📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

Tamagotchi, the Digital Toy from the '90s, Arrives on Apple Watch It's not quite the same, but it should bring you back.

By Laura Entis

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Apple | iTunes

The '90s nostalgia train continues with news that the Japanese video game company behind Tamagotchi is reviving the classic game via an Apple Watch app.

For those lacking the many formative childhood memories that centered on the game, Tamagotchi – first launched in 1996 – consists of taking care of digital pets, which hatch from eggs and grow into pixelated creatures. For your Tamagotchi to survive, it needs to be fed, cared for and cleaned up after, although even the most devoted pampering won't keep it from eventually dying of 'natural' causes.

Tamagotchi Classic on the Apple Watch.
Image credit: iTunes

While Tamagotchi is back for Apple Watch owners, according to The Verge the experience isn't quite the same as when the creatures existed on standalone plastic key rings. For one thing, the app won't let you 'play' with your Tamagotchi, making it perpetually cranky, and because there's no animation, your Tamagotchi won't react when you feed or discipline it.

Still, the Tamagotchi app should momentarily transport a certain demographic straight back to middle school.

Related: King of Kitsch: Meet the Company Behind Big Mouth Billy Bass and a Dozen Other Novelty Items From Your Childhood

Laura Entis is a reporter for Fortune.com's Venture section.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Growing a Business

The Only Way to Win Over Customers Is to Become Their First Choice. Here's How to Do It.

The best businesses focus their customer experience programs on doing the things that delight customers and put them ahead of their competition. Here are three little secrets to achieving this goal.

Business News

AI Is Transforming Drug Matching for Cancer, Rare Diseases — Here's How

One AI pharmaceutical startup works backward, starting from drugs already on the market.

Business News

A First-of-Its-Kind Flamethrower Robot Dog That Blasts 30-Foot Flames Is Now Available to the Public

Thermonator builds on existing technology — with a fiery twist. What could go wrong?

Business Solutions

Expand Your Business' Reach with This AI E-Book Generator for $25

Powered by intuitive AI, this tech enables you to easily create e-books that could generate income online.

Employee Experience & Recruiting

How Empathy-Based Leadership Can Transform Your Teams and Businesses

Empathy-based leadership is increasingly recognized as a valuable approach in the business world, where traditional strategic plans often fall short.