disappointed with tamagotchi 20th anniversary edition.. =/

[jrockfever90]

Well I ended up purchasing one,it's fine I just didn't realize that it has been dumbed down to not have a happiness or hunger meter, etc also no mini games. Time to purchase a V1 or V2 I suppose.

I had no idea that all you basically do with this version is just feed it make sure it doesn't die, kind of a bummer.

 

[*Hayden*]

To be fair, the chibi was made basic on purpose. It's target audience was towards millennials who nowadays have jobs and are busy, so it makes sense to why it was made to be low maintenance, but also kids who don't really have to do much to keep it alive.

The fact that people have to literally hunt them down because they're so high in demand makes me hopeful for future releases although.

 

[Jhud]

Yeah that's what I thought will happen lol. I've been trying my best to spread awareness, if not discourage (I know it's not the best move considering that more purchases=better future for english tamas but then again... Friends also wrought a short lived nostalgia spree and it still flopped, so) people from buying the minis thinking that they are an actual rerelase of the P1/P2. TONS of toy reviewers/youtubers are buying them, including popular ones like Grav3yardgirl, not knowing that it's just basically a keychain, not what they remember from their childhood. Though I both feel sorry for them and also.. don't, because I hate that whole nostalgia thing (mostly because I can't relate I guess, I'm a 90's kid in theory but these times looked different in Poland) but also... if they really, really, really missed that toy, why didn't they just go on ebay and buy a NIB p1/p2 for like, 40$ TOPS, or an used one for even 15$? They're not that expensive. And where were they when there were tons of other English releases, like the TamaGo and Friends? I know not everybody is interested in toys but still.

 

[Knighttchi's Ballad]

Yeah that's what I thought will happen lol. I've been trying my best to spread awareness, if not discourage (I know it's not the best move considering that more purchases=better future for english tamas but then again... Friends also wrought a short lived nostalgia spree and it still flopped, so) people from buying the minis thinking that they are an actual rerelase of the P1/P2.

I've been doing the same, even emphasizing to a friend of mines who is really nostalgic about Tamagotchis that the Tamagotchi mini is not an release of the original. I think she understood that, considering she asked me what I meant by "truncated". She still seemed happy about it thought and I am planning to lend her one of my minis.

Well I ended up purchasing one,it's fine I just didn't realize that it has been dumbed down to not have a happiness or hunger meter, etc also no mini games. Time to purchase a V1 or V2 I suppose.

I had no idea that all you basically do with this version is just feed it make sure it doesn't die, kind of a bummer.

From what you said, I wonder if you are move familiar with the connection models than the P1 and P2, or the vintage models in general. The vintage models are much more simplistic compared to the connection models, to the point it seems the younger collectors don't care for them. This makes me wonder if maybe you were much more greatly disappointed because instead of going from experience of a vintage Tamagotchi to the (20th anniversary) mini, you went from the connection models to a mini.

After I had gotten my Tamagotchi Mini, I realized it was really a more favorably condensed P1. In the adult stage, the vintage Tamagotchis basically require the meters to be filled and blobs around. While the game function - which is always a single game in these versions - is entertaining, it can become monotonous and really no different from pressing buttons in a sequence to feed it. The other notable features the mini lacks is the child and teenager stage as well as discipline. Discipline seems to have become fazed out in the colour models in favor of growth based on care mistakes, thus it omission is not to serious. As for the child and teenager stage, this simply prolongs the waiting for adulthood. Perhaps one could say that removing growth stages dampens the expectation of what the Tamagotchi becomes; however, making the baby stage last a whole day does add to the expectation. The way the mini is now, all of the relevant functions are performed in a few button presses and after adulthood the tamagotchi becomes what most versions boil down to: a cute thing to look at.

 

[Tamacass]

Woah! Thanks for the warnings everyone! I also thought it was a mini P1, haha. So it's a bad version of the Tamagotchi Nano, you're saying?

Dodged a bullet on that one - I'll look for an actual P1, and a japanese P2 due to Nyatchi being on there.

