Tamagotchi Plaza made me cry with nostalgic joy

The year is 2025, and the age of the Tamagotchi is back. At least, it is for me, someone who never really stopped thinking about the virtual pets and their various spin-offs and stories. But really, Bandai Namco’s Tamagotchi Plaza is the first console game from the franchise to release internationally since 2008, which gives me great hope for a second worldwide wave of Tama Fever.

Just over a year ago, I wrote about the ups and downs of Tamagotchi game history and focused on my intense nostalgia for the Corner Shop series. Little did I know that I’d predicted the series’ triumphant return to our screens via Tamagotchi Plaza, a revamped, shinier version of the children’s simulation game for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. I knew I had to get my hands on it ASAP and see how it holds up nearly 20 years since the first Corner Shop game launched globally.

If you have never played this bizarre trio of DS games before, they’re essentially a collection of minigames based in different businesses, including dentists’ offices, hot springs, and bakeries. You work with your Tamagotchi pal to grow their businesses and impress the Tama King. Tamagotchi Plaza follows the same premise, but adds a bunch of new minigames, an open world to explore, and even a touch of home decoration.

Tamagotchi Connection Corner Shop used the DS’s touch screen for the majority of gameplay, so I was intrigued to see how Plaza functioned on a single screen, but the developer managed to pull it off without relying on motion controls to mimic a touch screen. I’ve played Plaza with my Nintendo Switch 2 docked, but this will always be a handheld game to me. The joystick controls are a great alternative to the DS’s stylus, and everything feels natural. Well, as natural as pulling a pixie out of a Tamagotchi’s tooth cavity can feel.

It’s really important to note that Tamagotchi Plaza operates heavily on nostalgia. So many things are exactly the same as the DS games but with a fresh coat of paint, including the soundtrack, sound effects, and many of the UI elements. This immediately transported me back to my childhood, and I think it’s designed that way. The game isn’t really doing anything groundbreaking, and it’s aimed at a younger demographic, but these little touches of the past are a great way to draw people like me in.

Tamagotchi Plaza even keeps some of Corner Shop’s less desirable features, like the lack of tutorials for any of the minigames. You’re immediately thrust into handling people’s bike repairs, clothing commissions, and dental work without a single shred of advice from your companion. As a child, this was beyond frustrating, and if I wasn’t already familiar with Tamagotchi’s laissez-faire approach to tutorials, I’m sure I’d have put this game down as well. That’s why, as much as I love this game and will undoubtedly sink dozens of hours into it, I know that it’s not for everyone.

If you aren’t a Tamagotchi fan, you aren’t going to enjoy this game. It’s not the best gateway into the franchise and relies a lot on prior knowledge. I think this game will go down well with young kids, because it’s silly, colorful, and through trial and error, they can master the minigames like I had to as a child. Ultimately, Tamagotchi Plaza is a love letter to the mid-2000s DS games, so of course, the 20-somethings who played those games are going to get the most out of it.

However, I wouldn’t pay $50 for the Nintendo Switch 2 version. You get slightly improved graphics and three new stores, but if you’re in it purely for the nostalgia, just grab the standard Switch version. The physical edition is already on sale in some places, so you can grab a deal while seeing your childhood companions all grown up and in 3D. They even put Kuchipatchi on Ozempic.

So, whether the Tamagotchi revival is really upon us, or I’m simply living in the past, Tamagotchi Plaza is an adorable and easy game to spend time with. If you’re looking for something equally as cute but with a little more depth, Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom is one of the best Apple Arcade games out there, so why not give it a go?