Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival Calls Back to the Tamagotchi Angel

Back when I was a kid, I loved the original Tamagotchi virtual pets. Like so much so, I’d either sneak one with me when I went to school or have my mom care for mine while I was at class. But one of my absolute favorites was the Tamagotchi Angel model! I loved being able to “save” it from danger by tapping the screen, and I felt better about it possibly dying since, well, the character was already dead. (I was a sensitive kid!) While the Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival doesn’t include the same mechanics, I appreciate how this new unit and location pays tribute to that original model in certain ways.

The big “way” it calls back is by adding heavenly elements to the Tamagotchi characters and worlds. With the original Tamagotchi Angel, there were basically about 15 angelic characters that appeared depending on how well you cared for the pet. Here, we have six unique pets that take a familiar Tamagotchi, like Kuchipachi, Mametchi, Violetchi, or Yumemitchi, and they get ethereal elements like wings or other designs. 

Like the Sanrio Characters variant, these different evolutions are tied to the items acquired at the Angel Festival location. So whether you buy a whole new unit or just pick up the $6 Tamaverse Ticket, getting something like a Mame-el or Yumemittie character is as easy as feeding a boy baby lots of Bell Brioche or girl one Ribbon Bread. 

The cosmetic changes are the most obvious fun “nod” to the original Tamagotchi Angel, but the Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival location proper is what really made me appreciate this release. That’s because it really is pulling in those elements I remembered from the original model. They’re all back as callbacks! One of the major characters you could unlock in that first game was the Chestnut Angel. It appears as an accessory for your pet to wear, lives in the town square, and is the character you control in the Angel Festival location minigame. 

Many of the other angels you could raise in that older virtual pet show up when you visit different Tamaverse spots too. At a glance, I remembered seeing the former Japan-exclusive Cactus Angel, the Ginjirotchi one I used to often get when I first started playing, and even the Oyajitchi Angel. It honestly made heading to the Square more entertaining than usual, as it got me feeling all nostalgic. 

The only downside is, I haven’t seen some of my favorite original Tamagotchi Angel represented. I remember being able to unlock the Shogun Angel and Twin Angels in the past, and I didn’t catch any reference to either one of them here. It would have been great to see those also make cameo appearances in the Square location. Or, in the case of the Ascension Hat that has two small angels with a passing resemblance to the Takotchi one, instead have the Twin Angels there. 

I just appreciate the effort Bandai put into ensuring the Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival Tamaverse and elements go above and beyond. It taps into the series’ history in a fun way. Meanwhile, the new aesthetic for familiar icons really suits them well. It really honors the old virtual pet in a fun way.

The Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival model is available now.