t1z4l

Back when I was a kid, I loved the original Tamagotchi virtual pets. Like so much so, I’d either sneak one with me when I went to school or have my mom care for mine while I was at class. But one of my absolute favorites was the Tamagotchi Angel model! I loved being able to “save” it from danger by tapping the screen, and I felt better about it possibly dying since, well, the character was already dead. (I was a sensitive kid!) While the Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival doesn’t include the same mechanics, I appreciate how this new unit and location pays tribute to that original model in certain ways.

The big “way” it calls back is by adding heavenly elements to the Tamagotchi characters and worlds. With the original Tamagotchi Angel, there were basically about 15 angelic characters that appeared depending on how well you cared for the pet. Here, we have six unique pets that take a familiar Tamagotchi, like Kuchipachi, Mametchi, Violetchi, or Yumemitchi, and they get ethereal elements like wings or other designs. 

Like the Sanrio Characters variant, these different evolutions are tied to the items acquired at the Angel Festival location. So whether you buy a whole new unit or just pick up the $6 Tamaverse Ticket, getting something like a Mame-el or Yumemittie character is as easy as feeding a boy baby lots of Bell Brioche or girl one Ribbon Bread. 

The cosmetic changes are the most obvious fun “nod” to the original Tamagotchi Angel, but the Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival location proper is what really made me appreciate this release. That’s because it really is pulling in those elements I ed from the original model. They’re all back as callbacks! One of the major characters you could unlock in that first game was the Chestnut Angel. It appears as an accessory for your pet to wear, lives in the town square, and is the character you control in the Angel Festival location minigame. 

Many of the other angels you could raise in that older virtual pet show up when you visit different Tamaverse spots too. At a glance, I ed seeing the former Japan-exclusive Cactus Angel, the Ginjirotchi one I used to often get when I first started playing, and even the Oyajitchi Angel. It honestly made heading to the Square more entertaining than usual, as it got me feeling all nostalgic. 

The only downside is, I haven’t seen some of my favorite original Tamagotchi Angel represented. I being able to unlock the Shogun Angel and Twin Angels in the past, and I didn’t catch any reference to either one of them here. It would have been great to see those also make cameo appearances in the Square location. Or, in the case of the Ascension Hat that has two small angels with a ing resemblance to the Takotchi one, instead have the Twin Angels there. 

I just appreciate the effort Bandai put into ensuring the Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival Tamaverse and elements go above and beyond. It taps into the series’ history in a fun way. Meanwhile, the new aesthetic for familiar icons really suits them well. It really honors the old virtual pet in a fun way.

The Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival model is available now.

The post Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival Calls Back to the Tamagotchi Angel appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai Namco announced new Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival and Monster Carnival devices will launch worldwide for $59.99 each on July 13, 2024. The Amazon product pages for each one are already live, while the Tamaverse Ticket Shop will eventually sell tickets for the new DL areas for existing Uni owners.

Like all Tamagotchi Uni variants, these two both come with a plastic holder that allows someone to wear them like a smart watch. Each of them will have six unique characters available. So in the Angel Festival variant, Flowerdite, Mametchiel, Pegasupatchi, Sebirecupit, Unimarcorn, and Yumemitie will appear. Monster Carnival includes Akiramenatchi, Gobupyon, Mamegon, Meduupa, Onimarutchi, and Slimy patch. Each one also has an exclusive minigame, items, accessories, furniture, and rooms. People who buy the tickets for the DL areas will also get access to those areas, characters, and items while their DL area is set to that location.

Here are the first photos of the new devices Bandai Namco shared with us:

There are also two infographics that show the six new characters appearing in each device.

Ahead of these two Uni models, another one will arrive. Bandai Namco already confirmed the Tamagotchi Uni Sanrio Characters variant is on the way in July 2024.

The Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival and Monster Carnival models will launch worldwide on July 13, 2024.

The post Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival and Monster Carnival Announced appeared first on Siliconera.

There’s yet another new Tamagotchi model out there, with the latest version of the virtual pet line being the Tamagotchi Uni. Unlike others, which can have a keychain attached or hole for one, it comes with a watch band for wearing it all the time. While it isn’t great at being a watch, due to it not really displaying the time and being helpful in the way the Tamagotchi Smart was, it does make for a great virtual pet that’s always on hand.

