Yep, those crazy virtual pets from Japan are back for more of your love and care. This time, however, you won't have them in pocket-game form. That means no more feeding, no more playing, no more "let's play veterinarian" with unauthorized pet medication and especially no more cleaning up of virtual pet poop. Whew!

The Tamagotchis are now getting 3D treatment on the Nintendo Wii game console with Tamagotchi Party On!, which is a party game similar to the Mario Party games that allows up to four players to duke it out in a board game with a lot of fun mini-games to test your wit and dexterity.

Fans of the Japanese game-and-watch style animal situation might miss caring for the strange-looking electronic critters, but if it's any consolation, the pets look cuter than ever in their Wii debut. Still, we're hoping that they do come up with a pet sim soon for the Wii. How'd you like to toss the Wiimote and holler "fetch?"

 

Atari and Namco Bandai have recently announced their latest offering to Europe-based Wii gamers: Tamagochi Party On! Slated to be released this August, this party game has players fighting to "be the most popular Tamagotchi on the planet."

This is the first 3D venture of the Tamagochi franchise and it's looking, ummm, cute. Like Mario Party 8, the game utilizes a boardgame like structure for players to traverse. The board is a representation of the entire Tamagochi Planet, and as such has multiple towns and locations to visit. The game also features multiple mini-games where up to four players can compete against each other.

As an added bonus, players can select to play their favorite Tamagochi characters in the game. Each character will level up as the game progresses. For those who want more customization, your in-game campaign headquarters can be customized and decorated to your taste.

If you're a fan of the series or have some kids at home, this might be a good game to pick up. If you want to see more of the game though, be sure to check out the screenshots from our previous coverage or the character art we have at the bottom of this article.

  

Let's pause for a while from clicking on thumbnails just to get a bigger look - and appreciation - at screenshots. Why don't we sit back, relax, click on play, and watch the wholesome drama unfold before you from this Tamagotchi Party On! gameplay video?

Yup, let's do that exactly, shall we? Here you'll see the cute little minigames with the cute little pop-up looking cartoon. There sure is a lot for you to do in Tamagotchi land (or at least we assume that's the name of the place), and it definitely looks as if this is something the whole family can enjoy. So, take out the popcorn and kick back and relax. We're betting the guys at Namco Bandai already had this fill of entertainment while developing Tamagotchi Party On! Ready when you are!

The virtual pets of a by-gone era (i.e. 1996) are back, taking their groove from small egg-shaped mini-computers to the Gameboy to the Nintendo DS to, finally where we are now, the Wii. Tamagotchi: Party On! from Namco Bandai has finally gone gold and is ready to be released in North America on May 29.

Ready to take over Tamagotchi Planet? You'll be competing against other players and candidates at becoming the Tamagotchi President, and along the way, it's a wild ride of mini-games and presidential campaigns gone frantic.

As an aside though, we'd like to avert your eyes to the boxart on the right. Doesn't it remind you of another Namco Bandai game? More specifically, something that starts with the letter "K" and rhymes with "atamari Damacy"? Because, instead of that red Tamagotchi at the center (with golden sunlight radiating from it), try placing The King of All Cosmos in its place. Dead ringer huh?

Of course, it also doesn't help that there have already been rumors of Namco Bandai creating a Katamari game for the Wii...

For those who were kids during the Tamagotchi boom, you'd love to check this out. The virtual pets are back, and this time they're taking over your Wii with Tamagotchi Party On!

As the Wii takes on more party games faster than you can say Wiimote, Namco Bandai certainly put a LOT of mini games into Tamagotchi Party On! The screenshots pretty much says everything about the Tamagotchi planet. It's colorful almost to the point of being garish and populated with the quirky and a bit weird looking Tamagotchis. The video on the other hand feature the various minigames including: rock, paper, scissors; score a goal; UFO memory; meatball maker; and catch Blobtchi.

We'll leave it at that for now. Meanwhile enjoy the screens and video. Watch out for more Tamagotchi Party On! updates and info as it's May release looms closer.

Download: Tamagotchi Party On! minigames video

Check out the rest of the screenshots by clicking the Full article link below!

The march of the little plastic egg creatures continues onto the next generation of videogame consoles with Tamagotchi: Party On!, the latest game based on the popular Tamagotchi franchise.

Set up as a board game, your goal in Tamagotchi: Party On! is to gather support and eventually become the president of Planet Tamagotchi. You can either do all your campaigning by yourself or by playing with up to three friends. Here's a look at the features available in this 3D party game.

