Tamagotchi Connection Virtual Pet by Bandai America
Premature Death of a Digital Buddy. (Yes, there is a virtual robot )
 I feel so ashamed. Dejected. Embarassed. I killed my Tamagotchi pet buddy Jud. He was a stunning little soul that made a big boy feel young again. I have flash-backs of his pointy little black head and two coal black eyes looking for love.
Add to that my embarassment; my profession is to work on computers. For crying out loud, how can a techie not press a couple of buttons and then allow "Jud" to grow pas 2 years old! For shame.
Sigh....but let us focus on the present. What have we here? My instruction manual tells me to hit button A and then C and then.... Hmm....Jud has been replaced with my new robot boy named "G" . -smile-.
O.k. O.k. Let me spill the beans. Bandai America recently sent Robot-Japan a new Tamagotchi Connection just in time for my birthday, August 10th. My model was the Tamagotchi Connection: Orange with Bursts . The little fellow (s) have been faithfully tagging along through my work and workouts each day. Granted, fellow gym-mates look at me funny as I press the food button, click the "clean mess" button, and then do a few hurdles for extra "Happy Points". Who cares, we're both having fun!
I really got a kick out of my new electronic pet. As most will remember, Bandai released Tamagotchi in 1996 and the craze ended with about 40 MILLION units sold. Memories faded and so did the branding; that is, until now. As of August, Bandai has reintroduced the brand with a new "Connection" feature. Kids can use infrared signals, just like high-tech calculators, to transfer data between pets. Data linking is a great idea and I suspect it will be deliriously contagious at local playgrounds.
 Resolution on the unit is much improved and you can see details in your pet's excercise, eating, and, uh, mess. Your pet will grow from a baby, to fledgling, to adult in a series of hatchings. Each stage shows a growing and uniquely Japanese character.
Without spoiling your fun, I want to pass on a few of my findings. Here are some hints to help your pet stay healthy and fit:
- Be sure to Use the pause buttons! If you can't attend to your pet then pause the unit. I can't tell you how disappointing it is to see a sick pet. I learned the hard way that even a 2 hour slip can hurt!
- Snacks are a great way to get your pet to do more excercise. If you excercise him/her once you may find it reluctant to do more. Feed it a snack and then do more!
- Medicate your pet more than once if it is sick.
- Discipline your pet if you get random, unnecessary chirps & noises. This is a perfect time to tell it is naughty.
- Try to figure out how to turn your noise off. (Hold Buttons A and C together and then select sound off" )
- Keep an extra set of batteries!
-Ed
Here is the official press release:
Tamagotchi first exploded in popularity when Bandai launched the product in 1996, selling more than 40 million units worldwide and 12 million units in the United States and Canada. Not only did Tamagotchi spur a pop culture phenomenon, but the product itself created a new toy category and prompted countless virtual pet imitators. During its peak, 15 Tamagotchi units were sold every minute in the U.S and Canada. The new Tamagotchi Connection is on track to replicate that success starting in Japan where the first product on the shelf sold out in two days.
"Over the past five years, we have heard Tamagotchi fans ask for the return of this brand, and we couldn't be more excited to bring back America's favorite digital pet with more interactive features and options," said Bill Beebe, senior vice president, sales and marketing at Bandai America. "We believe Tamagotchi Connection is just the product to boost toy industry sales and top holiday wish lists this fall."
 Infrared technology allows Tamagotchi Connection owners to become friends with other Tamagotchi owners and store a "friend list" of up to 50 friends. Once an adult, the Tamagotchi can connect with a compatible Tamagotchi friend and have a second-generation Tamagotchi that the owner can care for and nurture into an adult to create a possible third and fourth generation. With a larger display and better graphics than the original version, Tamagotchi Connection owners can care for their pet by selecting various controls to feed it food or a snack, play games with it, clean up after its messes and give it medicine when it becomes sick. The new Tamagotchi Connection will debut at retail on August 15, 2004 at a suggested retail price of $14.99.
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