Tamagotchi is back, and this time it’s literally clinging to your arm

Remember Tamagotchi, the digital, virtual pet that frustrated many a parent in the nineties? Well, it’s back, and now it’s a wearable, making it so much harder to forget. 

In fact, the Tamagotchi never really went away. Bandai, the Japanese toy maker that produced the original Tamagotchi, kept making Tamagotchi toys throughout the years, but most were basically an egg-shaped gizmo with a display and a computer, hosting the needy digital pet that keeps nagging you for food. 

The new version is called Tamagotchi Smart (via Engadget) and the big difference is that it’s worn on your wrist, like a smartwatch. It also has some new features compared to previous models, such as touch and voice controls. 

The Tamagotchi Smart also comes with new characters you can care for, and owners will also be able to buy separate cards which will enable them to add new characters and items to the device. 

Details on other features are a little hard to grasp if you don’t speak Japanese (check out an overview video here). Input says the voice recognition isn’t actually doing any recognition; it can just sense when you speak, which wakes the pet up. Other features that are apparently included are pedometer, clock, and music listening. 

The Tamagotchi Smart will be available in Japan this November for ¥6,380 ($60).