Beloved Virtual Pet is Reborn With Enhanced Ways to Play - Tama-Sitters No Longer Needed

TamaTown™ Tama-Go™ by Tamagotchi® Launches The 'Oh My Gotchi!' National Sweepstakes

News provided by

Sep 29, 2010, 08:15 ET

CYPRESS, Calif., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Bandai America Incorporated is thrilled to announce the hatching of its new, next generation TamaTown Tama-Go by Tamagotchi, the virtual pet known and cherished by young, nurturing fans worldwide. With dozens of Gotchi figures, TamaTown Tama-Go offers kids limitless opportunities to raise and interact with the Gotchi figures at home, on the go or online at www.tamatown.com. Available now at major retailers, the redesigned TamaTown Tama-Go features a new high-contrast, four gray-scale display screen, a changeable design face plate and the choice of Gotchi figure.

"Bandai has expanded on the success of Tamagotchi by incorporating fan feedback to improve the play experience of the new TamaTown Tama-Go," says Danielle Armbrust, Director of Marketing, Bandai America Incorporated. "We share the same fond memories of the first generation Tamagotchi, so we're excited to see how kids enjoy interacting with and collecting the new Gotchi characters and exploring new ways to nurture and play games with their Gotchi character in the expanded online TamaTown world."

TamaTown Tama-Go offers kids the chance to act as young caregivers by nurturing and raising their own virtual pet through feeding, playing games and checking statistics of happiness, hunger and discipline while also connecting with other friends and their Tama-Gos. Another exciting new option is the ability to "pause." Now caregivers and friends no longer need to Tama-sit! Fans can now enhance the fun on www.tamatown.com, which offers Web visitors the chance to play games and nurture their Gotchi characters in the three simulated worlds of Swirly Sweet City, Forest Falls and Flower Hills Park. The TamaTown website at www.tamatown.com is a COPPA-compliant Web site.

The "Oh My Gotchi!" Sweepstakes for TamaTown Tama-Go Toys and Gotchi Figures "Blinged Out" in Dazzling Jewels

To commemorate the release of TamaTown Tama-Go, Bandai is sponsoring the "Oh My Gotchi!" Sweepstakes, a nationwide sweepstakes for entrants to have a chance to win a First Prize Swarovski®-encrusted TamaTown Tama-Go Toy at the Sweepstakes' Toys "R" Us® Demo Day Location Drawings held on October 2nd and on October 9th at each of 200 select participating Toys "R" Us locations. Participation in the Sweepstakes' Toys "R" Us Demo Day Location Drawings automatically qualifies entrants for a chance at the Sweepstakes' Grand Prize Drawing, which permits entrants a chance to win one Grand Prize consisting of one Swarovski-encrusted TamaTown Tama-Go Toy, a set of six Swarovski-encrusted Gotchi figures, one TamaTown Carrying Case and one $500 Toys "R" Us gift card. Entrants in the Grand Prize Drawing will also have a chance to win one of the five Runner-Up Prizes – each Runner-Up Prize consists of one TamaTown Tama-Go Toy, a set of six Gotchi figures and one TamaTown Carrying Case. The Sweepstakes entry period starts on October 2nd and ends on November 28th. For more information and complete instructions, please visit www.tamatown.com for the Official Rules.

TamaTown Demo Days

During the first and second Saturdays in October, Bandai will host in-store "Demo Days" at 200 select participating Toys "R" Us locations nationwide. Tamagotchi fans can look forward to special product demonstrations, TamaTown videos at select locations and the chance to win limited edition Tama prizes. Visit your local Toys "R" Us for more information or go to www.bandai.com to find a list of participating store locations.

About Bandai America Incorporated

A leader in developing engaging, quality toys that capture children's imaginative spirit and provide endless "Fun for the Future," Bandai America Incorporated is the manufacturer and master toy licensee of some of the most popular brands in children's toys and interactive entertainment today. The Bandai America best-selling brand family includes Power Rangers®, Ben 10™, Harumika®, Tamagotchi®, Pocoyo™ and Teeny Little Families™ among other boys, girls, pre-school and hobby product lines. Bandai America Incorporated is a subsidiary of NAMCO BANDAI Holdings (USA) Inc., an entity that resulted from the integration of Namco Ltd. and Bandai Co. Ltd. of Japan. Global interests encompass three strategic business units: Toys and Hobby, Amusement Facility and Contents. The company is headquartered in Cypress, California. Find out more about our expertise in connecting with kids in fun and fresh ways at www.bandai.com.

Swarovski is a registered trademark of Swarovski Aktiengesellschaft and does not endorse nor is it a sponsor of the "Oh My Gotchi!" Sweepstakes or of any related events.