In 1996, Bandai rocked the toy world with the introduction of the Tamagotchi virtual pet, a pocket-sized electronic keychain toy that required constant care and attention from its owner.

Andrew Webster is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds ... Tamagotchi Friends line marks a return to the familiar keychain units, complete with a retro black and white ...

Later rebranded as Digimon V-Pets, the keychain toys launched shortly after Bandai's other popular virtual pet: Tamagotchi. Instead of simply raising a small alien creature, V-Pet monsters are ...

Bandai continues to release new virtual keychain pets with the same simplicity as the ones many of us knew as kids. But with a newly announced collaboration with board game company KessCo ...

Bandai America is bringing the nostalgia-infused virtual pet craze of “Tamagotchi” to a 21st century audience with “Tamagotchi On,” a revamped take on the keychain-sized plastic egg toy ...

If you’re somehow unfamiliar with the toy, the Tamagotchi is like the modern version of the pet rock ... versions of the toy that could hang off a keychain without being noticed.

The small egg-shaped virtual pet, which doubled as a keychain, could be found in the pockets of kids across the United States and Japan. It was big -- big like Furby, Beanie Babies and Tickle-Me Elmo.

Why not fill that gaping hole with a digital pet? Whether it’s a keychain device with a virtual character to take care of or a stuffed animal that mews and purrs like a cat, you’d be surprised ...

In 1996, Bandai rocked the toy world with the introduction of the Tamagotchi virtual pet, a pocket-sized electronic keychain toy that required constant care and attention from its owner.