If you were in elementary school in the late '90s, chances are you might have played with a Tamagotchi at some point. The virtual pet craze exploded in 1997 with Gigapets, Nanopets and the original Tamas, and if you didn't own one, you had classic millennial #FOMO until it arrived in your stocking at Christmas. But thanks to Bandai, you can experience this interactive pet once again (yes, as an adult!).
Last year, the company released the Tamagotchi Uni, an updated version of the digital pet. Many different Tamagotchis have been released in the 20 years since the phenomenon took off, but the Uni is one of the few to arrive in the U.S. This new version allows users to connect with other players worldwide over WiFi — uni is short for "universe," which allows snaps of your Tama to be sent straight to your phone with a WiFi connection. While it retains the same three-button system as the original, it now features a USB-C port for charging instead of relying on batteries (remember those?), helping to reduce costs. It’s also been upgraded from the original monochrome interface to a color display, making it even more fun to use, though it still features the iconic egg shape and small screen.
But Bandai didn't stop there. There's now a watch band for the Uni to enjoy your Tamagotchi without having to clip it to a bag or belt loop circa 1998. You can even release your Tama into the virtual "Tamaverse" once it's old enough to send it on a vacation, let it out into the world when it's fully matured or marry it off once you're done playing.
While the new Uni version certainly makes a great gift for kids — it even won a Good Housekeeping Toy Award! — they've become surprisingly popular with adults as well. In fact, a recent New York Post article declared that Zoomers have officially made Tamagotchis "cool" again. So while a new generation of Tama fans has emerged, it’s not hard to see why they’ve become trendy once more with both 30-something millennials and Gen Z. There’s even a new app called Finch that combines a Tama-like creature with self-care.
About a year ago, I bought a Tamagotchi Uni, thinking it might bring me some comfort after losing my dog. Surprisingly, playing with it consistently for a year was a constant reminder to value self-care, even on low days. I found that focusing on my Tamagotchi was an effective way to stay positive (seriously, there are entire Reddit threads on this).
"Raising" a Tamagotchi mirrors caring for yourself — managing meals, finding time to play, tidying up, taking medicine and turning off the lights at night. One Reddit thread even mentioned the idea of attaching a Tamagotchi to a water bottle so you remember to hydrate when it beeps.
Over time, I noticed that the more I carved out time for self-care, the happier my Tama would be. For example, whenever my Tama beeps for food, I remember to stop for lunch or a shower. Pulling yourself out of a bad mental space is a process, but my Tama is a good reminder that you can always start again. Simply push the "A" and "C" buttons together to reset it.
Of course, Reddit threads shouldn’t be relied on for mental health advice, but there’s something to be said for nurturing a digital pet to work through a tough time. If you can't commit to a real pet right now or are struggling with loss, I say a Tama might be worth a look. It also makes a great gift for someone who is going through a rough patch. While it's certainly not a cure-all — it is a reminder to practice self-care. Playing with the Tamagotchi Uni doesn't make the loss of my dog hurt any less or fix everything, but it does a good job of pulling me out of the moment when sad thoughts come up. It helps me notice them and move on, and for that, I'm grateful.
Cailey Lindberg (she/her) is a writer and editor with over a decade of experience covering products, lifestyle, entertainment and food. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, she was a staff writer at USA Today's shopping network, Reviewed.com.
