The BT21 Tamagotchi (BT21 다마고치) is a licensed Tamagotchi Nano model based on BT21, mascot characters created by the Korean boy band BTS. It was released in Japan and South Korea in September 2021, and in the United States in February 2022.
Background[]
BTS is a seven-member South Korean boy band that debuted in 2013 and have since become a global sensation. In 2017, BTS collaborated with messaging app LINE to create "BT21", characters that appear in LINE stickers in the app.
All seven characters were made by each of the bandmates, while the "Van" character represents "ARMY", the official name of the BTS fandom. In addition, there are alternate baby forms for the seven main characters, known as "BT21 Baby". On the BT21 Tamagotchi, the user is tasked with caring for the BT21 characters.
Functions[]
Birth and Growth[]
After setting the clock, the character Van will appear, and the user will be tasked with caring for it. Once certain conditions are met, Van will give the user one of seven BT21 characters to care for in their baby form, before it gradually grows into its adult form. Which character the user receives from Van is based on the quality of care it is given and which games are played.
Buttons[]
As with most Tamagotchi Nano models, there are no on-screen icons, and therefore all information is conveyed through the screen and buttons. The character is cared for by filling its meters; they have Hungry and Happy meters, each consisting of four units, which are both empty at the start. The Hungry meter decreases by one unit per hour, and the Happy meter decreases by one every 50 minutes. If either becomes empty, the character will call for attention to fill them.
The user can press the C button for an animation to see what it needs. A dizzy spiral signifies an empty Hungry meter, while a sulking lines signify an empty Happy meter. If both the Hungry and Happy meters are not empty, but the Happy meter is not full, the character will perform a happy animation. If the Happy meter is full and the Hungry meter is not empty, the character will perform a Close Up.
Pressing the A button opens the main menu, with the first option for the food menu, and the second option for the games. The meal option fills one Hungry unit, and the pet will refuse to eat anymore once the meter is full. The snack fills one Happy unit, and can be fed even when the Happy meter is full. Which food appears in the animation is determined by which character the user is presently raising:
- Van will charge its battery for the meal and consume gas for the snack.
- The baby forms will have milk for the meal and candy for the snack. The exception is Shooky, who will refuse the milk and be given a bun instead.
- The adults will have a hamburger for the meal and a donut for the snack.
The A button is also used to open the lights on and off menu when the character has fallen asleep. Van and the baby forms all sleep at 8 PM, while the adult forms sleep at 10 PM. All characters wake at 7 AM, and will turn the lights on themselves when they wake up.
Pressing A and C together will open the menu or turn on or off the sound. Pressing the B button will open the clock screen, and pressing A and C together will allow the user to set the time. These two functions are always available regardless of the character's circumstances, except when it has departed.
Games[]
There are four games, each influencing what baby character Van will bring. Games increase the Happy level; winning the game fills Happy by one unit, while a perfect game fills Happy by two.
- Dance: Mang will be shown dancing, and then the user is prompted to press either the A or B button, once or twice. The game goes for five rounds. The user must successfully respond at least once to win the game, and five times for a perfect game.
- Make Cookies: RJ will be shown baking cookies, and the user must rapidly press the A button for 15 seconds. If the user presses the A button 9 times or less, the cookies will burn and the game is lost. Pressing the button 10-14 times is considered a win, and 15 times or more is considered a perfect game.
- Space Flight: Tata's UFO will appear flying through space, and the user must help it avoid stars. The user must press A to move the UFO left or B to move it right, depending on where the stars appear. If the user presses the wrong direction or fails to respond, the UFO will crash into the star. The user must dodge at least one star to win the game and five times for a perfect game.
- Take Pictures: The BT21 characters will attempt to take a photo together. The user must press A or B at the right time when the characters are in the center of the frame. The first and third rounds feature Chimmy and Shooky, and the second and fourth rounds feature Cooky and Koya. The game has five total animation frames; the frame to press the button will be the third, fourth, or fifth frame. The user must take at least one good photo to win, and four photos for a perfect game.
Moyamoya (Frustration)[]
Throughout the day, the character will become frustrated and a tangled cloud (Moyamoya) will appear next to them. Pressing the A button will summon hearts to clear the Moyamoya away. If left for too long, multiple Moyamoya may appear. When Moyamoya is on the screen, clearing it takes priority over all other functions; therefore, the character cannot be fed, played with or react to the C button until the Moyamoya is cleared. Moyamoya cannot be cleared when the character is asleep.
Upset[]
If the user fails to fill the Hungry and Happy meters, or allows Moyamoya to accumulate on the screen, the character will become upset, depicted by it looking sad and lines appear at the top left corner of the screen. Pressing the A button twice will cheer it up. The character cannot be fed, played with or react to the C button until it is cheered up, and can't be treated when the character is asleep.
Daily Events[]
Throughout the day, the character will do an animation. Pressing any button while it's happening will either end it or trigger an additional animation.
Departure[]
The BT21 Tamagotchi has two ending sequences:
- Debut: If the user maintains good care and the character reaches the adult stage, it will eventually depart and debut as a professional musician, depicted by all of the BT21 characters standing on a stage under the spotlight. This is followed by a note reading "Thank you!".
- Running Away: If the user severely neglects the character and fails to cheer it up when it becomes upset, it will run away, leaving behind a note saying "Bye Bye...".
In both instances, pressing A and C together will trigger Van to reappear, starting the cycle over.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This is the second Nano model to be based on a Korean property, the first being the Jordy Tamagotchi. It is also the first to be released outside of Korea.
External Links[]
Instruction Manuals[]
| Licensed Tamagotchi Releases | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tamagotchi | Mothra Tamagotchi • Genjintch Tamagotchi • TamaOtch • Doraemontchi | |
| Tamagotchi Plus | Hanerutchi • Hanerutchi 2 • Oden-Kun Tamagotchi | |
| Color Generation | Hexagontchi • Tamagotchi iD Conan ver • Tamagotchi m!x Sanrio ver • Tamagotchi Meets Sanrio ver | |
| Tamagotchi Nano | Pocket Usatama • Gudetama Tamagotchi • Eevee x Tamagotchi • Pocket Usapiyo • Pac-Man Tamagotchi • Evatchi • Demon Slayer Tamagotchi • Hello Kitty Tamagotchi • Jordy Tamagotchi • Extellatchi • Twistetchi • BT21 Tamagotchi • PUI PUI Molcartchi • R2-D2 Tamagotchi • Kamen Ridertchi • Jujutsutchi • Toy Story Tamagotchi • Tourabutchi • TinyTAN Tamagotchi • Kingdom Hearts Tamagotchi • Jurassic World Tamagotchi • Spy x Family Tamagotchi • Grogu Tamagotchi • Choppertchi • Hatsune Mikutchi • Torevetchi • Harry Potter Tamagotchi • Pekoratchi • Crayon Shin-chan Tamagotchi | |
| Tamagotchi Nano Colorful | Tamagotchi Nano Colorful Detective Conan • Tamagotchi Nano Colorful Hololive Fantasitchi | |