When R2-D2 first hit the scene in 1977, every kid in the world wanted their own little robot friend just like him. Who wouldn’t want a loyal metal companion that solved all your problems and made adorable electronic noises? Sadly, technology has not advanced far enough in the 21st century to allow for all of us to have our own Astromech droid by our side. So instead, we just have Alexa. A poor substitute for Artoo if you ask us.
The closest we ever really came to having loyal robot pets was the infamous Tamagotchi toy craze of the ’90s. Well, thanks to the official Star Wars site (via The Verge), we’ve learned that the Skywalker clan’s most trusted droid can finally be yours to own as a Tamagotchi toy. Yeah, it’s a solid two decades after that craze went the way of Beanie Babies. But better late than never, we say. So this is the first-ever officially licensed Star Wars Tamagotchi.
Lucasfilm / Bandai
The new R2-D2 Tamagotchi arrives in two different versions. First, there’s a white model that accurately reflects Artoo’s color scheme from the movies. And then, there is a translucent blue version that looks more like one of the old-school Tamagotchis. You know, the ones you probably owned back in the day and hid in your backpack. Star Wars fans can train their R2-D2 to master a whopping nineteen different skills.
If you remember to keep R2-D2 properly charged and clean, he’ll play two mini-games, including firefighting and Dejarik. That’s the hologram chess he played on the Millenium Falcon, to which his BFF Threepio advised him to “let the Wookiee win.” Maybe if the R2 Tamagotchi sells well enough, we’ll get a BB-8 as a follow-up? He seems like a natural fit. And we think Artoo needs a friend.
The Star Wars R2-D2 Tamagotchi arrives on November 11 and is available for pre-order starting August 2 at 9 p.m. PT.
