Bandai Namco has released Tamagotchi Plaza for Switch ($39.99) and Switch 2 ($49.99).
Tamagotchi Plaza is inspired by the original Tamagotchi digital toys of the late 90s, and specifically from the Corner Shop series of games that began on the Nintendo DS in the 2000s. It’s a management sim where players engage in a variety of quick minigames around the city of Tamahiko.
Players help upgrade the town for the Tamagotchi Fest by helping Tamagotchi and playing games in 12 different shops, including the Dentist, Afternoon Tea, and Eyeware. Each shop can be customized and upgraded to attract customers. Over 100 Tamagotchi can be found.
In a series first, Tamagotchi Plaza offers offline two-player co-op for some of the mini-games.
Tamagotchi Plaza also connects with Tamagotchi Uni devices, the latest line in the toys. Linking the Uni unlocks exclusive items and events in Tamagotchi Plaza. I honestly didn’t realize these things were still around!
The Switch 2 version features an additional three shops, growing the total to 15. The new shops utilize the Joy-Con 2’s motion controls, including a Sushi Shop and Shuriken Shop. An upgrade pack ($10) is available for players who first purchase the Switch version and later acquire a Switch 2.
It all seems a bit pricey for some minigames, but Corner Shop fans are probably stoked. Tamagotchi Plaza is the first real Tamagotchi game to hit the West in over a decade. I guess some of the games are a bit intense — the ESRB rated it rated E10+ with Fantasy Violence.
