The Tamagotchi Pix is a color-screen virtual pet released by Bandai Toys in mid-2021.
It is the first color-screened Tamagotchi to be produced specifically for an international market, and it was the first Tamagotchi to be released outside of North America that was not also released in Japan.
The Pix features a camera and touch buttons, which tie into the new gameplay.
Design[]
The Tamagotchi Pix is roughly the same size and shape as the Tamagotchi On. The top area of the shell is cracked, giving the appearance of a cracked-open egg similar to the removable cap on a Tamagotchi Osutchi and Mesutchi device. The camera is capable of detecting color, which is used in several in-game functions.
Instead of the standard rubber or plastic buttons, there are three touch buttons. While they function the same as the standard buttons, they have additional swiping functionality. The front of the shell has printed graphics, with round dots over the touch keys.
The top half is a solid color, with the word "Tamagotchi" printed on it, which can be pushed down to take a picture. The back of it features the camera lens. The loop to insert a lanyard is on the left side.
Versions[]
Similar to previous color-screen releases, the Tamagotchi Pix has multiple versions.
- Tamagotchi Pix: The standard version, first released in 2021.
- Tamagotchi Pix Party: Released in June 30 2022, it features new characters Milktchi and Wawatchi to raise, new characters to meet in Explore mode, a party mode with three party themed games, and new items.
Features[]
Languages[]
On initial setup of the date, time, and user's name and birthday, the Pix will also prompt the user to select a language, with English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese all built-in.
Petting[]
Close Ups return for adult Tamagotchi characters, and when they come up close, the user can rub their finger over the three touch buttons to pet the Tamagotchi. Doing so will make the Tamagotchi happy.
Cooking[]
The user can use the Pix's camera to perform a cooking function. The user will be prompted to take a photo of two different foods, and based on the color of the foods, they will combine into a new food for the Tamagotchi. The user can choose to either store the food in the fridge, or have the Tamagotchi eat the food immediately. After cooking the food, it will be stored in the recipes section in the Notebook.
Bathroom[]
Throughout the day, the Tamagotchi will leave poo on the screen for the user to clean up. Upon selecting the option, the user must swipe their finger across the buttons, from right to left, to flush the poo away. Selecting this icon just before it poos will trigger the Tamagotchi to use the toilet instead. Additionally, the bathroom gives the options of bathing the Tamagotchi and cleaning the house with touch controls.
Garden[]
Like the the tree feature in the Tamagotchi Plus Color, the Tamagotchi can plant a seed outside their house and water it daily until it grows a fruit or item. The tree will only produce fruit that can be harvested if it is watered every day. If the user misses a day, the unripe fruit will fall off and cannot be harvested.
Games[]
- Main article: Tamagotchi Pix/List of Jobs
The Pix features a total of 11 games (13 in the Party version). Playing games will earn Gotchi Points, which can be used to purchase items and furniture, or increase the character's happiness. The standard games are exclusive to the Original version of the Pix as the party games replace them in the Party version. Games are divided into these distinct categories:
- Standard Games (Original Exclusive): Two games are always available under the "Play" icon.
- Hula Hoop: The buttons must be swiped left or right to spin the hoop at the right speed. Too fast will startle the Tamagotchi and too slow will make the hoop fall.
- Matching: The user has four rounds to find the Tamagotchi's picked card from two face-down cards. The game is completely random and there is no definitive way to win.
- Party Games (Party Exclusive): Three games are available to play under the "Party" icon once the user starts a party. Only two are available as the selection rotates daily.
- Bingo: After the prize is shown, the Tamagotchi will be given a bingo card. The user must swipe to spin the bingo machine to get a number. The user wins if they can get a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
- Gift Game: The user must select an item, accessory, or furniture to give away as a gift. Gifted items are lost. The gift will be swapped with other presents and the user must swipe the buttons in time with the music until it stops. Once the music stops, the Tamagotchi will get a present.
- DJ Play: The Tamagotchi will be playing on a DJ turntable. Arrows will appear and the user must swipe in the correct direction to raise the excitement meter at the top of the screen.
- Arcade Games: Six different games are available at the Arcade. Only two games will be available depending on the day of the month.
- Coffee Cup: The coffee cup must be spun at the right speed by swiping left on the buttons. Spinning too fast will make the Tamagotchi dizzy and spinning too slow will eventually make it stop.
- Balloons: Pop the balloon by tapping on the button when the Tamagotchi is under it. Special balloons may show up that contain more gotchi points.
