The Tamagotchi Connection V1, sold as Tamagotchi Connexion in Europe and Tamagotchi Plus in Japan, is the Tamagotchi that relaunched the brand in 2004. It is also the first one able to talk to other Tamagotchis over infrared. This instruction guide in English covers its 10 icons, care, connecting, marriage and generations.
What is the Tamagotchi Connection V1?
It launched in Japan on 20 March 2004 as Kaettekita! Tamagotchi Plus (“It’s back! Tamagotchi Plus”), then in North America on 15 August 2004. It has been called the “V1” ever since the Connection Version 2 arrived.
- Shell: larger than the original Tamagotchi (the same size as the Osutchi and Mesutchi), with the infrared port on top.
- Screen: bigger, black and white, over a printed background that varies from shell to shell.
- Characters: a mix of P1/P2 and Osutchi/Mesutchi characters plus new ones, including Memetchi and Gozarutchi.
- Battery: one CR2032 button cell.
Tamagotchi Plus, Connexion or Connection: what’s the difference?
The game itself is the same, but a few details change by region:
- Meals: children and teens eat a bowl of rice on the Plus and the Connexion, and a bread roll on the North American Connection.
- Death screen: a ghost beside a grave on the Japanese Plus, a white egg with angel wings on the Connection and the Connexion (with a halo as well on the Connexion).
Starting it up
On first use you enter today’s date and your own birthday, then name your Tamagotchi when it is born. You will name each new generation as well. Your birthday is not just a detail: your Tamagotchi celebrates it with a special animation.
The 10 icons of the Tamagotchi Connection V1
The V1 keeps the 8 functions of the 1990s Tamagotchis and adds two: Connection (the 5th icon, a heart with waves) and the friend list (the 9th icon, an open book).
| Icon | Function |
|---|---|
| Meter | 4 screens: hunger and happiness; the training bar; age, weight and name; gender and generation. |
| Food | Meal (+1 hunger heart, +1 g) or snack (+1 happiness heart, +2 g). |
| Toilet | Clean up the poop, or take your Tamagotchi to the toilet. |
| Game | Two mini-games (see below). |
| Connection | Communicate with another Tamagotchi over infrared. |
| Medicine | Cure illness. |
| Training | Scold or praise. |
| Light | Switch the light on or off. |
| Friend list | View your friends and use the items you have been given. |
| Attention | Lights up when your Tamagotchi needs you. |
Care: what is new on the V1
Physical health and emotional health
The V1 tracks care mistakes in two separate categories. Ignoring your Tamagotchi when it is hungry, ill or misbehaving hurts its physical health. Neglecting its happiness, the light while it sleeps or its sad moments hurts its emotional health. Some characters can only be reached through a particular balance between the two.
Training: scold or praise
- Scold when it calls you with its hearts still full, or when it refuses a meal or medicine it genuinely needs.
- Praise when it sulks or cries.
- Note: on the V1, missing a training call counts as a care mistake.
Taking your Tamagotchi to the toilet
New on the V1: catch it just before it relieves itself and use the Toilet icon so it goes to the toilet instead of soiling the floor. It then gains one happiness heart. This does not work at the baby stage, at the senior stage, or with Oyajitchi.
The light trick
Turn the light off within the half hour before its bedtime and your Tamagotchi falls asleep early and gains a happiness heart. Some characters yawn shortly before bedtime: that is your cue.
The mini-games
The V1 is the first Tamagotchi with more than one game. Note that you cannot play if your Tamagotchi is at its minimum weight.
- Dance: copy the dance steps with the three buttons (A to move left, C to move right, B to jump). The sequence grows longer and the reaction window shorter as you go. This game clears one emotional care mistake.
- Jump: press B at the right moment to clear the hurdles, which come faster and faster. This game clears one physical care mistake.
Connecting over infrared
Line two Tamagotchis up face to face, top to top, and start the connection on both. You don’t choose what happens: the Tamagotchis may play a game, exchange a gift or fall in love.
- Games: an eating contest, or a race to burst a balloon first. You watch without taking part.
- Gifts: a usable item (a ball, roller skates and so on), a nice present (a flower, a cake) or a bad present that upsets it.
- Love: two adults of opposite gender can fall in love.
Which Tamagotchis is the V1 compatible with?
- Connection V1 to V4.5: both the English and Japanese versions can connect and marry across all of these.
- Keitai and Akai: the Japanese version can connect to them, but not marry.
- Unknown character: if the other device runs a character the V1 doesn’t have, it shows up as Nazotchi, a question mark.
The friend list and items
The friend list stores up to 50 friends, with their gender and your friendship level. The items you receive as gifts live there too: select one and your Tamagotchi will play with it. Note that items and friendship levels do not carry over from one generation to the next.
Marriage and the next generation
Two Tamagotchis marry automatically at their next connection if all three of these are true:
- both are adults;
- their “love” status is at maximum;
- they have been adults for at least 72 hours.
Each then receives a baby of the same gender. If your Tamagotchi cannot find a partner on another device, a matchmaker will come round to introduce one. Once a parent has raised its child long enough, it turns the light on itself at midnight to say goodbye.
How do the evolutions work?
Which characters you get depends on three things:
- the number of care mistakes, physical and emotional;
- the parents’ tier: from the second generation on, the parents’ rank influences the baby’s;
- the generation: the V1 alternates between different characters depending on the generation.
Among the children you will find Marutchi and Kinakomotchi; among the teens, Ichigotchi and Hinotamatchi; among the adults, Mametchi, Mimitchi, Memetchi, Kuchipatchi and Gozarutchi. With very few care mistakes you are aiming for the top adults, Mametchi included.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell whether I have a Tamagotchi Connection V1?
The V1 has no antenna on the side, unlike the Keitai and the Connection V3. It is a plain oval shell with the infrared port on top. In Japan it is branded “Tamagotchi Plus”.
Why can’t I play a game with my Tamagotchi?
It is at its minimum weight. Give it a meal or a snack, then try again.
Who is the question mark that appears during a connection?
That is Nazotchi. It stands in for the other device’s character when the V1 doesn’t have it, which happens with newer models. It is not a character you can raise.
What battery does the Connection V1 take?
One CR2032 cell. See our guide What battery does my Tamagotchi need? for the other models.
Browse our Tamagotchi Connection V1 and Tamagotchi Plus units and all our Tamagotchi Connection models. You can also read our Keitai and Akai guide and all our Tamagotchi guides.