; the user is able to choose whether to play a game or give a present.
The option to connect to either Version 1 or Version 2 Tamagotchi was introduced.
Five codes are available on the V2 that unlock special items.

Tamagotchi Plus Akai Series

Released July 23 2005 in Japan.
Mono-color red LCD.
New red-theme characters including a tomato, daruma, tengu, heart, and cherry.
New red-theme foods including pizza, wine, peaches, and red rice.
Same games as the Keitai and Hanerutchi Tamagotchi with different graphics.
Connects with Japanese mobile phones, Keitai Tamagotchi, Deka tamagotchis at stores in Japan, the home Deka.

Tamagotchi Connection Version 3

(Also known as Version 3, V3, Ver. 3, VR3, or Tama V3)

The third version of the Tamagotchi Connection series was released at the end of January 2006. Like the Version 2, it borrows some features from the latest version of the Japanese toy, but greatly simplifies them. This means that the V3 does not go to school, get a career, or receive a salary.

Debuted with 6 new colors: Green with Tropical Flowers, Blue with Waves, Translucent Yellow, Arctic Camouflage, "Ice Cream," and Silver with Black Buttons. However, even newer colours were released on the official Tamagotchi Connection website, such as Blue with Bubbles and Graffiti. Only the first 6 colours were released everywhere throughout the world, though so far, the U.S. currently has the most V3 colours. Elsewhere in the world there are different colours of version 3s, such as purple with stars and union jack.
Has a little bump on the top, like the antenna on a cell phone, similar to the Keitai Tamagotchi. Also, the 'antenna' distinguishes it from the versions 1 and 2. Note that in Japanese Tamagotchis, this 'antenna' can be used to connect to certain cell phones to allow the Tamagotchi to travel, but this feature was taken out in the U.S. version.
Adds 20+ new characters, many from Osutchi, Mesutchi and K-Plus 2, thus bringing the total number of Tamagotchi Connection characters to 52.
Is able to connect with Version 1 and 2, as well as other V3 Tamagotchis.
Offers connection to Tamatown.com which, similar to the Japanese counterpart, generates codes which the user can input into the toy and receive souvenirs, which are items that the user can look at (but the Tamagotchi can't play with or eat them). Passwords also give the shop items and food, which cost GP. The Tamagotchi can eat the food that the user buys in Tamagotchi Town.
Other than the code from the Nintendo DS Game, the passwords unlocked on the pet or on TamaTown.com will not work on any other Tamagotchi, thanks to the username system on both Tamatown and the Tamagotchi itself.
4 new games and 2 games from Version 2, for a total of 6 games.
New games on connecting. The winner gets a certain amount of points depending on how many 'Gotchi Points' the user has donated to the 'Gotchi King', shaped like a golden egg.
The Version 3 is infamous for having more technical glitches than any other Tamagotchi, such as items or souvenirs disappearing between generations or characters disappearing from the Family list. This appears to be a function of each new generation, and the souvenirs can be re-unlocked by re-entering the same passwords that unlocked them in the first place.
Seven codes are available on the V3 that unlock special items.
V3 Tamagotcis have new items.
Unlike the Version 2 Connection, or V2, It gives you four choices of meals and snacks each rather than just giving it one thing depending on the age of the Tamagotchi. And when you buy things in the shops, it adds to the meal or snack list instead of having a treat list.

Chou Yarikuri Enjoi (Tamagotchi Kakeibo)

The Tamagotchi Kakeibo (超やりくりエンジョイ！たまごっちかけいぼ chō yarikuri enjoi! tamagotchi kakeibo) is an accessory for the entama-generation Tamagotchi toys released in Japan.

It is slightly smaller than a home dekatama and very thin, as it is designed to fit into a small binder included with the toy. Inside the binder is a starter pack of "account book" (kakeibo) pages used to track your spending of "gotchi points", the currency used in all Tamagotchi toys. Initially released with a pink body and orange stylus, a later version released around the same time as the uratama features a blue body and green stylus, new screen background, and new binder cover (although with the same black-pixel LCD).

The Kakeibo is not really a virtual pet like the other portable tamagotchi, but more of a tool to assist with caring for them. You play as osewatchi (likely from the word o-sewa; help or aid), a female tamagotchi who lives in Tamagotchi Town's Ginza district, which is the Tamagotchi Planet's version of the fashionable Tokyo shopping district. There are many stores which sell items you can transfer to your Tamagotchi pets, a bank to store money, as well as mini-games to earn that money and a library which can record which Tamagotchi characters you have discovered on your entama and uratama.

