New Tamagotchi takes advantage of the iPod's click wheel controls

Nov 5, 2008 10:19 GMT  ·  By

Namco Networks has released Tamagotchi: ‘Round the World for iPod owners worldwide. Players interact with nature to raise the ultimate pet: a planet. The game is immediately available from the iTunes Store for video iPods, iPod classic, as well as for fifth generation iPods.

According to Namco, Tamagotchi: ‘Round the World offers the whole world as your playground. “The Tamagotchi eat, dance, play and even poop their way to a happier and healthier planet,” says the company.

“Fans of the Tamagotchi brand are going to enjoy the cute, fun gameplay that Tamagotchi: ‘Round the World offers,” says Scott Rubin, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for Namco Networks. ”The loveable characters and the playful setting deliver hours of amusement. In addition, the device’s portability, similar to the original keychain, gives consumers access to this amusing game experience anywhere, anytime.”

As a player, you start by picking one of four selectable Tamagotchis (Mametchi, Memetchi, Kuchipatchi and Violetchi), and then play one of six missions that take place across three themed Planets (jungle, desert, and “bucktooth”). With each mission, players are given different objectives that they must complete to have a “happy, healthy Planet.”

As your Tamagotchi interacts with the Gaiatchi, you move around the Planet and engage in various mini games and activities. Those include Rock Paper Scissors, Bubble, Move It, Beach Ball, Dancing, Tag It, Tickling, Memory Match and Math Puzzle.

Avid fans of the Tamagotchi concept will notice that the health and happiness of the Tamagotchi is a vital aspect of the game. If the Tamagotchi is unhappy, “it might not do what the player asks, making it more difficult to complete the mission,” Namco says. Players can also collect stars through the mini-games to buy Tamagotchi stamps for the in-game virtual stamp book, the developer reveals.

As the game is aimed at iPods using click wheels, the game takes full advantage of the one-finger control scheme. But there's more! You can choose to listen to music from your iPod library while playing, if Tamagotchi: ‘Round the World’s “bouncy” music doesn't do it for you.

To get Tamagotchi: ‘Round the World for iPod, visit the iTunes Store here. The game costs 5 bucks.