Tamagotchi Uni Boldly Asks, What if Virtual Pets Had Their Own Social Platform?

Your own wrist-mounted critter daycare center

Fact checked by Jerri Ledford

There's a new kind of Tamagotchi virtual pet on the horizon, sticking to the device's portable roots while also expanding the possibilities with wireless online features.

Against all odds, the Tamagotchi (and others) virtual pet craze of the 90s has persisted—via the expected pocket-sized gizmos, video games, and official smartphone apps. Bandai Namco's new Tamagotchi Uni merges the classic with the modern by providing a wrist-mounted critter-rearing device that lets you connect and play with friends over Wi-Fi.

As you might expect of a new piece of Tamagotchi hardware, the list of available options and activities has been expanded. New mini-games to play, a mixture of 20+ possible new and returning Tamagotchi characters to raise, more customization possibilities, and even downloadable updates (and content).

Completing games earns points, which can be spent on virtual food, items, clothing, etc. The device itself is rechargeable via an included USB-C cable. But the biggest change for Tamagotchi Uni is what Bandai Namco calls the "Tamaverse."

On a basic level, the Tamaverse is a simplified (and Tamagotchi-centric) social platform where you and your virtual pet can meet and interact with other users and pets. You'll be able to exchange items with the (real) people you meet (digitally), play mini-games together, share Tamagotchi details and fashion, and so on. It's also possible for two pets (called "UniTama") to get married, though Bandai Namco doesn't go into detail about what that entails or if it adds any new features or functions.

Preorders for Tamagotchi Uni are open today, via Amazon, with devices available in Pink and Purple and priced at $59.99. The mass release is planned for Saturday, July 15.