Just found an original Tamagotchi P1 or P2 and lost the manual? This instruction guide in English covers everything: starting it up, setting the clock, what each icon does, the character growth charts, the pause trick, changing the battery and troubleshooting. It is written from the vintage devices we have been selling since 2013.
Tamagotchi P1 and P2: what are they?
The Tamagotchi (たまごっち) launched in Japan on 23 November 1996 and in the rest of the world in 1997. Collectors call that first model the P1 (first generation) and its 1997 follow-up the P2 (second generation). Both devices work the same way; what changes is the cast of characters and the mini-game.
Good news if you own a Japanese unit: the screen displays no text at all, only icons. You do not need to read Japanese to play.
| Tamagotchi P1 (1996) | Tamagotchi P2 (1997) | |
|---|---|---|
| Baby | Babytchi | Shirobabytchi |
| Child | Marutchi | Tonmarutchi |
| Teens | Tamatchi, Kuchitamatchi | Tongaritchi, Hashitamatchi |
| Adults | Mametchi, Ginjirotchi, Maskutchi, Kuchipatchi, Nyorotchi, Tarakotchi | Mimitchi, Pochitchi, Zuccitchi, Hashizotchi, Kusatchi, Takotchi |
| Secret character | Bill (Oyajitchi on Japanese units) | Zatchi |
| Mini-game | Guess left or right | Guess whether the next number is higher or lower |
| Batteries | 2 × LR44 | 2 × LR44 |
Starting your Tamagotchi for the first time
- Pull out the plastic tab insulating the batteries, if it is still there.
- Press the RESET button on the back with something thin (a paperclip or a toothpick) if the screen stays blank or shows scrambled symbols.
- Set the clock (see below): the internal clock drives your Tamagotchi’s sleep schedule and ageing.
- Wait for the egg to hatch, which takes a few minutes. Be ready: the baby asks for food and attention almost immediately.
Setting the clock
- With no icon selected, press B to display the clock.
- Press A and C together: “SET” appears.
- Use A for the hours and B for the minutes.
- Confirm with C.
What do buttons A, B and C do?
- Button A (left): cycles through the menu icons, one at a time.
- Button B (middle): confirms the selected icon or choice.
- Button C (right): cancels and steps back.
- A + C together (on the main screen): mutes the sound. Repeat to switch it back on.
The 8 menu icons explained
Press A until the icon you want is highlighted, then press B to use it. The icons sit along the top and bottom of the screen.
| Icon | Function | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Food (cutlery) | Choose between a meal (fills hunger) and a snack (fills happiness) | Snacks add weight. Once full, your Tamagotchi simply refuses to eat. |
| Light (bulb) | Switches the light on and off | Turn it off once your Tamagotchi is asleep, and back on when it wakes. |
| Game (ball) | Starts the mini-game | Raises happiness and takes off a little weight. |
| Medicine (syringe) | Cures illness | More than one dose may be needed. |
| Toilet (duck) | Cleans up the poop | Clean it straight away to avoid illness. |
| Meter (gauge) | Shows age, weight, discipline, hunger and happiness | Check it on every call to know what is needed. |
| Discipline (scolded face) | Scolds your Tamagotchi | Only use it when it calls for no reason. |
| Attention | Lights up on its own when your Tamagotchi needs you | This is not a menu, it is an alert indicator. |
The P1 and P2 mini-games
P1: guess which way your Tamagotchi will turn, using A (left) or C (right). A game runs for 5 rounds, and at least 3 correct guesses win a happiness heart.
P2: a number appears and you guess whether the next one will be higher or lower. Again, 3 correct answers out of 5 are needed to win.
Reading the status screens
- Age and weight: your Tamagotchi gains a year every day. Keep an eye on the weight, which climbs quickly on snacks.
- Discipline: a bar that fills up with each justified scolding.
- Hunger: 4 hearts. One meal fills one heart.
- Happiness: 4 hearts. A snack or a won game fills one heart.
Life cycle and evolutions
Your Tamagotchi passes through five stages: egg, baby, child, teen and adult. Hatching takes a few minutes and the baby stage lasts about an hour. The later stages last several days each. Which character you get at every evolution depends on how well you have cared for it.
What decides the evolution
- Care mistakes: a call left unanswered for too long counts as a mistake, whether it is empty hunger, empty happiness or a light left on.
