Eevee x Tamagotchi: The Long Overdue Pokémon Tamagotchi

If one thing’s certain, it’s that there’s a huge crossover between Pokémon and Tamagotchi fans. After all, both brands originated in Japan and feature fantastical virtual pets that 90s kids trained, cared for, and formed genuine attachments with – all without the hassles brought on by a real pet. These were a real win-win for kids and parents back then.

Anyone who grew up with them has probably wondered why there was never a Pokémon x Tamagotchi collaboration at the height of the properties’ popularity.

Well, our dreams were realized several decades later on January 26th, 2019, with the release of the Eevee x Tamagotchi virtual pet!

Now the only question on our minds is: “What took them so long!?”

What Took Them So Long?

Why did it take so long to make a Pokémon Tamagotchi? One word: competition.

While Tamagotchi never directly competed with Pokémon, another of Bandai’s properties did – Digimon. Ironically, Digimon started as a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet marketed as a more masculine alternative to the Tamagotchi, chiefly because it let you connect with and battle with other Digimon.

Basically, Pokémon’s main competitor started as a combination of Tamagotchi and Pokémon!

However, in the decades since it has become clear that Pokémon ultimately won the duel with Digimon. The digital monsters hold a special place in our hearts, but neither the merchandise nor the anime really reached the heights that Pokémon was able to.

And, as with all things – time healed this rift between the franchises.

With the cooling-off of the decades-long rivalry, it seems like The Pokémon Company was finally happy to collaborate with Bandai in making the first Pokémon Tamagotchi – a first-of-its-kind digital pet that took 90s kids like us back to the golden years.

What’s Different About the Eevee x Tamagotchi?

Eevee x Tamagotchi is a licensed version of the Tamagotchi Nano that came out back in 2010. While the familiar egg shape is smaller and chunkier than the original 90s Tamagotchi, its monochrome LCD still has the same pixelated charm you know and love. 

Just like the original Tamagotchi, you have to pull the battery tab to start the device. Once the egg hatches, you’ll need to use the three buttons to feed your Eevee ‘Pokéblocks’ and clean up hairballs (a nice change from the mountains of poop we once had to deal with on the original tamagotchi). 

But what would a Tamagotchi be without some mini-games? Eevee x Tamagotchi has two pretty basic games – the first one is called “Berry Get” which requires you to catch falling fruit, while the other is called “Dance” which involves repeating a musical sequence sung by Eevee. (Source: Tamagotchi Fandom)

All of that was great for sure, but here’s the feature that really excited Pokémon fans: after 72 hours, you could evolve Eevee into one of 11 possible evolutions, eight of which follow the standard choices from Pokémon games, including Flareon, Vaporeon, and Leafeon.

The three bonus ‘Eeveelutions’ include Pop Star Eevee, Team Rocket Eevee, and Ditto Eevee. Which one you get depends on how you care for and play with your Eevee.

Unlike a standard Tamagotchi, Eevee won’t die if you neglect its needs, and thank goodness for that! Who could handle the guilt of neglecting one of the most popular Pokémon in existence?!

Instead, Eevee will ‘run away’ leaving you with an image of an open Poké Ball with text reading “バイバイ…” (“Bye bye…”). Still heartbreaking, but at least you know your Eevee is out living its life elsewhere. Maybe it’s even jumped into another Tamagotchi to be the pet of someone with a little more free time.

At any rate, it’s better than having your beloved digital pet turn into a gravestone.

Is It Easy to Buy Eevee Tamagotchis Outside Japan?

Unfortunately, the Eevee x Tamagotchi was only released in Japan with no plans to take it global. Thanks, Bandai.

Pre-orders saw the device sell out in just 15 minutes before the official release date in January 2019, which made it even more scarce.

Now, if you’re really desperate to get your hands on an Eevee x Tamagotchi in 2024, you can find both the original and pink shell versions on eBay. Just… don’t expect them to be cheap. As of writing, most Eevee x Tamagotchi’s are going for anywhere from around $100 to just under $300!

And if you think that’s absurd, check out our guide to the rarest and most expensive Pokémon cards. Prices on Pokémon stuff can get wacky.

If you somehow manage to snag one of the Eevee x Tamagotchi units, remember that the interface is entirely in Japanese. This was never meant for English-speaking fans, don’t forget. But with only three buttons and limited interactions, it shouldn’t take long for you to memorize what everything means. A Tamagotchi is a Tamagotchi, after all!

It’s not quite the Pokémon Tamagotchi we wanted, but at least it got us to do some exercise.

Is There a Pikachu Tamagotchi?

As the star of the show, you would think that Pikachu would be the first to be graced with a Pokémon Tamagotchi. But, so far, only Eevee has been granted the distinct honor of a Tamagotchi makeover.

With that said, Nintendo did release the Pocket Pikachu back in 1998.

This virtual pet pedometer featured different animations depending on the number of steps you take. It also had a fairly lackluster minigame. Unfortunately, this early attempt at a Pokémon Tamagotchi didn’t really catch on with Pokémon fans. It just lacked the charm of the Original Tamagotchi from Bandai, and didn’t even really feel like a pet.

Unsurprisingly, Nintendo elected to not continue making that item.

Will There Be Another Pokémon Tamagotchi?

Disappointingly, there’s been no news on the development of any other Pokémon characters for their own Tamagotchi. We can only hope Bandai and the Pokémon Company will choose to team up again soon and connect us with a different Pokémon pet. What a gift that would be!

Needless to say, our fingers are crossed for a full range of starter Pokémon Tamagotchis, but only time will tell. This pocket-sized throwback is the ultimate source of 90s nostalgia, so here’s hoping we can catch – and raise – ‘em all eventually.

Hungry for more? We’ve got every Tamagotchi model covered in this guide.

While you wait for more Tamagotchi to add to your set, you can support Rediscover 90s Toys by following us on Instagram, Pinterest as well as our other social media pages. We’re always cooking up new nostalgic content, and you never know when a product that defined your childhood will be featured!

Peeps Asked!

How do you reset an Eevee x Tamagotchi?

Use an object with a sharp end (like a pen) to push the small reset button on the back of the device.

How many Eevee evolutions are there?

The Eevee x Tamagotchi has 11 evolutions (better known as Eeveelutions):

1) Flareon (Fire-type)
2) Jolteon (Electric-type)
3) Vaporeon (Water-type)
4) Espeon (Psychic-type)
5) Umbreon (Dark-type)
6) Leafeon (Grass-type)
7) Glaceon (Ice-type)
8) Sylveon (Fairy-type)
9) Pop Star Eevee
10) Team Rocket Eevee
11) Ditto Eevee

Was Pokémon inspired by Tamagotchi?

No, if anything, it’s more likely the other way around. The first Pokémon games (Pokémon Green and Pokémon Red) came out in February 1996. The first Tamagotchi was released in November 1996.

Pokémon was the first to popularize the idea of a pocket monster, but the Tamagotchi is more like a pocket pet. It would be fair to say that both ideas formed independently of each other.

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Lee Davey

Lee is curator of nostalgia and a long-time collector of loveable junk. An 80s baby, 90s kid, he knows he had it good when it came to Saturday morning cartoons. Spends his life trying to recapture the dopamine hit of playing Game Boy for the first time and believes Beanie Babies will make a fortuitous comeback. Obsessed with everything (and anything) retro, he is your trusted guide to a world of 90s toys, games and collectables.

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