Tamagotchi renamed TamaTown Tama-Go, no change in amount of attention it requires

That's right, grab the tissues and take some time to mourn the death of the Tamagotchi as we knew it. The guys at Bandai have gone and totally revamped the beloved virtual pet, giving it the new name of TamaTown Tama-Go to match that of the already existing Tamatown.com virtual world. Though there have been very minimal changes to the purpose of the toy -- you still have to remember to keep your little character well fed and rested -- the $20 pocketable keychain has morphed into an Easter egg shaped device with a slightly larger and higher contrast four-grayscale display. Why make a portable device larger than before? Well to accommodate attachable collectible figures, of course! Obviously sold separately, the $7 TamaTown figures attach to the top of the Tama-Go and are preloaded with two character specific games and goods. We understand that these sorts of changes are better processed in images (and dreams), so hit the gallery below for more miniscule figures than you can (probably) handle.

Tamatown by Tamagotchi

[TikiTeko Posted Feb 15th 2010 11:11AM]

I hope a Tamagotchi Color comes anytime soon- these little things were fun

[mcc Posted Feb 15th 2010 11:13AM]

Tamago means egg- a fact that Engadget seems to have failed to realize.

[TikiTeko Posted Feb 15th 2010 11:43AM]

@mcc Correcto mondo:

たまご ta ma go (hiragana) egg

卵 (Kanji)

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%B5

Tamagotch was meant to mean - Tamago + Watch = Watching my Egg. the I was added for sound effect.

[Widgetech Posted Feb 16th 2010 8:10PM]

@TikiTeko

I thought it was somehow based on "tomodachi". :P

[Widgetech Posted Feb 16th 2010 8:14PM]

@Widgetech

Haha, absent minded me.

The new one is called Tama tamago. OK, gotcha (haha... I really need to stop laughing at my own jokes).

[bazookafx3 Posted Feb 15th 2010 11:20AM]

"Why make a portable device larger than before?"
I laughed at this, need I say more?

[spasewalkr Posted Feb 15th 2010 11:27AM]

its amazing that that screen looks just like the one i played with in 1998

[UrAwFuL Posted Feb 15th 2010 12:03PM]

@spasewalkr Yeah, they could've at least made LCD/LED screens to make it look 100x more attractive and at least sell-able.

[Look4Wally Posted Feb 15th 2010 11:31AM]

I remember when I dived into the sea with my tamagotochi in my pocket..Sad sad day.

[TikiTeko Posted Feb 15th 2010 11:46AM]

@Look4Wally I remember when I send my Furby to dive into the pool... Happy Happy Day!

That thing was freaky!!! It will turn on in the middle on the night, opening its Gremlin like eyes, and scream:

FURRRRRBYYYY, ehhh ehhh ehhhh , Furby..

[tamayoduck Posted Feb 15th 2010 11:37AM]

Wow, when I was obsessed with mine it cost 35 bucks + whatever markup the toy store added.

[ndrwme Posted Feb 15th 2010 12:56PM]

Silly 90s memes.

[paul34 Posted Feb 15th 2010 1:30PM]

I still have mine. Battery is long since dead, though.

[Neosubu Posted Feb 15th 2010 4:49PM]

How come that thing is like triple the size of my original one? I thought gadgets got smaller.. This can't even fit in a childs pocket anymore.

[Jigen Posted Feb 15th 2010 6:53PM]

blocky dot matrix LCDs... why?

[Widgetech Posted Feb 16th 2010 8:13PM]

When you said "Why make the device bigger, I was hoping you would say it was going to use AAA batteries. Those damn (CR2032) batteries they use right now are $8 a frikin' piece.

You can get them at the dollar store of course, but then they only last like 3 days. :P