- Fruit Fall: The Tamagotchi will think of a fruit and the user must pick the right one. Picking a caterpillar will end the game.
- Rocket: Tap the button to energize the rocket and then swipe left or right to avoid obstacles in the air. Each impact with obstacles will make the rocket lose power.
- Ping-Pong: Swipe the buttons left or right to move the Tamagotchi to the right side of the table to return the ball. Missing the ball or returning it on the wrong side ends the game.
- Football: Pass the ball to the Tamagotchi so they can shoot into the net guarded by a goalie. There are five chances to make a goal.
- Training Games: Three games are dedicated to training the user's Tamagotchi for their potential future career. These are available in the Tamagotchi's character room which can be accessed once they are an adult. The room itself will change appearance depending on the character and playstyle. Rooms have aesthetic changes depending on the characters raised (e.g. Cooking Room might offer either pottages or smoothies, and Customization rooms might offer items or potions), but the gameplay is otherwise identical to each other.
- Cooking Room: The Tamagotchi will be cooking food in a pot. Stop the cursor by pressing any button once it reaches the red zone on the bottom bar. If an excellent result is obtained, the Tamagotchi will create food or snacks that will be stored in the fridge. It appears when the Tamagotchi doesn't go to the Arcade or play with items a lot.
- Performance Room: The Tamagotchi will be performing on a stage. Press the A, B, and C buttons quickly and in any order to make more hearts appear to fill up the excitement meter. It appears when the Tamagotchi goes to the Arcade more.
- Customization Room: A customer will request an item and the user must select the right color and style to create the item they want. It appears when the Tamagotchi plays with their favorite items many times.
Camera[]
By pressing down on the top of the unit, the user can take photographs of what is currently on the screen. When a photo can be taken, a camera icon will appear at the bottom left corner of the screen. The user can take photos of the Tamagotchi's daily activities, as well as activating the camera and taking photos with the camera lens. The Pix can store up to 100 photos before requiring photos to be deleted. Viewing the photo in the album will also give the option of decorating the photos. Photos cannot be transferred between devices or shared online.
Staged photos can be taken at the photo studio where the user can choose a background and position the Tamagotchi in certain spots.
Phone[]
The Pix features a phone which has several options available once the Tamagotchi is a child.
- Social: The user can upload photos from the album on to a social network where other characters can like it. The photo must be cropped and given a caption before posting.
- E-Shop: Food, snack, and items can be ordered from an online shop. Once the order is made, Nazotchi will deliver it to the living room after a few minutes.
- Ambulance: This calls the ambulance which will send the Tamagotchi to the hospital if the Grim Gotchi has shown up to take them away.
- Sitter: Sitter Poketchi can be called over from 7:00 AM to 6:55 PM to take care of the Tamagotchi for 100 gotchi points. They cannot be called if the happiness or hunger meters are at zero. The user must also send the sitter away before 7:00 PM or the Tamagotchi will lose happiness points from being forgotten about.
Exploration[]
- Main article: Tamagotchi Pix/Meetable Characters
Using the Explore option, the camera screen will activate and the user's Tamagotchi will appear on the screen. A character will also appear based on the colors in the camera screen. The two will then play together and the new character will be recorded in the notebook. With this function, a total of 100 characters can be met. Met characters can visit the Tamagotchi's house at 5 PM every day, if the user chooses to answer the door.
Item Customization[]
- Main article: Tamagotchi Pix/Item list
The interior of the Tamagotchi's living space can be decorated with different items, and the colors can be customized. Accessories can also be customized the same way. Colors are obtained by taking a picture of an item and after selecting a color. The available colors are red, yellow, blue and white. The user can swipe their finger over the touch buttons to repaint the item. The living room can have two piece of furniture at a time. After an item is created, it will be stored in the Items section in the Notebook.
Playdates[]
As the Pix lacks an infrared port, connectivity with other devices is instead initiated through QR codes sent between two units, scheduling a date and time for the two pets to interact. Once the playdate is set, the invited Tamagotchi will automatically leave to go visit the other Tamagotchi's house at the set time. The two will play together for a short period of time and the user hosting the playdate will then have the option to have them cook food together, go outside to explore, or send the visiting Tamagotchi back home. Gifts may also be sent and received through QR codes.
The user can also set a custom greeting by going to their profile and selecting the "Change Greeting" option. The next time the user has a playdate, the receiving device will receive the greeting after the playdate ends. The greeting can be edited anytime, and will always be updated the next time a playdate is held.