Again, thanks for the heads-up! I really apprieciate not wasting my money on something cute to look at. What's even worse is that this version is just a rehash of the 2004 Tamagotchi Mini. Isn't that ironic how Bandai keeps trying to sweep it under the rug, yet is actually releasing a connection era tama?

 

[somebody2love]

Now, I don't know what the internal workings of the company are like and how many resources they have now, but I think it would have been wiser to do a full-on re-release of the P1, and to not potentially offend collectors by devaluing the item (though I don't think it'd devalue them that much to be honest; Tamas seem to either hold their value completely or go up only), they could have made, for example, new shells that say "20th Anniversary" and/or perhaps even added a new secret character. Then it would have been an actual special version of the original P1 model

Still, I hope this kind of... "reminds" people about Tamagotchi, I guess. Even if it's not a very exciting edition of it, people may say, "hey I want to go find more of these", and may cause more demand for new versions to hit the west

I think the Mini is also possibly a good introductory model of Tamagotchi for younger children since it seems to be lower maintenance.

 

[TAMA-KRAZE12]

I think it's a great tama for children & for people who have jobs or school, or who want a very simple tama. I personally will not be buying the 20th anniversary...I enjoy more complex versions, Such as the connection & color. It all falls on your preference.

 

[jrockfever90]

I'm happy enough with it, it's neat to have as a collectors edition item, I ended up buying a brand new unopened V1 1997 tamagotchi. Would of been nice if it was a bit more advanced, I'm a millennial myself, I was just under the impressions it was a replica, but not quite.

 

[decepticoncrown]

I don't own one yet, but I was also disappointed by it. I feel like Bandai is aware that there still is a very active Tamagotchi community out there but they don't put in a lot of effort with bring back the franchise. It's nice to know that a lot of people have been enjoying and trying to find this comeback, it's just a shame that it's a rerelease of the Mini. They're more like an animated keychain rather than a legitimate virtual pet. Personally I think they should probably localization of the Color editions. Those would be such a big hit!

But who knows, so far these seem to be a pretty big hit and we might get a really cool English version soon. ^_^

 

[[redacted]]

Alright so I did end up buying the 20th Anniversary Edition, but I find it kind of fun. I was disappointed due to lack of features, but I found it nice to have since I am really busy with school and stuff like that. I don't regret my purchase, but I won't be buying anymore, not just because of the reason above, but also because they're not very many left in my area. I agree though, they could have given this release a few more features.

 

[Jhud]

I'm happy enough with it, it's neat to have as a collectors edition item, I ended up buying a brand new unopened V1 1997 tamagotchi. Would of been nice if it was a bit more advanced, I'm a millennial myself, I was just under the impressions it was a replica, but not quite.

I think you mean a P1. V1's are connections, from 2004.

I mean, these Minis were released in Japan first (last year) and we know that Tamagotchi is alive and well there, even if maybe not the most popular toy franchise anymore. It's already a miracle that they decided to bring the anniversary mini to the west, however the release is indeed misleading as most people probably don't remember minis, since I think they were released back when tamagotchi wasn't that big anymore. And I wish it would say anywhere that it's a mini- a release of a 2004 (?) version, rather than 1997.

There were still rumors about emails from Bandai stating that they are working on a color screen English version but i'd take these emails with a grain of salt.

P1's were never released in my country (in 90's we were barely getting out of communism so no cool toys such as this for us), our first version was a v3 so I wonder if we will get the anniversary minis too... So far it doesn't look good lol.

 

[Knighttchi's Ballad]

Again, thanks for the heads-up! I really apprieciate not wasting my money on something cute to look at. What's even worse is that this version is just a rehash of the 2004 Tamagotchi Mini.

