You remember that high-pitched beep from your pocket in 1997? The sheer panic of realizing your digital dinosaur was sitting in a pile of its own pixelated mess? We've all been there. Fast forward to today, and you’ve got a piece of tech on your wrist that is roughly a thousand times more powerful than those original plastic eggs. It seems like a no-brainer. Putting a tamagotchi on apple watch should be the ultimate nostalgia trip, right?
Well, it’s complicated.
If you head to the App Store right now looking for an "Official Tamagotchi" app for watchOS, you’re going to be disappointed. Bandai Namco actually did release a version years ago, but like many early Apple Watch experiments, it quietly slipped into the digital abyss. But don't give up just yet. Between clever indie developers and some wild DIY "hacks," there are still ways to get that hit of dopamine from raising a virtual pet on your wrist in 2026.
The Rise and Disappearance of the Official App
Back in 2015, when the Apple Watch was the shiny new toy on everyone's radar, Bandai Namco actually brought the classic Tamagotchi experience to the wrist. It was basically a companion to the Tamagotchi Classic iOS app. You could feed your pet, check its status, and get those infamous notifications when it needed a "bathroom break."
It wasn't perfect. Honestly, it was pretty bare-bones.
The Verge and other tech outlets at the time pointed out that you couldn't actually play with the pet on the watch—you still had to pull out your iPhone for the minigames. There were no animations. You’d press a button to feed it, and... nothing. The hunger meter just went up. Eventually, Bandai shifted focus to more modern mobile titles like My Tamagotchi Forever and Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom (which is currently a hit on Apple Arcade).
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Neither of those modern games has a dedicated Apple Watch app.
Why? It likely comes down to how we use our watches. Most people want quick, 5-second interactions. Deeply managing a pet’s life cycles and happiness meters doesn't always fit the "glanceable" philosophy Apple pushes for developers. So, the official support died out, leaving a void for fans of the franchise.
How People Are Hacking the Hardware
Since the official software went MIA, the "Tamawatchi" subculture has taken over. You might have seen these on TikTok or YouTube lately. Basically, people are taking broken or cheap Tamagotchi shells, gutting them, and stuffing an Apple Watch inside.
One creator, known as LucyTheMaker, even designed 3D-printed "egg shells" that clip onto an Apple Watch face. It looks ridiculous in the best way possible. You’re essentially wearing a giant plastic egg on your wrist, but the screen is a high-res OLED panel.
Some hardcore enthusiasts have gone a step further. They use emulators like Arc Emu or Web-based Gameboy emulators to run the original 1990s Tamagotchi ROMs directly on the watch. By locking the watch to "Always On" mode and disabling the return-to-clock feature, you can turn your $400 piece of Silicon Valley engineering into a dedicated $20 toy from the 90s.
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It’s overkill. It’s glorious.
The Best 2026 Alternatives (That Actually Work)
If you don't feel like dremeling a plastic toy or messing with emulators, there are "spiritual successors" that are actually built for the modern Apple Watch. These apps take the tamagotchi on apple watch concept and modernize it, often linking the pet's health to your own fitness data.
1. Poki - Virtual Watch Pet
This is currently the gold standard for wrist-based pets. It uses a very intentional pixel-art style that feels like the original Tamagotchi. The cool part? It’s a "fitness pet." Your pet’s happiness is tied to your step count via Apple Health. If you’re lazy, your pet gets sluggish. If you hit your 10,000 steps, your pet is thriving. It’s a great way to gamify your health.
2. Hatchiko
Named after the famous loyal dog from Japan, this app is more about the emotional connection. It’s less "90s retro" and more "modern cute." It features multiple evolution stages and lives entirely on the watch face as a complication, so you can see your pet every time you check the time.
3. Habbie: Step Tracker & Pet
Similar to Poki, Habbie focuses on movement. It’s a bit more "indie" in its design but has a dedicated community. The developer, Ajul Raj, has been pretty active in keeping it updated for the latest watchOS versions.
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Why Bandai Created the "Tamagotchi Smart" Instead
You might wonder why Bandai Namco doesn't just re-release a proper Apple Watch app. The answer is likely the Tamagotchi Smart.
Released a few years ago (primarily in Japan, but widely imported), the Tamagotchi Smart is literally a smartwatch made by Bandai. It has a touch screen, a step counter, and uses "TamaSma Cards" to download new characters. By making their own hardware, Bandai doesn't have to play by Apple's rules or pay a 30% cut on every in-app purchase.
If you want the most authentic "wearable" Tamagotchi experience, the Smart (or the newer Tamagotchi Uni) is technically the official way to go. But let’s be real—most of us don't want to wear two watches.
What You Can Actually Do Right Now
So, if you’re itching for a tamagotchi on apple watch experience, here is your reality check. You won't find an official Bandai app that works the way you remember. But you have three solid paths forward:
- The Fitness Route: Download Poki or Hatchiko. They are the most stable, "Tamagotchi-like" experiences available on the App Store today. They utilize the watch's sensors better than Bandai ever did.
- The Emulator Route: If you're tech-savvy, look into Arc Emu. You’ll need to find your own P1 Tamagotchi ROM (legal gray area, so be careful), but it’s the only way to get the exact original gameplay on your wrist.
- The Shell Mod: If you have a 3D printer, look up "Apple Watch Tamagotchi Case" on sites like Thangs or Printables. It won't change the software, but it definitely changes the vibe.
The dream of the 90s is alive, it’s just tucked away in the "Health & Fitness" category of the App Store now.
To get started, your first move should be checking your App Store for Poki. It’s free to try and gives you that immediate "pixel pet" fix without needing a computer or a screwdriver. Set it up as a "Circular" or "Graphic Extra Large" complication on your favorite watch face so you can keep an eye on your pet’s hunger levels every time you lift your wrist. Just remember to actually hit your step goal, or your new digital friend is going to have a very rough afternoon.