Namco releases Tamagotchi for the iPhone
Tamagotchi, possibly the most famous of all virtual pets, has made its way to the iPhone with today's release of Tamagotchi: 'Round the world ($5.99, App Store), along with a Lite version (Free, App Store). This version of Tamagotchi puts an entire planet in your care on top of the usual cute creatures the game is known for.
The game's creators invite you to "interact with cute clouds, playful plants and gleeful geysers" to manage a whole planet, not just a pet. This version of the Tamagotchi game is indeed more complex than the usual outing, with what looks like a large collection of mini games to help keep your pet happy and healthy. There are four kinds of Tamagotchi creatures to choose from, as well as other creatures called Gaiatchi that you can play with to earn stars for a virtual stampbook.
Tamagotchi is a very particular kind of game that attracts a very particular sort of audience, so it is interesting to see it expanding into something slightly larger and more gamelike, as it is almost certain that Namco networks could have brought out a very simplified Tamagotchi and seen a lot of interest in it.
The game's creators invite you to "interact with cute clouds, playful plants and gleeful geysers" to manage a whole planet, not just a pet. This version of the Tamagotchi game is indeed more complex than the usual outing, with what looks like a large collection of mini games to help keep your pet happy and healthy. There are four kinds of Tamagotchi creatures to choose from, as well as other creatures called Gaiatchi that you can play with to earn stars for a virtual stampbook.
Tamagotchi is a very particular kind of game that attracts a very particular sort of audience, so it is interesting to see it expanding into something slightly larger and more gamelike, as it is almost certain that Namco networks could have brought out a very simplified Tamagotchi and seen a lot of interest in it.
Comments
...remembers the crushed and disappointed faces of my young kids upon arriving home to find the Tamagotchi's they entrusted to my care before departing for school!