- Discipline: scolding at the right moment improves your chances of the better characters.
- Heart levels: to aim for the best evolutions, don’t let hunger or happiness drop below 3 hearts.
Tamagotchi P1 growth chart
| Stage | Good care | Poor care |
|---|---|---|
| Baby | Babytchi | |
| Child | Marutchi | |
| Teen | Tamatchi | Kuchitamatchi |
| Adult | Mametchi (the best), Ginjirotchi, Maskutchi | Kuchipatchi, Nyorotchi, Tarakotchi |
| Secret | Bill / Oyajitchi, from Maskutchi | |
Tamagotchi P2 growth chart
| Stage | Good care | Poor care |
|---|---|---|
| Baby | Shirobabytchi | |
| Child | Tonmarutchi | |
| Teen | Tongaritchi | Hashitamatchi |
| Adult | Mimitchi (the best), Pochitchi, Zuccitchi | Hashizotchi, Kusatchi, Takotchi |
| Secret | Zatchi, from Zuccitchi | |
Some Japanese P2 units swap one character for a variant: Nyatchi instead of Pochitchi, or Sekitoritchi and Charitchi as secret characters.
How do you get Mametchi or Mimitchi?
They are the reward for near-perfect care. Answer every call quickly, keep hunger and happiness high, turn the light off as soon as your Tamagotchi falls asleep, and fill the discipline bar. A single stretch of neglect at the child stage is often enough to push you onto the “poor care” branch.
Can you pause a Tamagotchi P1 or P2?
There is no true pause function on the original models, but there is a trick that freezes time:
- Make sure no icon is selected, then press B to display the clock.
- Press A and C together: the clock freezes and shows “SET”.
- Leave the device on that screen for as long as you need.
- To resume, simply set the current time and confirm.
Time spent paused does not count: pause it for 3 hours and its growth is pushed back by 3 hours.
What battery does an original Tamagotchi take?
The Tamagotchi P1 and P2 run on two LR44 button cells, also sold as AG13. Note that these are not CR2032 batteries, which belong to the later models.
- Remove the two small screws on the back cover with a properly sized precision screwdriver. Vintage screws strip easily, so go gently.
- Swap both cells, following the polarity marked inside.
- Screw the cover back on, then press RESET if the screen stays blank.
Worth knowing: the original model gives no low-battery warning. It simply switches off, and changing the batteries starts the game over from scratch.
For every other model, see our guide What battery does my Tamagotchi need?
Troubleshooting
- Blank or very faint screen: the batteries are dead. Replace them.
- Scrambled symbols or a frozen device: press RESET on the back. Note that this wipes the current game.
- White or green deposits on the contacts: old batteries have leaked. Clean gently with a cotton swab and let it dry before fitting fresh cells.
- It refuses to eat: it is already full. Check the meter before feeding.
- It died: this follows too many care mistakes, an untreated illness, or simply old age. Press a button or RESET to get a new egg.
- Long-term storage: take the batteries out so they cannot leak and damage the device.
Vintage or reissue: what’s the difference?
Bandai reissued these models from 2017 onwards as the “Tamagotchi Original” (Gen 1 and Gen 2). This guide applies to those reissues too, with a few differences:
- the reissue uses a single CR2032 cell behind a cover held by one screw;
- it does show a low-battery screen, unlike the original;
- the evolution requirements can differ slightly from the 1996-1997 units.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to read Japanese to play a Japanese Tamagotchi?
No. The P1 and P2 display icons only, with no text anywhere. Japanese units play exactly like any other.
How do you mute an original Tamagotchi?
Press A and C at the same time once the egg has hatched. Repeat to turn the sound back on.
How can I tell whether I have a P1 or a P2?
The easiest way is to look at the baby when the egg hatches: Babytchi (black) on the P1, Shirobabytchi (white) on the P2. The mini-game also gives it away: left/right on the P1, numbers on the P2.
Can my Tamagotchi die overnight?
While it sleeps it asks for nothing. Just remember to switch the light off once it drops off, and to look after it as soon as it wakes up. If you will be away for a long stretch, use the pause trick above.
Looking for a unit? Browse our selection of original Tamagotchi P1 and P2 models, and all our vintage Tamagotchis: Angel, Morino, Osutchi/Mesutchi and more. You can also read our other Tamagotchi guides, or find out how to identify your Tamagotchi.