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Tamagotchi
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The is a handheld digital pet created in 1996 by Aki Maita and sold by Bandai. Over 70 million Tamagotchis have been sold as of 2008. The Tamagotchi is housed in a small and simple egg-shaped computer. Three buttons (A, B, and C) allow the user to select and perform an activity, including:
rding to Bandai the name is a portmanteau combining the Japanese word "???" (tamago) which means "egg", and the English word "watch" (as in timepiece).
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The is a handheld digital pet created in 1996 by Aki Maita and sold by Bandai. Over 70 million Tamagotchis have been sold as of 2008. The Tamagotchi is housed in a small and simple egg-shaped computer. Three buttons (A, B, and C) allow the user to select and perform an activity, including:
- Feeding the Tamagotchi a piece of food or a snack.
- Playing games with the Tamagotchi.
- Pick up its poo.
- Checking its age, discipline, hunger, happiness and other statistics.
- Connecting with other friends
Meaning of "Tamagotchi"
According to Bandai the name is a portmanteau combining the Japanese word "???" (tamago) which means "egg", and the English word "watch" (as in timepiece). Consequently, the name is romanized as "Tamagotch" without the "i" in Japan.
Tamagotchi releases
44 Tamagotchi versions have been released between 1996 and now (2009).Several of them are Japanese Tamagotchis. These include the original Tamagotchi, Christmas-themed Tamagotchi and newer Tamagotchi versions, known as Connection, Connexion or Plus, which can communicate with other Tamagotchi for games and breeding. The most recent versions are the Tamagotchi Music Star, in which the player can raise a single Tamagotchi, where it will eventually form a band after making friends; and the Tamagotchi Plus Color, a Japan-exclusive virtual pet with a full-color 128x128 screen with enhanced graphics and gameplay.
Tamagotchi Video Games
Tamagotchi for Game Boy and Game Boy Color which are similar to the original handheld games. Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop, Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2, and Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 for Nintendo DS are games where the players can run shops to make money. The players can choose between Mametchi, and Kuchipatchi, and in Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3, Violetchi, to become a partner, and work together to keep their customers happy.
Arcade systems
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2
Mametchi, a common tamagotchi character, appears in Namco Bandai's/Nintendo's Mario Kart Arcade GP 2.
TamaStation
TamaStation is an arcade machine released in Japan where the owner can get prizes for their EnTama/UraTama. This machine has a sequel, TamaStation 2.
In other media
Film
On June 1, 2007, it was announced by Reuters that an animated Tamagotchi film was to be released in December 2007. The film , Eiga de Tojo! Tamagotchi Doki Doki! Uchu no Maigotchi!?, focuses on Mametchi, along with his friends Memetchi and Kuchipatchi. Introduced are Tanpopo, a human girl who Mametchi accidentally transports to the Tamagotchi Planet; and ChaMametchi, the younger sister of Mametchi who is born during the film's events. It has been said that a sequel will be released at the end of this year, featuring Hapihapitchi.
The movie was released on December 15, 2007, and was distributed by Toho Co. The film opened at #3 at the box office on opening weekend. On May 31, 2008, North American distributor Bandai Entertainment announced they had acquired the rights to the film.
Animated Series
In December 2007, Bandai Japan began airing Saa Ikou! Tamagotchi a week before the release of the first film. In December 2008, Bandai America dubbed the series, Let's Go! Tamagotchi, and began streaming it on YouTube in both English and Japanese, with captions for up to 7 other languages.
Animated video
An animated video called Tamagotchi Video Adventures was produced in 1997, and is approximately 42 and a half minutes long. Cosmotchi sends to in order to complete a museum exhibit for Grand Gotchi. Whichever Tamagotchi brings back the most desirable item receives a medal of honor. A music video and a how-to-draw session follow the movie.
Music
A song called "Tamagotchi" was produced by the music band Sqeezer in 1997.
In Japan, the band Kigurumi, after gaining new members and becoming a trio, released their first single, "Tamagotchi", on November 21, 2007, which was also the theme music for the upcoming film.
Criticism and controversy
One controversy over Tamagotchi digital pets involved children taking them to school because certain Tamagotchi versions could starve or die in less than half a day from lack of care. Worry over potential ownership disputes, class disruptions, and general distraction from schoolwork has led many schools to ban the product. (Later versions included a 'pause' feature, plus a newer sound on/off function). Some parents also express concern because the device constantly calls the user to it with penalties for ignoring its signal, including death, starvation, and sickness, effectively keeping the device in the child's consciousness at all times and interfering with other, potentially constructive, activities.
On August 3, 2005, South Australian MP Nick Xenophon attempted to ban the Tamagotchi Connection Version 2 (or at least have it classified R18+) due to the "Slot" game featured on it, fearing that it would make kids grow up to become "gambling addicts of tomorrow".
External links
- , current official Japanese site
- (1996-1998 Japanese Tamagotchi page)
- , Kuchipatchi's blog
TamaTown
- Official site for V3 through V5.5 and Music Star online connectivity
- Japanese page for TamaTown
- European Tamatown for V3 through to V5 Famalitchi
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