Imagine a digital pet small enough to fit in your palm—lightweight, plastic, pixelated. Now imagine someone offered you US$1,500 (S$1,929) for it. Would you cash out your pixel pet?
Tamagotchi collector Rachel Liew turned down the offer. Her beloved Suntec City Tamagotchi is one of her most prized possessions among the 180+ Tamagotchis in her collection. It was never sold in stores, and Rachel knows of only one other person in the world who owns one. Yup, this 2.5-inch plastic toy is that rare.
In this edition of Priced Possessions, we dive into the world of Tamagotchi collecting: from nostalgic toy to serious collector’s item. Whether you’re here for the ’90s feels or curious about what makes a digital pet worth thousands, these are the Tamagotchis turning heads—and opening wallets.
Are Tamagotchis good investments? Here’s all you need to know
- Tamagotchi: the toy that refused to die
- Meet the biggest Tamagotchi collector in Singapore.
- 5 Tamagotchis worth 3 to 4-digit sums—and why
- Is your Tamagotchi worth anything?
- How to keep your Tamagotchi valuable
- Thinking of investing in Tamagotchis? Here’s Rachel’s honest take.
1. Tamagotchi: the toy that refused to die
They beeped in classrooms. They stressed out kids who forgot to “clean up” after their pets. And they became a pop culture phenomenon almost overnight.
Released by Bandai in the late 1990s, Tamagotchis took the world by storm, selling 400,000 units in 1996 and nearly 40 million by 1998. What started as a quirky toy became a global craze, embedding itself into the memories of an entire generation.
Today, Tamagotchis are experiencing a surprising second life. Some fans are returning out of pure nostalgia, while others—particularly Gen Z—are discovering them anew, drawn by the toy’s charming retro appeal. The new surge in demand has also led to a surge in prices—some Tamagotchis are changing hands for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
One collector who was both around to witness the original popularity surge and still feels a deep emotional connection to the toy is Rachel Liew.
2. Meet the biggest Tamagotchi collector in Singapore
For Singaporean collector Rachel Liew, Tamagotchis have been a constant—well, almost.
“I wasn’t consistently playing with Tamagotchi throughout my childhood because I had phases where I lost interest,” she admits. “But the thing is, I always found myself always coming back to Tamagotchi.”
Her connection to these digital pets runs deeper than nostalgia. “It’s not just a toy to me,” she says. “Tamagotchi is like a pet, a companion that I can carry with me everywhere I go. So that’s why I fell in love with it. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered any other game or toy that gives me the same feeling.”
Today, Rachel owns more than 180 Tamagotchis and counting. Her love for them even inspired her to start Fuzzy N Chic, a small online shop selling handmade Tamagotchi covers and accessories.
For Rachel, these palm-sized pets aren’t just playful novelties. They’re emotional anchors—tiny, beeping reminders of comfort, care, and connection.
“Of course the sense of nostalgia and childhood is there,” Rachel concedes. “But in addition to that, a lot of people I talk to in the Tamagotchi community tell me that Tamagotchis give them emotional support.”
For Tamagotchi fans like Rachel, these digital pets fulfil an essential role of companionship. “Tamagotchis are a part of us, a companion we have with us at all times. They’re something to fall back on when things get hard in life.”
3. 5 Tamagotchis worth 3 to 4-digit sums—and why
But not all Tamagotchis are created equal. While many were mass-produced and sold in toy stores around the world, some models are so rare and sought after that they’ve gone from children’s toy to serious collector item.
Rachel’s collection includes some of the most coveted Tamagotchis ever made. Here are a few that command 3- or even 4-digit price tags today, and what makes them so valuable.
1. Keitai Kaitsuu Tamagotchi Plus, “Melon Soda”
Value: $100 – $300
With its blueish-green shell and fun, fizzy aesthetic, the “Melon Soda” Tamagotchi suits its namesake. It’s a bubbly, melon-flavoured Japanese cream soda in toy form.
“It’s not an official name,” Rachel clarifies. “But it just reminds people of a melon soda drink.” The appealing colour and swirly “Melon Soda” design is both cool and cute—no wonder collectors fell in love with it and gave it a flavourful moniker of their own.
Rachel has 4 Melon Soda-style Tamagotchis in her collection, and they’re not all worth the same. The Japanese version, Keitai Kaitsuu Tamagotchi Plus, is the original released in 2004. It goes for over $100 these days, and Rachel has 2.
But the real prize is the English version, part of the Tamagotchi Connections v3 line. Thanks to its rarity in the English-speaking market (and the general scarcity of English-language Tamagotchis), this one easily fetches $200–$300. Rachel owns one of those too.
