We all remember owning our first Tamagotchi.
It was a special time of bonding and nurturing, frustration and ultimately personal growth as we realised that owning a Tamagotchi wasn’t just about cleaning up its poop every few hours (although that was vital).
First released in 1996 by Bandai, the Tamagotchi was a small keychain-sized digital pet that had to be hatched, raised and looked after by the user.
It was portable and relatively cheap which meant that almost anyone could go out, buy one and get completely hooked on keeping their little brat alive.
Tamagotchi’s had to be fed, entertained and cleaned up after. Failure to do your duty with these tasks will almost always result in your virtual buddy getting sick and then potentially dying.
It quickly became a playground competition to see who could keep their Tamagotchi alive the longest.
Hard months of constant supervision would almost entirely replace schoolwork as these annoying little eggs demanded more and more of its owner’s time.
Ultimately the Tamagotchi became a complete phenomenon, it sold over 75 million units worldwide and spawned countless ranges of merchandise.
It was even announced recently that the Tamagotchi would be making a return in Japan allowing countless nostalgia-hunters to get their hands on a piece of history.
To celebrate 20 years of this genuinely game-changing gadget, Tech Hunters are looking into the birth of the Tamagotchi and to find one of its most ardent fans.