Meet Tomo, a DIY virtual pet that’ll spark ’90s nostalgia
If you miss your Tamagotchi virtual pet from the ’90s, Element14 Presents’ DJ has come up with the next best thing — or perhaps something even better!
His DIY device, named “Tomo” for friend, displays a digital companion on its 1.3” OLED screen, and features a variety of mini games that lets you level it up with new characteristics.
The game/pet, which runs on a MKR Zero, implements three buttons for control, a power switch, and a piezo speaker for audio feedback (all the beeps and boops you’d expect). While still very much handheld, its blue and purple 3D-printed shell is significantly larger than the original Tamagotchi. This should make it easy to use, and its low part count means it wouldn’t be hard to duplicate either.