As usual, raising a Tamagotchi Uni virtual pet is like caring for any other model. Your goal is to maintain the hunger and happiness levels. Your attentiveness determines which form it evolves into at each stage of its life. There are a handful of minigames you can play to boost its happiness and earn in-game money once it is out of the baby phase, which consist of a movement-based dancing game that is terrible and inaccurate, one in which you serve fast food, and a third seasonal minigame with objectives that change based on the four times of year. You earn icons for performing certain sorts of care to show milestones you hit. You can use in-game currency to buy them toys, cosmetic accessories, room options. You can also get a pet for a character by leaving an item outside. It’s all very easy to do, and since it does only need the three buttons for almost every actions, I found it super easy to accomplish while on my wrist.

The highlight this time around, beyond being in a watch form you can wear, is the Tamaverse. Instead of connecting to an app for online interactions or activities, it can connect to WiFi on its own. When you do, you can pay 2000G from in-game money you earned to go on a tour and get an item, marry them off to someone else’s Tamagotchi who may be there, or basically see a fashion show with Tama Fashion. There’s also a Tama Arena with a minigame as well. To be honest, I appreciated the way Tamagotchi On handled online elements more, with its dedicated app, but it generally works fine and I have gotten a character married off with the new mode and taken part in activities. It also means we’ve yet again lost some of the focus that comes from generations of family lines like with the Tamagotchi Mix and On iterations.

What I didn’t expect is for the Tamagotchi Uni to actually function pretty well as a watch. I have a Tamagotchi Smart from Japan, which I received as a gift. It’s fantastic, but the strap is a little tight and the touchscreen element can make it a little difficult to make certain selections. While you will see this model of the virtual pet in the toy aisle, I noticed the Tamagotchi Uni is much better at both fitting me and being used while on my wrist. 

Mainly, the ease of use comes down to simplicity. Because it only relies on buttons again, you don’t need to repeatedly swipe or tap on a small screen if certain gestures aren’t recorded. It remains off until you press the center B button, which wakes it again. If there’s an immediate need, like medicine for a sick character, pressing any button when the character is in distress will ister the remedy. It’s also fairly easy to drop it off with an in-game baby sitter for free or choose the Tama Walk option from the arcade to have the character “walk” and get a boost of joy when you go on an actual walk.

However, I have encountered issues with the Tamagotchi Uni. One involves the Tamaverse. This is the one of the online elements where you can send your character into the Tamaverse to meet others. I noticed that even though I have the device set to auto update and updated it immediately open starting it up, I wouldn’t see any changes when I’d send a character “online.” However, I’m also disappointed in how the able items via codes option works. You’re limited to eight at a time and can’t reclaim ones you had before. Not to mention these are 16-digit codes and that’s quite a lot to enter on a small device.

Basically, the Tamagotchi Uni is fun. It features some novel concepts that weren’t available in past incarnations of Tamagotchi virtual pet models, such as its watchband and WiFi compatibility. However, its online sometimes might not feel like it updates everything. Plus it does make it difficult to track generations and family lines over time. Still, it’s a fun novelty. Having it handy makes it easier to use on a regular basis. Plus I think it’s great for collectors keeping up with the series. 

The Tamagotchi Uni is in stores worldwide.

The post Tamagotchi Uni Is Surprisingly Good at Being a Wearable Virtual Pet appeared first on Siliconera.

Bandai announced a new Tamagotchi Uni model that will appear worldwide. Like the Tamagotchi Smart, which launched in Japan, it comes with an accessory that allows it to be worn like a watch. This model will also be able to connect directly to Wi-Fi without any additional steps, so you can update it. It will come out in July 2023, with Amazon noting a July 15, 2023. Pink and purple versions will be available. Each one will be $59.99.

The announcement went over some of the things people can expect. 20 adult characters will be present. You'll be able to marry them off and then raise their kids. However, it doesn't mention if there will be a "genetics" like system as in Tamagotchi On, where the child characters inherit traits from both parents for a totally original look. Minigames will be present, as usual, and there will be accessories for characters to wear. The language options will be English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.

As for connections, it seems like people could perhaps connect locally and over Wi-Fi. The product listing mentioned a local connection for playing, trading, and arranging marriages between characters. However, it also brought up a Tamaverse area to find a love interest for a Tamagotchi or get new looks.

Here's a closer look at what the Tamagotchi Uni model looks both inside and outside of its watch holder.
[gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="966847,966850,966848,966849" link="file"]

The Tamagotchi Uni will appear on July 15, 2023 and be sold via Amazon and Bandai.

The post Tamagotchi Uni Can Be Worn Like a Watch, Connect to Wi-Fi appeared first on Siliconera.