It was smaller than your palm, shaped like an egg and hung from your backpack zipper. It beeped when it was hungry, needed you to clean up after it, got sick if you ignored it and, if things went badly, it died. The Tamagotchi was the toy of 1997, and its story is one of the most fascinating in 90s pop culture.
Quick answer
The Tamagotchi is a handheld virtual pet made by Bandai. It launched in Japan in November 1996 and in the US in May 1997, became a global craze, was banned in many schools for distracting students, and inspired copycats like Giga Pets and Nano Baby. Bandai still makes new versions today.
Key takeaways
- Created by Aki Maita (Bandai) with Akihiro Yokoi (WiZ).
- Name = "tamago" (egg) + "watch".
- A huge craze in 1997, followed by school bans.
- Re-released many times; original 90s units are collectible.
Tamagotchi timeline
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1996 | The Tamagotchi launches in Japan in November and quickly sells out. |
| 1997 | Launches in the US in May; huge demand; schools start banning it. |
| 1997 | Copycats arrive: Giga Pets (Tiger Electronics), Nano Baby and Nano Kitty (Playmates). |
| 1997 | Bandai releases Digimon, a battle-focused virtual pet aimed at boys. |
| 1998 | The craze cools in the US as Pokémon and Furby take over. |
| 2004 | Tamagotchi Connection adds infrared connections between devices. |
| 2017 | Bandai re-releases the original 90s Tamagotchi design. |
| 2020s | New color-screen and smart versions keep the brand alive. |
Hi! I'm Rad. Feed me, play with me, keep me clean!
How a Tamagotchi worked
The original had three buttons and a tiny black-and-white screen. You hatched an egg, then cared for the creature through life stages from baby to adult. You had to:
Feed it
Meals and snacks kept the hunger meter up, but too many snacks were not good for it.
Play with it
Simple games raised its happiness.
Clean up
It left droppings on the screen that had to be flushed away.
Give medicine
A skull icon meant your pet was sick.
Discipline it
Sometimes it beeped for attention when it did not need anything.
Turn out the light
It slept at night, and you had to switch off the light.
How well you cared for it decided which adult character it grew into, and how long it lived. That emotional weight was new for a toy, and it is why so many kids remember their first Tamagotchi so vividly.
Fun fact: Original Tamagotchis had no pause button, so parents ended up babysitting virtual pets during school hours. Later versions added a pause feature.
The school bans
A pet that beeps for food in the middle of a math test was always going to cause trouble. During 1997 many schools banned virtual pets outright. That only made them more desirable, which is a pattern you can see across many 90s fads.
The copycats and rivals
Giga Pets
Tiger Electronics' range, with dogs, cats, dinosaurs and more.
Nano Baby / Nano Kitty
Playmates' rival pets, including a baby you had to raise.
Digimon
Bandai's virtual pet for battling, which later became a cartoon.
Pocket Pikachu
A step-counting Pikachu pet from Nintendo.
Are 90s Tamagotchis worth money?
Most loose, used originals sell for modest amounts, but sealed 90s units in the original packaging, and rare colors or regional versions, can be worth much more. Condition and packaging matter most. See our guide to 90s toys worth money for how collectors value them.
Try this: Miss having a pocket pet? Hatch and raise Rad, our free 90s-style virtual pet. It grows up over a week and counts your daily visit streak.
Conclusion
The Tamagotchi was a tiny keychain toy that taught a generation about responsibility and heartbreak. Explore more of the decade's must-haves in popular 90s toys and 90s tech gadgets, or read about another 90s collecting craze: the Beanie Babies craze.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Tamagotchi come out?
The Tamagotchi was released in Japan in November 1996 and in the US in May 1997.
Who invented the Tamagotchi?
The Tamagotchi was created by Aki Maita of Bandai together with Akihiro Yokoi of the toy company WiZ.
What does "Tamagotchi" mean?
The name combines the Japanese word "tamago" (egg) with "uotchi", from the English word "watch".
Why were Tamagotchis banned in schools?
The pets beeped for attention during class, and kids got distracted caring for them. Many schools in the US, UK and elsewhere banned them in 1997.
What were the Tamagotchi copycats?
Popular rivals included Giga Pets from Tiger Electronics, Nano Baby and Nano Kitty from Playmates, and Bandai's own Digimon virtual pet aimed at boys.
Can you still buy a Tamagotchi?
Yes. Bandai has released many new versions and re-released the original 90s design. Original 90s units are collectible, especially sealed ones.