• Be your favorite Tamagotchi in Wii Style! Choose your favorite Tamagotchi and swing, shake, point, turn and twist the Wii controller to play the game!
• Turn the whole Tamagotchi Planet into your playing board! Explore unique towns and other fun locations within the quirky world of Tamagotchi as you advance through the playing board. Each location is filled with exciting events and characters!
• Play with up to 3 of your friends to become the most popular Tamagotchi! Engage in a massive competition with your friends to become the President of Tamagotchi Planet! Up to 4 players can play the game with one Wii controller!
• Have fun and be popular! Engage in over 15 exciting mini games that will test your interactive skills! As rewards, you will get popularity points and badges to jump start your race to become the President and Gotchi to level up your character and headquarter!
• Customize your campaign headquarter and level up your favorite Tamagotchi character! With the Gotchis you earn from the game, customize and decorate your campaign headquarter however you like! As you upgrade your headquarter, you will be able to give your favorite Tamagotchi characters a new look!
• Easy to pick up and play: The 3D board game style of gameplay allows you and your friends to pick up and understand the game with ease!

Namco Bandai's Tamagotchi: Party On! is slated for a May release.

Remember those virtual pets you can take along anywhere? No, not the Neopets, but the Tamagotchis. The Wii title Tamagotchi Party On! promises to bring us claw us right back to the 90s craze.

As the Wii is big on wholesome family fun, Tamagotchi Party On! from Namco Bandai looks to be another addicting party game. Players would be able to compete against three other players in a race to be the most popular and win as the president of the Tamagotchi planet. Anyway, just like any politician, players would have to shake as many hands, plant as many seeds, and do some community service by guiding other Tamagotchis.

If you're up for a break and do some light gaming, you can check out the screens and the videos we have. Tamagotchi Party On! is set for release in spring of this year.

More screens and the rest of the gameplay videos after the jump!

For those who want to take a break from the hacking-slashing and explosions that most games currently have, Namco Bandai has the solution in the form of Tamagotchi Party On! for the Wii. Known in its native Japan as Tamagotchi no Pikapika Daitouryou, this game brings back fond memories to those who used to own actual tamagotchis, while still keeping itself within the "fun party game" category.

Sporting the look which it first introduced in earlier Tamagotchi games for the DS, Tamagotchi Party On! supports up to four players, and allows the participants to rear their own tamagotchis, as well as compete in various mini-games in order for their virtual pets to be crowned as the most popular Tamagotchi on Tamagotchi Planet.

So, if you're ready for a bit of quirkiness, then here are some screenies for everyone to enjoy as we wait for the title's North American release due by spring of this year.

More screenshots right after the Jump!

Good news Tamagotchi babies! Developer Namco Bandai announced today that they will be bringing over the successful game Tamagotchi no Pikapika Daitouryou over this side of the planet. To be renamed Tamagotchi: Party On!, the game was actually one of the Wii launch titles for Japan.

Aside from the quirky board games and party games included in the title, Tamagotchi: Party On! lets players choose their favorite pets and raise them to become the next president of Tamagotchi Planet. Namco Bandai's VP for Localization Naruo Uchida is rather proud about their decision to export the game. He exclaimed:

Tamagotchi Party On! is a seamless blend of both party game and board game as players swing, shake, and turn their Wii controllers in order to control their favorite Tamagotchi. It's the wackiest and cutest popularity contest ever as up-to-four players compete in fun mini-games to become the president of Tamagotchi planet.

Aside from the above mentioned features, this game focuses on earning popularity for your pets all throughout the planet by winning over 15 games which include shaking hands, finding lost children, and testing public speaking skills. Needless to say, the Wiimote will be utilized to achieve all these tasks.

Along the way, players will be picking up several Gotchi points that can be used to level up their characters and to customize their very own headquarters. Hmm, that sounds a lot of fun. We will be sure to pick this one up when it arrives sometime this Spring. In the meantime, let us first familiarize ourselves with this game by browsing through these screenshots.

See the rest of the screenshots after the jump!

Nintendo has finally let the proverbial cat out of the just-as-proverbial bag, publishing an official list of the titles that will be available for the Wii on its Japanese launch date. Announced along with the launch titles are a few games that will also be released near the launch date. Check out the list below.

Launch

• Wii Sports (Nintendo)
• Wario Ware Smooth Moves (Nintendo)
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Nintendo)
• Hajimete no Wii: Your First Step To Wii (Nintendo)
• Wing Island (Hudson)
• SD Gundam Revolution (Bandai Namco)
• Elebits (Konami)
• Ennichi no Tatsujin (Bandai Namco)
• Trauma Center: Second Opinion [Trauma Center] (Atlus)
• Crayon Shin-Chan: Saikyou Kazoku Kasukabe King Wii (Banpresto)
• Red Steel (Ubisoft)
• Necro-Nesia (Spike)
• Tamagotchi no Pika Pika Daito-ryo-! (Bandai Namco)
  
• Kororinpa (Hudson)
• Swing Golf Pangya (Tecmo)
• Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Sega)
  

December 14th

• Bleach: Wii Shiraha Kirameku Rinbukyoku (Sega)
• Rayman Raving Rabbids (Ubisoft)
  

December 21st

• Need For Speed Carbon (EA)
  

December in general

• Cooking Mama: Cooking with International Friends (Taito)
• Sengoku Musou Wave (Koei)
• Mahjong Taikai Wii (Koei)
• Furi Furi (Taito)