Tamagotchi Pix: The Virtual Pet Toy From Your Childhood, Now With A Build-In Camera & Touch Buttons
When the original Tamagotchi launched in 1996, it was an immediate hit with both adults and kids. An egg-shaped device that fit perfectly into the palm, the virtual pet required daily feeding, playing, and cleaning up.
Its recognisable beeps shook us from mundane reality and propelled us back into its tiny LCD world of slow evolution and digital poop.
Photo from Tamagotchi
Although those who fervently played with the toy have since grown up, the Tamagotchi remains a nostalgic reminder of our carefree childhood days. These days, we continue to respond to urgent beeps of another kind—our smartphones and devices.
If you’re hoping to revive the joys of caring for a virtual pet, you’ll be pleased to know that Tamagotchi is still very much in production today, with endless high-tech models featuring coloured screens and even app support.
Photo from Tamagotchi
The latest addition to Bandai’s Tamagotchi line-up is the Tamagotchi Pix (US$59.99/S$82), a nifty virtual pet that comes with a built-in camera and touch buttons. It’s noteworthy that the Pix is the first colour Tamagotchi produced specifically for an international market, unlike the majority of its devices, which were released only in Japan.
Photo from Tamagotchi
With a similar look and feel as its predecessor, the Tamagotchi On, the Pix features a cracked shell at the top much like the removable cap of the Tamagotchi Osutchi and Mesutchi devices. Its camera is capable of detecting colours, a useful tool in various in-game functions.
Photo from Tamagotchi
Thanks to the new features, users will be able to interact with their virtual pets a lot more than before. For instance, they can now pet their adult Tamagotchi character whenever they come up close, almost like a real pet.
To whip up a storm in the kitchen, users can use the Pix’s camera to take a photo of two different foods. Based on the colour of the foods, a new food item is created for the Tamagotchi to either store in the fridge or eat.
Whenever the Tamagotchi leaves poop on the screen, the user has to swipe their finger across the buttons to flush it away—a slightly quicker process compared to pressing a bunch of buttons.
Photo from Tamagotchi
Users can enjoy fun stuff like having their Tamagotchi plant a seed outside their house and watering it daily to harvest a fruit or item. The device also comes with 11 games which can be played to earn Gotchi points for buying items and furniture or increasing the character’s happiness.
Photo from Tamagotchi
This April, a new update called Tamagotchi Pix Party was launched to allow the device to host get-togethers in the decorated room with one’s virtual pet by sending invitations to friends.
In celebration of the launch, the Pix device will be available in confetti and balloon-themed shells, along with a new party play area, new characters to raise, as well as mini games like DJ Play and Bingo.
With social distancing still ongoing in many parts of the world, why not pick up a Tamagotchi and reconnect with your loved ones in a nostalgic way?
Pre-sales for the Tamagotchi Pix is now available online through Amazon, with availability at mass, online, and specialty retailers starting from June 30.
More old-school inspiration here:
