Bandai is breathing life back into the Tamagotchi franchise for its 20th anniversary with the revival of the beloved model from 2004, the Tamagotchi Connection.
The announcement this week reveals the comeback of the device that was considered to be a pivotal entry to the virtual pet family when it was first released. It introduced more modern capabilities compared to older models such as infrared pairing that allows two devices to link up.
Tamagotchi's 20th Anniversary
(Photo : Bandai / Screenshot taken from official website)
There have been several other versions over the course of the following decade that came out but the v3 was the one that brought the popular shell design that the Connection family is known for. This is the typical Tamagotchi egg but features a faux antenna attached to the device's upper left side.
Bandai has now opened pre-orders for the English-language Tamagotchi Connection which comes in six different colors. These are Bubbles (light blue), Ice Cream (pink), Rainbow Sky, the multicolored Clear Retro, and Blue and Pink Graffiti, according to Engadget.
Each of the devices will be available for purchase for $30 and Bandai is offering a package of two Graffiti shells that fans can get for $58. As typical of the franchise, some additional, even cuter shells appear to be coming out in Japan.
While Bandai is reviving the Tamagotchi Connection v3, it looks like the gameplay of the soon-to-be-released virtual pet will combine elements of a few different models. These include from the pre-color era and it could also add some new features.
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Based on the information that has so far been released, the virtual pet toy will have more than 50 characters and come with 150 in-game items for players to collect. Some of these items will be unlockable by finding passwords.
The Tamagotchi Connection was the first in the franchise to let players nurture their virtual pet and help it make friends, play, swap presents, and mate with other people's Tamagotchis. Some fans loved this version so much that they called it the company's best-ever release, said Mashable.
Bringing Back the Tamagotchi Connection
The latest announcement may have already been anticipated by many eagle-eyed fans who noticed a new antenna "accessory" for Tamagotchis being announced on Instagram. This was part of an April Fools Day prank.
On top of the multiplayer feature, the Tamagotchi Connection was the first in the franchise to involve a training function that went beyond the typical discipline mechanic. Also, while there is a multiplayer feature, a player does not need to find another person to play with.
The model itself still allows you to find a partner for your virtual pet and get a new baby character. The Tamagotchi Connection is not the only virtual pet version of the franchise that will be launching in July 2024.
There will be two Hello Kitty variants of the Tamagotchi that will also launch soon with one being a new Hello Kitty Tamagotchi Nano model. The second is a Hello Kitty Tamagotchi Uni that players can wear in the same way as a smartwatch, according to Siliconera.
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