You weren't really a child of the early 2000s if you weren't laden with a lanyard (or a few, if you were lucky) that kept hold of your most prized possession: a Tamagotchi. The Japanese pocket-sized digital pets were our lifeblood as tweens – a social media before we were old enough to be granted a hotmail address or the password to our parents' clunky desktop computer for digital fraternising. There was nothing more exlusive than connecting devices with our friends at Recess, playing games, building friendships or even spawning a new generation of dogs, birds, fish, or fantasy creatures.

But for most of us, those days are long gone. Left behind sometime between making a Facebook profile and entering high school. The batteries ran dead if our digital pets didn't die first. At best, they were entrusted to the care of a younger sibling. But what if we wanted to go back? Well, Bandai – the creators of the device – have pulled through with an updated model: the Tamagotchi ring.

Here's what to know.

What is it?

The new device takes the virtual pet phenomenon of the 90s and shrinks it down to finger size. It's still created by Bandai – the original creators – but the new, wearable version reimagines the familiar egg-shaped Tamagotchi as a compact ring complete with a colour display and touch controls.

The fundamentals remain satisfyingly the same: you can feed, nurture and interact with your digital pet. But there are also new functions: new animations, customisation options and metallic and translucent finishes.

Where can I buy it?

The Tamagotchi Ring is launching from late August 2026, with Bandai directing customers to its official website and channels for specific release information. The supplied announcement doesn’t confirm Australian pricing, local retailers or a definitive Australian release date, so for now, availability closer to home remains one to watch.