Android Apps For Kids: Tamagotchi Returns to L.i.f.e. To Teach Children About Pets

Sentimental '90s kids rejoice! Tamagotchi is back, stripped of its physical egg form, in an Android app.

For those who didn't grow up in the mid-'90s, Tamagotchi was the virtual pet and keychain, which was as popular for kids at the time as Beanie Babies or Yo-yos. The virtual pet required food and attention to stay healthy and alive, and it's no different with the new app.

Called Tamagotchi L.i.f.e, for Love is Fun Everywhere, the new app by Namco Bandai Games turns your phone's screen into that same Tamagotchi egg, with the same Tamagotchi functions and responsibilities. After a brief tutorial with a goofy soundtrack playing in the background, you're presented with that ubiquitous egg with three buttons at the bottom, and the same pixelated black-and-white figure of a bouncing virtual egg ready to virtually hatch.

The new Tamagotchi app also features a full screen app mode, which zooms into the egg's display and makes the Tamagotchi more of a touchscreen app, with the various functions a click away. Additionally, there are wallpapers, new Tamagotchi eggs, and other digital extras to win by taking care of your pet. The app keeps track of the various Tamagotchi pets you've raised (or let die).

The app comes with a constant soundtrack which I quickly disabled, as well as the old Tamagotchi sound effects. And if you're really proud of your parenting skills, you can post things to Facebook from the app's menu.

It remains to be seen how much time and attention former '90s kids will give these reborn pixelated creatures, as we have less of both to spare now that we're (kind of) grown up. According to Wired, the app released on Google Play yesterday, February 14, and an iOS version is in the works.