Tamagotchi

The Tamagotchi (Japaneseたまごっち, word created from tamago (Eng. "egg" ) and wotchi (of English watch, dt " clock ");. In Japan originally as " Tamagotch " Romanized ) is a document emanating from Japan Electronics Toys, which in the second half of the 1990s was popular worldwide and was reissued in 2004.

Gameplay

The Tamagotchi is a virtual chicks to where one has to take care of as a real pet from the time of hatching to. It has needs like sleeping, eating, drinking, affection, and gets also its own personality. At different time points, reports the Tamagotchi and demands the attention of the owner. If you neglect it, it dies, but it can be revived by pressing a reset switch, and the game starts all over again. This is possible in all versions, even though there were rumors that the Japanese version of the Tamagotchi would allow only a single life cycle.

Dimensions

The Tamagotchi is about 5.5 cm high, 4 cm wide and 1.5 cm thick. The display has a resolution of 32 × 16 pixels ( the original version).

History

The Tamagotchi was (真 板 亜 纪, Maita Aki ) developed as an idea presented in a department meeting and in the house in 1996 by Bandai Bandai staff member Aki Maita. Initially only on the Japanese market, a little later by imports, plagiarism and competing products in Europe and the U.S., the small plastic egg was within a few months became a cult, which was, however, relatively short-lived. After Germany, the Tamagotchi came on 12 May 1997. Supply shortages favored trading on the black market. It was not long until several vendors offered some cheaper competing products, which often offered more functionality than the original. However, did not impress the target audience 14 to 17 long and the second, improved version of the original toy - after a few months of " Tamagotchi - rush" was over. Some computer manufacturers have developed based versions for the PC, Macintosh, and Gameboy on the gameplay. On the Internet, even virtual cemeteries were set up for Tamagotchi fans of the toy.

Tamagotchis were not the first virtual animals. Since 1995 there is the Petz series ( derived from English pets " pets " ) for Windows and Macintosh computers. There, dogs or cats shall be cared for. A recent game with the same principle is Nintendogs for the Nintendo DS.

After nearly eight years of tranquility at the " little egg " Bandai published on 26 February 2004 the successor of the original Tamagotchi under the name " Tamagotchi Plus" in Japan. The offered at this time via the Internet 600 advance copies were sold out within minutes. The official launch in April 2004 was a great success, Bandai sold at this time about 100,000 copies per week.

In Germany, the successor on June 7, 2004 under the name was " Tamagotchi Connexion Version 1 " was published. Among other things, there is the possibility to combine the Tamagotchis and so other Tamagotchi owners to make gifts to get married and have children. The Tamagotchi then counts the generations of the family, as the parents go after hatching, the baby back to the Tama - planet.

On 28 April 2005 published twelve new Connexion colors.

On 26 July 2005, the Tamagotchi Connexion Version 2 was released with new characters, games and a virtual store.

On 24 March 2006, the Tamagotchi Connection Version 3 was released, which is equipped with even more options, games, characters and the opportunity to purchase new items from the Internet.

Later, the Tamagotchi Connexion Version 4 came out - also with many new characters and games.

On September 17, 2007 was the official launch of the new version V4 .

In early 2008 appeared the Tamagotchi Connection Version 5 with the label " Tamagotchi Familitchi ". Several characters are played here as a "family " in one device.

On 2 December 2008, the Tamagotchi Music Star appeared in Germany Version 6

On 23 November 2009, the Tamagotchi ID released in Japan with TFT color display and an infrared interface to mobile phones.

On November 23, 2012, the Tamagotchi P's appeared in Japan with LCD monitor and an infrared interface to mobile phones.

Differences between Tamagotchi Tamagotchi Connexion and

The following features were added or changed:

• The display is larger and has a higher resolution.
• The Tamagotchi can be male or female.
• You can give the Tamagotchi a name.
• An infrared interface is available to play through the two Tamagotchis each other, fall in love, have children and against each other for points ( the currency of the Tamagotchiwelt ) fight (V1, V2, V3, V4, V4.5, V5 ).
• The date of birth of the owner can be entered (V1, V2, V3, V4, V4.5, V5, V6 ).
• The name of the owner can be entered (V3, V4, V4.5, V6 ).
• There are several game modes available.
• In Connexion Version 1, 2, 3, 4, 4.5, and Version 5 other features were introduced ( among other things a business, more characters and other games ).
• In V2, V3, V4, V4.5, V5, and V6, there is a pause function.
• There are toys and more food at V2, 3, 4, 4.5, and V5
• You can go to kindergarten, primary school and get to work or post (V4, V4.5, V6 ).
• You can have multiple characters simultaneously in one Tamagotchi have (V5 ).
• One can use a normal internet computer Tamagotchitown visit, the city in which the Tamagotchis live and play, and his figure to play with individual codes on the internet and there acquired items and money to be transferred unit (V3, V4, V4.5, V5, V6 ).

Awards

• 2005 Toy of the Year Award for Tamagotchi Connexion

The term " Tamagotchi "

The term " Tamagotchi " evolved into a generic term for the division of virtual pets in pocket size computer, such as the brand Puchico.

Media

The Tamagotchis were filmed several times as anime. From 1997 to 1998, the television series TV de Hakken ran! Tamagotchi (TVで 発見!たまごっち, dt "discovery on TV! The Tamagotchi "). On 12 July 1997, the 9-minute short film Tamagotchi Honto no Hanashi was (たまごっち ホント の はなし, GV " The true story of Tamagotchi " ) shown on the Toei Anime Fair.

Ten years later animes were again produced, which were animated by Oriental Light and Magic. The 12 - part television series Saiko! Tamagotchi (さぁ イコー!たまごっち) aired from December 1, 2007 to February 16, 2008 nationwide via satellite transmitter BS11. 15 December 2007 came the film Eiga de Tōjō! Doki Doki Tamagotchi! Uchū no Maigotchi? (えいが で とー じょー!たまごっち ドキドキ!うちゅー の まいごっち?, Dt " appearance in the cinema! Tamagotchi palpitations! A Missing Space Child Tamagotchi? " ) In Japanese theaters and a year later 20 December 2008 its sequel Eiga! Tamagotchi: Uchū Ichi Happy na Monogatari? (映 画 たまごっち うちゅー いち ハッピー な 物語, dt! ? "The film Tamagotchi: !? Happiest The history of space "). In Bandai's YouTube Channel Bandai Channel a web anime streamed in three episodes called Tamagotchi Original Anime (たまごっち オリジナル アニメ) on 12 December 2008. Since 12 October 2009 on TV Tokyo television series Tamagotchi! (たまごっち! ) Broadcast.

The German Euro Dance lineup Sqeezer published in September 1998 a single called " Tamagotchi ", which was the official promotional song of the toy.

In the published 13 April 2012 Album also of the German band The doctors there is also a song called " Tamagotchi ", which contains numerous allusions to the toy.