It took me making another post to final sum up what the Tamagotchi mini is. In essence, it is a vintage Tamagotchi with an extended adult stage. In the adult stage for vintage tamas, there is no discipline or future growth - unless the character can become the secret character - and the gameplay is basically keeping it alive till it dies. So the mini basically preserves the later half of a vintage Tamagotchi's experience, which to some is the "more boring" half. While I, as a Tamagotchi collector, would not consider the mini a standout version, I appreciate its similarities to the vintage versions. The fact that it is similar to the vintage versions is special to me because the vintage versions seem more life-like solely by how those who log about them seem to have so much more to say than the connection or colour models. I wonder if the reason for this is because the vintage versions have so little features that one has a tendency to become reflective just to fill space. Although the content that is produced is not as dull as "just fill space" would indicate, since the author writes about their relationship with their Tamagotchis and that offers a rare glimpse into the people of the community. I guess in brief the logs of vintage tamas are more likely to be journals than a timeline.

 

[rnbaaby]

I'm also pretty disappointed too. It cost me only 14€ (aprox. 15$) and you can find it on internet for 30$, so I guess I did a great purchase.

The tama is really really basic and is pretty boring. Is very small but the screen quality is awesome, you can see the pixels perfectly. Also I think is very cute.

Is good if you are a tamagotchi collector but if you wanna a tama to play this is not an option ^_^

 

[Kurant]

Oh god... I just bought one a few days ago, sad I didn't know it would be such a basic Tama,
I bought it on Japanyouwant, it was on sale for 29$

 

[Jhud]

Honestly they're only worth buying for their retail price (14$ i believe), otherwise you might as well buy one of the old ones because they have gorgeous shells. Well, unless you really like the original shells but to me they're too basic, when there are way better minis out there.

 

[AnniChu]

I'm probably going to get one for my little brother for Christmas, because he really wants one and it seems to be easier to care for. Hopefully I'll be able to find one!

 

[chaoticpi]

Yeah that's what I thought will happen lol. I've been trying my best to spread awareness, if not discourage (I know it's not the best move considering that more purchases=better future for english tamas but then again... Friends also wrought a short lived nostalgia spree and it still flopped, so) people from buying the minis thinking that they are an actual rerelase of the P1/P2. TONS of toy reviewers/youtubers are buying them, including popular ones like Grav3yardgirl, not knowing that it's just basically a keychain, not what they remember from their childhood. Though I both feel sorry for them and also.. don't, because I hate that whole nostalgia thing (mostly because I can't relate I guess, I'm a 90's kid in theory but these times looked different in Poland) but also... if they really, really, really missed that toy, why didn't they just go on ebay and buy a NIB p1/p2 for like, 40$ TOPS, or an used one for even 15$? They're not that expensive. And where were they when there were tons of other English releases, like the TamaGo and Friends? I know not everybody is interested in toys but still.

Actually, because of Grav3yardgirl I fired up my v3 again. Ended up buying a 20th anniversary off amazon (under mfg price) because I couldn't find them anywhere, until I ordered one and I found it at Toys R Us. Go fig. I'm back, after a 10 year hiatus. I used to come here as chaoticpix93 but I don't remember my login info or even what e-mail I used at the time (so it won't let me recover my password).

Both are running now (but it's night, and they're both asleep), and the v3 just has more functionality. the 20th ann. one is just so boring by comparison. You either feed it, or make it happy with candy (which intuitively makes me think I have a very fat tama). Is it hungry, is it happy? Feed it until it shakes its head.

 

[toxic_Makiko]

It's basic.VERY basic.SO basic,that all you have to do is click the "A" button.That's all.(pls,try to get a Connection,PLEASE!)

Welp,I only want it because I can't find Tamagotchis

 

[Hoky]

I like my anniversary mini, and I'm glad I got one because it got me back into Tamagotchis (leading to me hitting up a friend who was on vacation in Japan to grab me a Spacy M!x). Like others have said, the mini's nice to have when you have a full time job. I manage a group of people, and trying to step away to take care of my tamas would be probably a little frowned upon (though a few people around the office now have their own minis because of me getting mine!)
I have my original P2 powered up again after about 15 years of dormancy as well, and while it's a lot of fun and definitely a fuller experience than the mini, the mini's good to have that oldschool tama enjoyment without a significant commitment.

Now if I could only find a V3 for a decent price...

 

[KidRetro64]

I think BANDAI was just looking for some cash, after all you can only really feed it and clean up its poop.

A bit of a disappointment after you collect most of them. (Like me)