For those who belong to Millennial Generation, Bandai has brought their nostalgic childhood memories back on track. Welding the Japanese word for egg “tamago” and the English word “watch”, the world’s initial virtual pet Tamagotchi is back with a bang!
During the era where complex electronic gadgets did not exist, this innovative plastic won the hearts of children and adults alike. The popularity rose to a level where, even after almost 16 sweet years since debut, the demand is higher than ever. Following the demand, Bandai teamed up with Sync Beatz and decided to unveil an upgraded version of their beloved creation in the form of Tamagotchi L.I.F.E.
WHAT IS L.I.F.E?
The Love is Fun Everywhere (L.I.F.E) app is currently available to be downloaded for free in the US and Canada for now. It is compatible with Android and other smartphones. One of the most interesting features of this touch screen app is that it offers 2 modes of gameplay; the old school mode to give a nostalgic experience with the 16 bit pixelated display and the colourful mode with a much higher resolution. The infrared communication allows the pets to socialize with others, giving a perfect opportunity to find their soul mate and create a family that can last up to second, third or even fourth generation, if they are well taken care of. Customization is a must and to keep up with this trending fashion, adding personal touch ups to the eggs and LCD backgrounds is now also possible.
Bored of playing with the same pet? Not to worry because the new storage facility allows the user to create a collection of various Tamagotchi characters within the same app. This is really good news for those who might be concerned of having to download several different apps in order to play with different pets.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Just how we lose interest in wearing the same outfit or visiting the same places again and again, the Tamagotchi are no different! L.I.F.E offers the golden opportunity to take your pet’s palate up a notch by offering a diverse range of meals, games and other social features that are updated on a frequent basis.
Generation Z may not be familiar with the famous history of Tamagotchi but the new app will definitely draw attention. Children who complain of becoming bored easily, especially during summer, will have their attention fixated on the pet that cutely demands attention within a span of 5 minutes. What our parents endure every single day can be empathised by the children as a concrete reminder every now and then.
Appropriate discipline is a hidden pointer behind the concept of raising a Tamagotchi. A well-mannered pet will ensure a trouble free journey and live longer while a naughty one could transform into a bandit or even a snake and not survive for long.
WILL CHILDREN TODAY EASILY BEFRIEND A TAMAGOTCHI?
The news of nurturing virtual pets in this technologically advanced day and age brought diverse reactions amongst school children. Some were excited about the ease of having virtual pet-in terms of availability of proper accommodation, time and other expenses as compared to raising a real pet, while most of them had a different opinion.
A high school student believed that these days, social media has become so commonly spread that face to face interaction with society and nature has become scarce. Having a virtual pet opposes the idea of feeling loved and having an actual sense of responsibility. Once a virtual pet dies, whether it was due to a careless mistake or otherwise, all it takes is a rest button to start the entire cycle again, but this is not the case with a living creature. The joy of having a real pet cannot be easily replaced.
Regardless of who is happy with the revival of this adorable toy, Bandai accomplished their aspiration of generating a planet homing more affluent, lovable and colourful avatars. Tamagotchi has received a much warmer than anticipated welcome. The addition of a complete life cycle, raising a proper family and socializing with similar aged pets, and other features have increased the popularity scale amongst the faithful fans and the tech savvy.
Printed in Petigree Magazine Oct / Nov 2013 issue