Tamagotchi is Back, in App Form

Remember the bleeping 'virtual pets' that swept the world in the late '90s? Depending on your age at the time, might tickle your nostalgia - or irritate you greatly - to learn that Namco-Bandai has brought the phenomenon back, as an iOS and Android app.

Tamagotchi L.i.f.e (which stands, inexplicably, for 'Love Is Fun Everywhere') has launched for free on Android, with an iOS release to follow shortly.

The app simulates the experience of playing with the original Tamagotchis, all the way down to featuring unlockable cases for the virtual plastic devices.