I actually really don't know where to begin to answer this question adequately...it would probably take me pages and pages to describe everything
. Since there are so many versions of Tamagotchi out there, I highly recommend taking a look at this
List of Tamagotchi Releases, find what appeals to you at first glance, and then browse for resources on this site/ask version-specific questions. Figuring out which Tamagotchi to get next is always a task but I find that after doing some research and maybe reading up on some logs, I have a better picture of what I'd like to get. I prefer it this way because I want to know what
I'D like. Having others' opinions on things is very nice and helps direct my search, but I'm ultimately the one who's got the budget and who's going to decide on the purchase and live with the consequences of the purchase. Moving on to some information...
In a nutshell, there are Tamagotchis that were released in the late '90s, commonly referred to on here as ancestor/old-school/vintage/first wave. There is an Ancestor section on the site
HERE if you'd like to check it out. These don't have IR capabilities. Some may perceive this as "boring" when they actually are anything but boring, in my opinion. The vintage Tamagotchis may be older and not as chock-full of features and characters but they're unique and have very nice functions of their own. They're what started it all.
Personally, though I enjoy many of the Connection versions that have been released, I prefer the vintage ones more. I've been visiting
THIS site since I got my first Tamagotchi (a P2--not to be confused with V2) back in 1999. It's got great information about a lot of the vintage Tamagotchis out there.
The Connections (V1, V2, V3, V4, V4.5, V5, V5.5, V6, Tama-Go) are the ones that were released in 2004 and on. From what I've seen around the boards, people seem to like the V4.5 the best (a V4 is very similar). I think this is because it has a lot of characters, the games are fairly simple to play, and there are jobs/school features on it. You can always check out the Tips and Tricks section or the Reference section (Library forum) for resources on the Connections. I'm actually playing with the V6 right now. Despite what others say, I personally enjoy it. It's the same idea for the V5. A lot of members don't really like this version but I've seen people out there who really adore it. This is why I would take the opinions of others (including mine) with a grain of salt when you're making your decision.
A Tamagotchi iD is out of your budget range but to answer your question, yes, you need a Japanese cell phone with an infrared port to download the content, but this is easily remedied by purchasing one on Ebay (I'm pretty sure you can purchase an inexpensive one).
HERE is a link to some compatible phones. You can also transfer files via PSP: see this
VIDEO. The files themselves have been made available by very generous members who live in Japan so with a bit of searching, you can find the content online these days.
HERE is a bit of info on the iD, cell phones, and files.
HERE is some information on the Tamagotchi Nano (in the Comments and Rumors section) and
HERE is a log about it.
For the Tama-Go, I highly recommend checking out binary's
TMGO LOG. It's lengthy but it has a lot of awesome details on everything, including game play, figurines, connection, etc.
With your budget, you could probably get 2-3 Tamagotchis if you play your cards right (unless you go for a vintage...those tend to be more valuable). Good luck in your search and welcome to the site!