Party[]
Exclusive to the Party version of the Pix is the option to hold or attend a party. When holding a party, the user can invite four Tamagotchis from the Tama List or have them randomly selected. When attending a party, the user can scan another user's party code to have their Tamagotchi join the party on another device. Once the guests arrive, the user can cook, take special party photos, and play two out of three available party games.
Missions[]
On the tamagotchi.com website, there was a mission subsection where a simple game could be played. Successful completion of it would reward a QR code for new items and accessories. The prize would change weekly while the mission would change every month. A Tamagotchi will appear at the user's Tamagotchi's house to notify them of a new mission by giving them a letter telling them to go to the website with a QR code leading there.
As of June 1, 2024, tamagotchi.com has merged with tamagotchi-official.com, meaning these missions are no longer available. QR codes are now distributed through news articles on the website instead. The QR codes in the letters given to the user's Tamagotchi now redirect to tamagotchi-official.com.
Departure and Career[]
When the Tamagotchi has been in the adult stage for four days, it will alert the user that it's ready to return to the Tamagotchi Planet. The user will be prompted to complete a photo album for the Tamagotchi to bring back with it, using three photos taken during the Tamagotchi's life. If there are less than three photos in the album then the option to say goodbye to them will not appear. The user also has the option to keep taking care of the Tamagotchi indefinitely by selecting no when prompted to make the album. However, this option is only available if the Tamagotchi's friendship level is "Best Pals". To say goodbye when they're ready, the user has to select the album option again.
Upon returning to the Planet, the Tamagotchi may gain a career based on what training games were played. After looking through the photo album, the Tamagotchi will send an egg back for the user to raise, starting the cycle anew.
Glitches[]
The Tamagotchi Pix is known to have some minor glitches.
- Babysitting Glitch: If the Tamagotchi is put into babysitting and is supposed to evolve during that time, the Pix will repeatedly turn itself on without input. This is resolved by sending the sitter away and letting the Tamagotchi evolve. The sitter can then be called back if needed.
- Shut Off Glitch: If the user presses the shutter button when the Pix is low on battery, the device may "reset" by turning itself off and powering back up. No progress is lost as it will go back to the continue or reset screen, as if the reset button was pressed.
Gallery[]
Concept Art[]
Promo Images[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- Preliminary information about the device and its functions was leaked to a Tamagotchi Facebook group in September 2020. A patent for the Tamagotchi Pix was revealed to have been submitted to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in November 2020, with images from the patent leaking online in December 2020. Prototype images of the shells and packaging appeared on several European Amazon pages on January 22, 2021 before being removed in the days following.
- The first commercial was leaked on April 20, 2021, one day before the official reveal.
- The packaging design seen in the leaked concept art is similar to that of the Tamagotchi iD.
- Although it is the first color-screen English Tamagotchi to not be directly based on any Japanese release that already exists, every character that appears in the baby, toddler and teen stage previously appeared on either the Tamagotchi m!x or the Tamagotchi On. It also plays similar to them aesthetically in some ways.
- The Tamagotchi Pix is the fifth mainline Tamagotchi release since the 2004 relaunch to lack an infrared port, following the Japanese Tamagotchi 4U and 4U+, and the American Tamagotchi Friends and Dream Town Digital Friend.
- The Tamagotchi Pix is the first for several things:
- The first color-screen virtual pet to not be released in Japan.
- The first Tamagotchi to have multiple languages built-in.
- The first color-screen Tamagotchi to not feature travel destinations.
- The first mainline Tamagotchi release since the 2004 relaunch to not feature marriage in any capacity, the next generation effectively starts when the egg is brought back after the Tamagotchi returns to Tamagotchi Planet.
- When playing the matching game, very rarely, the Tamagotchi will pick a card that doesn't have a matching symbol, making it impossible to win the round.
- Regardless of the gender of the Tamagotchi, they always sleep in a blue quilt since child stage, as opposed to in previous color-screen Tamagotchi toys where the female characters would sleep in a pink one with hearts while a male one sleeps in a blue one with stars. The babies still sleep in an orange one with yellow dots. The bed is the same one from Tamagotchi On and since there is no twin feature, there is always a bear next to the Tamagotchi.
- Despite the premise for the Pix being that Tamagotchi Eggs are deposited on Earth, several scenes such as the flower seeds will zoom out and show the Tamagotchi Planet instead.
External Links[]
Official Links[]
- Official English site (Archived link)
- Tama-Palace Q&A with Bandai