Great news to kick off your Thursday, folks: Tamagotchi is back, and all is right with the world again. In a recent announcement, Bandai introduced the Tamagotchi Pix, a new device combining classic virtual pet gameplay with new AR camera capabilities, social media functionality and a shiny colour screen — but the best news is you’ll be able to get the device in Australia!
While most of these features aren’t new to Tamagotchis, it is the first time we’ll be seeing many of them here.
Bandai has been producing colour Tamagotchis since 2009 but they’ve been notoriously difficult to buy in Australia. Many weren’t localised in English, and those that were proved to be expensive and hard to get.
The most recent release, the Tamagotchi On, skipped Australia entirely and integrated with an app that was never available here. So even if you could technically buy them off Amazon, they were missing key features.
Luckily, the Tamagotchi Pix has been confirmed to be coming to Australia, with pre-orders already open online. So while we’ve missed out on many of the major Tamagotchi releases over the last year, it’s safe to say they’re finally back.
The Tamagotchi Pix is a bit of a twist on the usual formula, with owners able to snap AR pictures and enter the world of Tamagotchi, but there’s still plenty of reasons to get excited about this device.
With the Pix, you’ll be able to share pictures via a built-in social feed (although it’s currently unclear how this works) and choose how to nurture your Tamagotchi with new activities like painting, cooking and exploring. Your pets will also be able to get jobs, visit friends, complete missions and play mini-games.
The trailer for the Tamagotchi Pix doesn’t reveal a whole lot about the device, but it does show off its camera capabilities and the new touch-based buttons. You can also briefly see Mametchi visit a diner, play ping pong and be washed — so it’s pretty safe to assume the classic Tamagotchi gameplay is still intact.
The Tamagotchi Pix is priced at $99 in Australia, and while that’s a bit pricey you can understand the added cost. Back in the day, Tamagotchis were simple devices. Now they have touch capabilities, AR functionality, unique games and activities, and gorgeous colour screens. They’re still a bit of a gimmick, but also incredible fun.
If you want to dive in and re-experience your childhood in a brand new way, the Tamagotchi Pix is now available for preorder from Toymate in Australia (it’ll also be available in Target on launch). The description of the device does say it’s for 6-12 year olds, but don’t listen to that. You’re never too old for a Tamagotchi.
The device is scheduled to release in the later half of 2021, with Toymate expecting shipments in September. With the current state of global manufacturing and shipping, this could change — but hopefully it’ll stick to this tentative date.
The Tamagotchi Pix is the nostalgic escape we all need, so fingers crossed for a timely release.
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