And then there’s the baby of the bunch: a 2024 remake that looks the part but lacks the collector cred. It’s cute, but you can still snag it for retail at about $30.
What makes these so valuable? It’s the winning combination of aesthetic charm, limited supply, and language exclusivity that pushes the Tamagotchi Connections v3 “Melon Soda” to fetch nearly 10 times the price of its 2024 remake.
2. Tamagotchi iD L (English version)
Value: ~$300
The Tamagotchi iD L is a glowing example of what happens when a niche release meets unexpected demand. Originally launched in Japanese, the iD L was one of Bandai’s colour-screen Tamagotchis—a step up from the classic black-and-white models. But what really sets this one apart? The ultra-rare English version.
“For some reason, Bandai decided to create an English version,” Rachel explains. “But it wasn’t for the US or Europe markets—it was only for Singapore and Hong Kong.” That tiny release window made the English iD L one of the few colour-screen Tamagotchis available outside Japan—and one of the rarest in the global community.
Back then, you could buy it for around $50. Today? It’s worth about $300.
Rachel, however, didn’t realise she was sitting on a goldmine. “I just kept it for several years, playing it on and off,” she says. “I didn’t know how rare it was in the market… I dropped it on the floor, handled it freely and all. When I found out the price moved so much, I was like, shoot, I’ve been abusing mine for the past few years.”
Oops. Sometimes, you don’t know you’re holding a treasure until it’s too well-loved to sell.
3. Tamagotchi Devil (a.k.a. Devilgotchi)
Value: $800 – $1,000
Not all Tamagotchis were instant hits. In fact, some flopped so hard they became accidentally legendary. Case in point: the Devilgotchi.
In 1997, Bandai released the Tamagotchi Angel, also known as the Angelgotchi—a wholesome follow-up to its original digital pet. “Basically, you raise an angel,” says Rachel. “It became very popular, so Bandai decided to do a devil version.”
Enter the Tamagotchi Devil. Darker, edgier, and… extremely unpopular. “Nobody wanted to buy it, probably because—well, you know, devil,” Rachel laughs. “So, after a short while, they just cut production. They stopped sales because no one was buying it.”
Ironically, that early flop turned into collector gold. With so few Devilgotchis in circulation, the model has become one of the most sought-after pieces in the Tamagotchi world. While the Angelgotchi floats around the $100+ mark, the Devilgotchi has descended into collector hellfire. It’s now worth a scorching $800 to $1,000.
The lesson? In the world of collecting, sometimes the least loved things end up the most treasured.
4. Yasashii Tamagotchi
Value: $1,000 to $1,300
Bigger, bolder, and built for little hands, the Yasashii Tamagotchi is one of the quirkiest and rarest members of the Tamagotchi family. Released in Japan in September 1998, “Yasashii” literally translates to “easy” or “gentle,” and the device lives up to its name: oversized shell, giant buttons, and a simplified interface all designed for very young kids who hadn’t quite mastered fine motor skills.
“This was meant for really young kids,” Rachel explains. “For whom the dexterity isn’t quite there yet.”
However, the market for toddler-aged Tamagotchi owners was limited. That, plus the fact that it launched near the end of Tamagotchi’s first boom, meant that the Yasashii had a short production run and is now a collector’s gem. Rachel purchased hers for $300, but in good condition, it can now fetch between $1,000 and $1,300.
5. Suntec City Tamagotchi
Value: Last known offer was US$1,500 (S$1,929)—but technically, Rachel can name her price
Some Tamagotchis are limited edition. Others are ultra rare. But the Suntec City Tamagotchi? It’s practically mythical.
This model was never sold in stores. It was the result of a one-off collaboration between Bandai and Singapore’s Suntec City Mall in 2006. Shoppers who spent a certain amount at the mall could redeem this exclusive Tamagotchi for free. That was the only way to get one.
Rachel initially stumbled across it on Carousell, buying it for just $20. “I thought it was just another Tamagotchi,” she recalls. She later sold it to a collector in the U.S. and ended up regretting it. “So I went back to the same seller and asked if they had extras. They said they’d check the warehouse. In the end, they said they had one more… but they wanted $200. No choice right? I couldn’t find it anywhere else. So I bit the bullet and bought it.”
Years later, someone offered her US$1,500 (S$1,929) for it. “To be honest, I can’t really put a value on it,” Rachel says. “Even if you search online, you can’t find people selling it—the only pictures you can find are pictures that I post on social media. That’s how rare it is.”
