Is the Tamagotchi Connection Electronic Pet Worth It?
Worth it, if you're ready for the beeping
You know that feeling: a plastic egg on a chain, buried in a coat pocket, that starts beeping in the middle of something quiet. You dig it out and thumb three tiny buttons in the dim light, and only then does the panic drop, because somewhere inside is an electronic pet, a Tamagotchi, whose whole life has been ticking along on a coin battery you forgot about. That specific mix of guilt and relief is what these things have always sold, and it hasn't changed.
Here's the bit the box doesn't spell out: your Tamagotchi's needs don't pause when you put it down. Hunger, happiness and health all decay on their own clock, whether the screen is lit or in your pocket, so the toy isn't really asking you to play, it's asking you to check in. That's the whole trick behind Connection Play too: your character's fate depends on food, mini-games and cures you administer with three buttons, and doing that well unlocks new characters, Gotchi Points and eventually the ability to connect with another Tamagotchi to trade gifts or even marry and raise the next generation. None of that happens on a schedule you control, it happens on the pet's schedule, which is why it ends up living on your keychain instead of a shelf. The same small lithium coin cell that powers the screen also powers that constant background clock, so it runs down steadily, not just when you're actively playing.
So you're not really buying a toy, you're buying a small recurring appointment that happens to have a face. The nostalgia and the retro shell are the hook, but the actual product is that quiet, low-grade pull to check on something before it's unhappy. Whether that's charming or exhausting depends entirely on whether you want one more thing on your day with its own clock.
Worth it if
- You or your kid like small daily rituals and don't mind checking in a few times a day
- You want the retro shell and nostalgia of the original Tamagotchi, updated slightly
- You're fine keeping spare CR2032 batteries on hand
Skip it if
- You want a toy that can be forgotten in a bag for a week without consequence
- You'd rather not deal with frequent battery swaps
- You're buying it mainly for a dark room or low-light use, the screen has no backlight
If you want a toy that survives being ignored for a week, this isn't it.
If there's a kid in the house who likes small daily rituals, feeding a creature, naming it, watching it grow, this is a quiet yes. If you want a toy that can survive being forgotten in a drawer for a week, or a battery that lasts longer than a few days, look elsewhere, because the coin cell and the constant care clock are the same design, not a flaw you can avoid.
Amazon shoppers rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 1,754 ratings. That is their number, not ours.
Before you go
Is it worth buying a Tamagotchi?
Yes, if you enjoy nostalgic toys and daily check-ins. No, if you want something low-maintenance.
How long can you leave a Tamagotchi unattended?
Not more than a day or two. Its needs decay continuously, so longer absences result in an unhappy or neglected character.
How does a Tamagotchi pet work?
A chip tracks hunger, happiness and health. You use three buttons to feed it, play mini-games, and cure it, which determines which character it grows into.
By the numbers
earn an unconditional yes at full priceOut of 73 toys & games products we have reviewed. This one is a yes with a condition attached.
Verdict datasetQuestion indexCC BY 4.0
Full spec sheet
| Number of Players | 1 |
|---|---|
| Controller Type | Button Control |
| Screen Size | 2.15 |
| Power Source | Battery Powered |
| Number of Batteries | 1 A batteries required. (included) |
| Battery Description | Lithium |
| Form Factor | Handheld |
| Platform for Display | electronic_games |
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