Chou Jinsei Enjoi Tamagotchi Plus (Entama)

Released November 2005 in Japan.
A small strand of beads is attached instead of a small strap or keychain.
The antenna used on the Keitai, Keitai Akai and Tamagotchi Connexion version 3 has been extended diagonally with a ball attached on the end.
The Entama can link to E-Tamago. In E-Tamago, the user can play games and activities. The user can shop for things for their Entama and even go on travels to one of the six lands- Mame City, Guruguru Town, Patchi Forest, Gozaru Temple, Furawa Gardens and Ichigo Gardens.
The Entama features three character groups- Mamezoku (Intelligence), Memezoku (Style) and Kuchizoku (Kindness).
This is the first Tamagotchi to remove two of the original functions- the discipline and the lights. The Tamagotchi turns out the lights on its own and in place of discipline is three disciplines- intelligence, style and kindness, increased by items.
There are 55 characters featured on this Tamagotchi- 42 basic characters, 3 secret characters and 10 'Bikkuri-zoku' (Call Dating Service) characters. Thus this Tamagotchi has the most characters, beating Tamagotchi Connexion version 3 by 3 characters.

Ura Jinsei Enjoi Tamagotchi Plus (Uratama)

Released July 22, 2006 to Japan.
Mono-color blue LCD.
Similar to the EnTama, with stars replacing the round decorative "antenna" and beads; the blue-colored counterpart to the previous generation's red-colored "akai series".
It signifies the "Ura" world.
Connects with the TamaStation, which are large gaming type centers all around Japan, the DekaTama, Entamas, and Keitai.
Within the TamaStation, the user can earn special items by winning Games For example: "Call dating service" which the care taker uses it to get special, Rare Character generations (three to earn)
Currently 6 starter designs for when it comes out.
New games, characters and new designs.
Main characters have dramatically changed, for example, Mametchi renamed to Uramametchi, and features a tail, Ura Kuchipatchi has a horn on its head, and Uramemetchi has wings.
Secret Characters can be obtained by getting urakuchipatchi, uramametchi or uramemetchi.

Hanerutchi 2

It is an updated EnTama-like version of the Hanerutchi, to be available in red and blue designs similar to the first Hanerutchi. It was released on August 26, 2006.

Tamagotchi Connection Version 4

Template:Future product

To be released in January 2007, the Connection Version 4 is Bandai's next Tamagotchi product. Little is known regarding features, but Bandai has done a recent contest in which fans were able to vote for what pattern they would like to see on the Tamagotchi's "shell." The voting has recently ended, and the winning design will be announced sometime in October or November.[1]

Tamagotchi console releases

Game Boy

Three Tamagotchi games for the Nintendo Game Boy portable game system were released in Japan. The first one, also released in the United States, corresponds to the first two generations of the original Tamagotchi and had similar gameplay. The second game features characters from the Mori and Umi (Forest and Ocean) Tamagotchi. The final game released is based on Osutchi and Mesutchi, and features a unique cartridge with a user-replaceable battery and independent peizo buzzer that alerts players to turn on their Game Boy system and care for their virtual pet. Each had the smile game (to make them happy), the study game (to make them smart) and the sports game (to make them strong).

Nintendo DS

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop is not a virtual pet game, however it has characters from Tamagotchi and ties-in with the "TamaTown" concept presented in the EnTama series in Japan and the Connection series in the United States and Europe. Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop was created by Masaya Matsuura's NanaOn-Sha company. There is currently a new Tamagotchi game for the Nintendo DS, called Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2, which is scheduled for release in America on the 14th of November, 2006. It was released before in Japan, on the 27th of July, and it is essentially a sequel to the first game, with more mini-games and tamagotchis to see.

Criticism

There has been much criticism over the years over the Tamagotchi. One common criticism includes children taking them to school and using them during classes. This has led schools to ban the product from being allowed to be brought to school. Bandai eventually added a "PAUSE" feature to the Tamagotchi line to solve the problem, but it is still a common issue.

A German short children-opera ‘Tamagotchi’ oder ‘vergiss die Reset-Taste’. Ein Märchen für Kinder und Erwachsene. 1999 - Siegfried Carl (lyrics) and Joschi Krüger (composer) - is an example of subtle criticism against the tamagotchi-hype. German tamagotchi-lyrics

On August 03, 2005 South Australian MP Nick Xenophon attempted to ban the Tamagotchi Connection Version 2 due to the Slot Game featured on it, fearing that it will make kids wish to gamble in the future. This backfired, as many Australians went out and bought Tamagotchis. In the end, Xenophon decided not to ban the virtual pets, but to let parents be aware of the toy's contents.^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, a French driver killed a cyclist and injured another after she took her eye off the road trying to save her Tamagotchi while driving. [2]

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