Of course, she turned the offer down. She only knows of one other person in the world who owns this model: the person she sold her first one to. Rachel’s Suntec City Tamagotchi is her holy grail—her ultimate prized possession.
4. Is your Tamagotchi worth anything?
By now, we’ve toured some of the rarest and most valuable Tamagotchis around. Some fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But unless you’ve got a Devilgotchi tucked away in a drawer or unknowingly redeemed a Suntec City Tama back in the day, chances are your digital pet might not be among the elite. (If it is, congrats! You’re sitting on a pixelated goldmine.)
So how do you know if your Tamagotchi is worth anything?
Here are the key factors to look out for:
Language
English models tend to be rarer, especially those released outside of Japan. We saw this with the iD L and English Melon Soda Tamagotchis. A familiar interface might make it easier to play, but for collectors, it also means higher value.
Shell design
Aesthetics matter. Certain shell colours or designs, like the fan-favourite Melon Soda, are widely loved and harder to come by, especially in pristine condition. The prettier it is, the pricier it gets.
Scarcity
Was it a short production run? A discontinued model? Something nobody wanted… until they did? The Devilgotchi and Yasashii Tamagotchi prove that a limited release (or an early flop) can become a collector’s dream years later.
Exclusivity
Some Tamagotchis were never meant to be bought off a shelf. Take the Suntec City Tamagotchi, which was only available through a mall promotion. The harder it was to get, the higher it’ll climb in value.
If you’re holding onto an old Tamagotchi and wondering what it might be worth, start by checking these four traits. Your childhood pet might just be your next best investment—or at least a very cool conversation starter.
5. How to keep your Tamagotchi valuable
Unlike diecast cars or action figures, Tamagotchis aren’t devalued the moment you open the box. In fact, unboxing might actually preserve their value—especially if it means preventing long-term damage.
Remove the batteries
If you only take away one thing about Tamagotchi preservation, read this: Take the batteries out. Over time, batteries can leak and corrode the internal components, rendering your digital pet unplayable. Collectors care deeply about functionality.
“It has to be in playable condition,” Rachel says. “Otherwise it’s basically worthless. If the battery leaks and spoils it, or even if the screen has some dead pixels, it’s worthless.”
Keep them out of the sun
Display cabinets are great, but windowsills are not. Sunlight can cause Tamagotchi shells, especially lighter-coloured ones, to yellow over time—they get “sunburnt”, if you will.
“When I first purchased my Yasashii Tamagotchi, it was white,” Rachel says. “I put it by the window when I was displaying it. Sadly, over the years it turned yellow from the sun. And to be honest, the value of it has depreciated because it turned yellow.”
Now, she displays her collection behind UV-protected glass—a simple fix that came from a painful lesson.
Minimise scratches
Even working Tamagotchis lose value if they’re visibly worn. Scratches on the screen or casing—especially on rare or aesthetically popular shells—can lower the price significantly. Whether you’re actively playing with them or keeping them on display, gentle handling and storage make a big difference.
6. Thinking of investing in Tamagotchis? Here’s Rachel’s honest take
After seeing Tamagotchis sell for hundreds (and in some cases, thousands) of dollars, it’s tempting to start viewing them as miniature investment vehicles. But seasoned collectors like Rachel urge caution.
“You never know which one will increase in price and which one won’t,” she says. “So I don’t think it’s a very wise investment instrument. I wouldn’t advise it.”
Rachel speaks from experience. At one point, she placed her bet on a line of rare Korean Tamagotchis—models even more uncommon than their English-language counterparts. “I thought I should buy it because who knows if the price might increase in the future?” she explains. “I bought two sets of all the colours, which cost quite a lot of money. One set for me to play, and the other set to invest so I could sell them later.”
But the demand never came. “After that it just never took off. And now, the price has even decreased because no one’s interested in it.”
The bottom line? Tamagotchis make great companions and collectibles, but shaky investments. Buy them because you love them, not because you’re hoping for a payday. Passion, not profit, is what keeps these digital pets alive.
This article was first drafted with the help of AI and later reviewed and refined by the author.
This article is part of a series called Priced Possessions, where we chat with Singapore’s quirkiest collectors and put a price on their most prized possessions. Know a collector, or are one yourself? We’d love to connect. Email [email protected] to get in touch.
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About the author
Vanessa Nah likes her finance articles the way she likes her sitcoms—light-hearted, entertaining, and leaving people knowing a little more about life. She believes money—like life—should be made simple. Outside of work, you’ll find Vanessa attending dance classes, fingerpicking a guitar, and fulfilling her life mission to make her one-eyed cat the most spoiled kitty in the world.