Remembering the Tamagotchi:Children's Virtual Best Friend

Remember those tiny little games hooked onto a key-chain that resembled either little baby aliens or a specific animal?. Tamagotchi pets were a way for children to have pets without actually owning one in reality. TThe small key-chain hand held games were all the rage in the late 1990's. They were virtual pets the children had to feed, take care of and play with. The pets were small electronic devices that were placed on a key-chain for easy carrying. Bandai in Japan was among the first to sell the devices in 1996. As of the year 2008, the virtual pets were being sold world-wide.

Tamagotchi's were popular and sold in a variety of retail stores. As of today, some of them are still being sold in retail as well as online too. Some have even been seen in the clearance section in some stores. The game begins as an egg which hatches into the adorable virtual pet. Some of the pets were small alien like creatures, while others were as common as a dog, cat, bird or fish. You can then choose a name using up to 5-8 characters. You must keep it at a healthy weight as well as clean and entertained. If it is given improper care, your Tamagotchi will die.

In the late 90's, children were sharing and caring their pets everywhere. Since the late 90's, as of 2009, there are currently over 44 different versions of the Tamagotchi. With the release of game-boys and Nintendo DS's, Tamagotchi's are now available in those forms of game plays as well.

In the 21 ^st century, Tamagotchi fans can hang out on online websites such as Tamagotchi Mania ( http://tamagotchimania.com/ ) and learn about the newest versions available. There is also a Tamagotchi planet at http://www.mimitchi.com where you can read comic adventures, learn more about the Tamagotchi and tips on how to get the type of pets and characters that you want.

While the Tamagotchi was released in the late 90's, it still deems to be a somewhat popular toy. They are available at Amazon between $15-$20-Although there are some that are sold for under $20 too. Walmart offers a Tamagotchi game available on DS called, "Tamagotchi Cornershop 3."

If you are a parent who is unable to purchase a cat or dog for your young child who loves pets, then the Tamagotchi could be the next best thing to owning a pet-as it still teaches them the responsibility of caring for one by providing it food, play and good health. The Tamagotchi may not have all of the features that a Nintendo DS, iPod, Xbox or Wii carry, but they still can prove to be a simple and fun little toy that you can carry with you wherever you go.

Resources:

http://tamagotchimania.com/

http://www.mimitchi.com