A Tamagotchi Connexion V1 (European Version)
The Tamagotchi (たまごっち, Tamagotchi?) is a handheld digital pet created in 1996 by Aki Maita and sold by Bandai. Over 10 million Tamagotchis have been sold as of 2005.[1] 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 to make it lose weight.
- Cleaning up a Tamagotchi's waste.
- Checking its age, discipline, hunger, weight, happiness and other statistics.
Meaning of "Tamagotchi"
According to Bandai the name is a portmanteau combining the Japanese word "たまご" (tamago) which means "egg", and the English word "watch" (as in timepiece)[2]. Consequently, the name is romanized as "Tamagotch" without the "i" in Japan.
Tamagotchi releases
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41 Tamagotchi versions have been released between 1996 and now, with one known version to be released by the end of July, 2008. 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 version is the new V5 Tamagotchi in which the player can raise a family of characters, and soon Bandai will release a refresh for the V5 (V5.5) which will be released in July. There is also a website designed to work with V3, V4 and V4.5 Tamagotchi Connections, named 'TamaTown', and one for the V5 and V5.5 called 'Tama and Earth Expo'. It has a better range of games. The website games vary for each version. Unfortunately, the V5 is not able to connect with the previous versions of Tamagotchi Connection.
Other Tamagotchi games
Game Boy
The first Tamagotchi game for the Nintendo Game Boy portable game system was released simultaneously in both Japan and the United States. Tamagotchi (Game de Hakken!! Tamagotchi in Japan) corresponds to the first two generations of the original Tamagotchi digital pets, with similar gameplay.
The second game in the series (Game de Hakken!! Tamagotchi v2) was released only in Japan)
Nintendo DS
The Nintendo DS games Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop, Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2, and Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 are games where the player can run shops to make money. The player can choose between Mametchi, Memetchi and Kuchipatchi, and in Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3, Violetchi, to become a partner, and work together to keep their customers happy.
Wii
The Wii featured a game called Tamagotchi: Party On! You get to choose a tama to be and compete against other tamas to be the president of TamaTown.
Criticism and controversy
The major controversy over Tamagotchi digital pets involves children taking them to school, mostly because certain Tamagotchi versions could starve in less than half a day. Worry over potential ownership disputes, class disruptions, and general distraction from schoolwork has led many schools to ban the product. [1] (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, 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 "the gambling addicts of tomorrow". [2]
In other media
Film
On 1 June 2007, it was announced by Reuters that an animated Tamagotchi film was to be released in December 2007. The film is about Mametchi's fear of the dark, and his attempt to build a machine that will create his own personal sun. During his experiments, he ends up accidentally bringing a human girl named Tanpopo to their planet through a beam of light. Tanpopo is excited to find herself in the Tamagotchi world, which she plays avidly on her own planet. Her arrival is combined with the birth of Chamametchi, the baby sister of Mametchi and the central Tamagotchi for the movie's release. Mametchi eventually finds success in creating his own sun, which makes the real sun jealous and leave, plunging the Tama planet into an endless night. As the planet grows ill and creates earthquakes with its sneezes, Mametchi, Tanpopo, Memetchi, Kuchipatchi, and Chamametchi work to heal the planet, bring back the sun and also learn about the importance of being an older sibling. The movie was released on December 15, 2007, and was distributed by Toho Co.. [3]
Animated video
An animated video called Tamagotchi Video Adventures was produced in 1997, which is approximately 42 and a half minutes long. Cosmotchi sends fourteen Tamagotchi to Earth to collect objects in order to complete a museum exhibit for Grand Gotchi. Whoever brings back the most desirable item receives a medal of honor. A music video and a how-to-draw session follow the movie.
References
External links
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