Pokemon Is Launching Its Own Upgraded Spin on the Tamagotchi

Back in 2019, Pokemon and Tamagotchi collaborated on a limited-time run of a simple Eevee Tamagotchi. Pokemon also released its own pedometer-style device, the Pokewalker, alongside Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Both of these early attempts likely laid the foundation for this newest venture, the Pokemon Poke-nade Monster Ball. The Tamagotchi-style toy from Japanese toy maker Takara Tomy is set to release in October, with Japanese and English language options. But what exactly is this thing?

Pokemon’s New Tamagotchi-Style Toy Is An Ambitious Upgrade on the Concept

This new Poke-nade device has a bit of an odd name, but there’s a meaning behind it. “Naderu” in Japanese means to stroke or pet, and petting your Pokemon is a core feature of how this new device operates. So the name combines Pokemon and pet, giving you the Poke-nade. Though it’s a similar portable pocket device, it doesn’t look to be quite as easy to carry around as a Tamagotchi. It is, as its name suggests, a round toy shaped and styled like a Poke Ball. It has a few simple buttons, as well as a little window-style screen where you can check in on your Pokemon.

Where Tamagotchis were relatively simple, with one virtual pet per device, the Poke-nade will offer an extensive list of Pokemon to interact with. In total, players will be able to encounter and care for 157 different Pokemon. However, only 7 special Partner Pokemon are fully voiced and animated – Pikachu, Eevee, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, Lucario, and Sylveon. The first few make sense, as the Pokemon mascots and the most recent starter trio. As for Lucario and Sylveon, it’s likely these two are just the top popular Pokemon that fans most want to see.

The Poke-nade will offer a variety of different petting interactions, with different Pokemon reactions for each. In addition to petting your pocket monsters, you’ll be able to play with them, take care of them, and even engage in Pokemon battles on the device. Exactly how this works on a small screen with just a trio of buttons remains to be seen, but the initial animation images are giving Tamagotchi meets Nintendogs. And honestly? I’m here for it.