Tamagotchi

Tamagotchi is a small egg-shaped digital pet toy created in Japan by Bandai/WiZ. The player had to “raise” a pixel pet by feeding it, playing with it, cleaning up after it, disciplining it, and giving it medicine when it got sick. If you ignored it for too long, the pet could become unhappy, unhealthy, or even die, which made it feel strangely emotional for such a tiny toy. It was released in Japan on November 23, 1996, and became internationally famous in 1997, especially during the late-90s virtual pet craze. Bandai’s official Tamagotchi history says it became a major fad mainly among high school girls and has shipped over 100 million units worldwide since 1996. The name comes from tamago, meaning “egg” in Japanese, and uotchi/watch, because the original concept was closer to a wearable watch before becoming the classic keychain-style egg. Why it was iconic: It was one of the first toys that made kids feel responsible for a digital life. You carried it everywhere, checked it during school, and panicked when it beeped. Peak fame: The biggest craze was around 1997–1998, when Tamagotchi became a global playground obsession and helped popularize the whole “virtual pet” genre. Classic design: Tiny plastic egg shell, small black-and-white LCD screen, three buttons, simple pixel characters, and a little chain so you could attach it to keys, backpacks, or belt loops.