The return of Tamagotchi

Those who haven’t tried to forget the 1990s might remember the Tamagotchi, that electronic pet that captivated the world for at least one summer. Well, the original maker Bandai has teamed up with Sync Beatz Entertainment to revive the creature, this time on a new Android app.

Tamagotchi L.i.f.e, which comes out tomorrow, tasks users with caring for a virtual pet by pressing buttons that simulate feeding, disciplining and playing with the critter on screen.

Neglect your Tamagotchi and it will die. Sales of the original toy topped 78 million and paved the way for virtual games such as The Sims. Whether the new app will divert attention away from Angry Birds: A Separation (or whatever Rovio next has lined up) remains to be seen.

aritman@thenational.ae

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