A blast from the past as Tamagotchi pets make a comeback
Nostalgia alert. Evoking nostalgia with memories of childhood simplicity, a time when it was mostly all about fun. The original virtual reality pet Tamagotchi that was once cherished many years ago has resurfaced and is back on the market.
A Tamagotchi is a toy pet that lives in a tiny portable gadget that is shaped like an egg.
The virtual reality pet invaded South Africa in the 1990s, becoming every child’s must have toy.
The toy is a pet in the sense that you feed it, clean up after it and even play with it, much like you would a real pet, only without the actual mess.
Unlike Gen Z who were born between the late 90s and early 2000s, millennials are the generation likely to remember what these are as they were born in the early 1980s to mid 1990s.
They had the pleasure of becoming nurturing digital pet parents and the disappointment of watching them die.
The intriguing invention combined technology with teaching kids and teenagers responsibility in a fun way through having something of their own to take care of. The pet might have just been a toy but the responsibility was very real.
The palm sized, egg shaped pocket friend originated in Japan but soon took off and was sold in over 30 countries globally. Made available in various colours and multiple designs, children could choose to have a virtual reality pet in a colour and design they liked best.
Tamagotchis were the ultimate digital companion that children could take with them anywhere they went. Along the way teaching them how to constantly care for something. The question of whether the toy will still have the same effect and maintain its charm is yet to be seen.
With so many technological advantages having been made since it was last popular. There is no telling how it will be received in today’s market, especially with the many options of realistic virtual reality entertainment made available.
IOL