Tamagotchi 2017 Release Latest News: The 90s LCD Keychain Toy Returns
The 90s are back, if only in the form of an iconic keychain toy. Bandai America is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Tamagotchi with a limited release this fall last Sunday, Nov. 5.
Earlier this October, Bandai has announced their plan to ship a limited run of the egg-shaped digital toy, to the joy of fans of pop culture from the last millennium.
"Awakening and evoking nostalgic feelings from the mid-to-late '90s, this smaller 'Tamagotchi' device features the familiar egg shape, pixelated LCD charm, and, of course, the recurrent need for tender-loving-care that endeared fans in 1997 when it was first released!" Bandai described the nostalgia toy in their press release earlier.
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The company has since released the Tamagotchi this weekend, for retail outlets as well as for pre-order holders. These devices are a bit smaller than the original. They come in six different color schemes and cost about $15.
It looks like the beloved virtual pet is still pretty much in demand, too. Fans have snapped up initial inventory quickly, with the initial allotment selling out in two days or less in some cases. Tara Badie, marketing director for Bandai America, neatly sums it up.
"Tamagotchi is back in a big way," Badie said.
As a faithful adaptation of the original keychain toy, this new mini version is in every way the same as those first shipped out in 1997, except for the size.
Compared to the 90's version, the screen is about 40 percent smaller, as Polygon notes. It still looks like the widescreen version of the original, though, since Bandai has shrunk the toy's body to 60 percent of its original size.
As for the features, nothing has been changed. It's still the same blocky LCD graphics with no backlight, with everything controlled by the three round buttons at the bottom.
