What is a Tamagotchi?
A Tamagotchi is a keychain-sized virtual pet made by Bandai that hatches, grows and eventually dies depending on how well it is cared for. It launched in Japan in the mid-1990s and became one of the defining toys of the decade — feed it, clean up after it, play with it, and it grows into a healthy adult; ignore it, and it does not.
The original had a black-and-white screen a few centimetres across and three buttons. There was no pause, no save and no forgiveness, which is exactly why children carried them everywhere and why so many were confiscated in classrooms.
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How to choose one for your child
Three questions settle it, and none of them is about the price.
How old are they? Under about seven, the button-menu style of the classic Tamagotchi is a real barrier — a touch-responsive pet holds attention far better. From eight upward, the menus stop being an obstacle and the depth becomes the appeal.
Do they want to collect, or to commit? A pet that unlocks new animals rewards dipping in and out. A single pet you raise over weeks rewards the opposite. Buying the wrong one for the temperament is how these end up in a drawer.
Who is going to deal with it at 6am? Virtual pets beep. Some models can be muted, some cannot, and a pet that needs attention overnight becomes a parent’s problem. Check the mute options before you buy, not after.
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A note on buying the 90s originals secondhand
If you are set on an original, two things to check: whether the battery compartment has corroded (the most common reason a listed unit does not work), and whether the screen has bleed at the edges. Listings often omit both, so ask before bidding. Prices on genuinely working units have risen sharply, and a reissue often plays better than a thirty-year-old original.
Frequently asked questions
What is another name for a Tamagotchi?
“Virtual pet” or “digital pet” is the generic term. Tamagotchi is a Bandai trademark, so competing products use those descriptions instead — which is why searching the brand name alone misses most of the current shelf.
Which is better, a Tamagotchi or a Giga Pet?
For a child today, the question is mostly settled by availability: the Tamagotchi line is in production and Giga Pets largely are not. Compared at their peak, Giga Pets offered more creature variety while the Tamagotchi had the deeper life-stage system.
How much is a virtual pet?
Current models are priced as mainstream toys rather than collectibles — the Bitzee launched at $29.99, and the connected Tamagotchi models sit higher. Sealed 1990s originals are priced as collectibles rather than as toys and vary enormously.
Can a Tamagotchi die?
Yes — that is the design. Neglect it long enough and it dies, and depending on the model you either reset and start over or hold a small funeral, according to household custom. Worth knowing before you hand one to a sensitive six-year-old on a school night.
Which Tamagotchis are worth money?
Sealed first-run units from the original 1990s release command the highest prices, along with limited regional editions. Condition and packaging drive the value far more than the model does — a loose, working unit is worth a fraction of a sealed one.
Sources and verification
Current-model details for the Tamagotchi Uni are taken from Bandai’s own product listing; Bitzee details from Spin Master’s launch materials and retail listings, cross-checked against independent coverage. The 1990s products are described from their documented original release and are noted as out of production rather than presented as purchasable. Prices move constantly and are given as broad ranges only — check current listings before buying.