Tamagotchi Connection

Tamagotchi Connection
Also known as: Tamagotchi Connexion (EU/AU) Developer: Bandai Publisher: Bandai Platform: Handheld Released in JP: March 20, 2004 Released in US: August 15, 2004 Released in EU: 2004 This game has unused playable characters. This game has unused graphics. This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences. This game has revisional differences.

This page covers the Connection series only This includes the Plus and versions 1 to 6. The Tama-Go, both versions of Tamagotchi Friends, the vintage series, Japanese models and the Tamagotchi apps are not included here.

To do: Provide more information on versions 4, 5 and 6.

Tamagotchi Connection is a reboot of the classic '90s virtual pet. Six versions were released between 2004 and 2009.

Version and Regional Differences

Each release version of Tamagotchi varied in a number of different ways. Occasionally, different models of the same release version were even known to have a few slightly differing features - whether it’s revisional differences or regional ones. The differences are often very minor or only involve bug fixes, though in some cases the differences can make the two models be considered to be different versions, when they’re still essentially the same thing. Most notably, the American versions were referred to as the "Connection", while the international releases in Europe, Asia and Australia were referred to as the "Connexion".

Tamagotchi Connection

To do: While there are obvious differences between each regional version there may also be different variants of the V1 in a given region - early and late builds of the European V1, for example. For this reason it's worth checking that all these differences are present in any given V1. Also, check how many of these features change when the 'region change' feature is enabled.

Several different variants of the Version 1 were released when released worldwide, with the Tamagotchi Plus releasing in Japan in March 2004 and more releases worldwide later the same year. There are several minor differences between each of the releases but the most prominent are between the European and American releases:

• On the Plus, some of the characters eat or drink different food (which?).
• The date system used is Day/Month on the Connexion and Month/Day on the Connection.
• The 'lbs' symbol is used on the Connection, while a 'g' is used on the Connexion.
• The word 'Gender' is used on the Connection and 'Style' is used on the Connexion.
• The word 'Generation' is shortened to 'Gene.' on the Connexion and "Gen." on the Connection.
• The phrase 'Time Out' is written as 'Punish' on the Connexion.
• The 'Present' menu says 'Item' on the Connexion.
• In the dance game, the word 'Watch' is displayed on the Connection, while the Connexion says 'Dance'.
• Upon losing a game the Connexion says "BAD~~" while the Connection says "OK".
• The connection screen appears slightly different between each version.
• The pause feature doesn't work on the Connexion.

Given how many of the changed features of the American version were later found in the Connexion variant of the Version 2, it's safe to assume that the Connection was built later than the Connexion. This is supported by the fact that the Connexion lacks a region change feature and upon performing a ROM test the Connexion displays "Ver 2.1" while the Connection displays "Ver 4.2" (though there may be more ROM versions).

Tamagotchi Plus GLAY Expo Edition

An obscure variant of the Japanese Version 1 (the Tamagotchi Plus) exists, differing from regular versions of the Plus only in that it has a unique birthday animation and features a unique character called "Metarutchi", which cannot be obtained but can be presented as a dating partner by the matchmaker.

Tamagotchi Connection Version 2

Several changes were made to later releases of the V2. In particular, early versions (especially early Connexion versions rather than early Connection versions) had a few slightly different item names - the "Honey" item was called "Love Potion", for example.

Tamagotchi Connection Version 2 PUMA Edition

A rare version of the V2 designed by Yashuhiro Mihara of PUMA is known to exist. While mostly functioning like an ordinary V2, it differs from other versions of the V2 in that it has a different animation when starting up. It also features a different egg sprite. The egg matches the colour scheme of the Tamagotchi model.

Original Egg	PUMA Edition

ROM Testing

To do: Some versions list a ROM version when the ROM test is activated, perhaps that's worth documenting?

This tests for any problems within the toy including pixels, ROM and the connection feature. It is accessed by holding 'A', 'B' and 'C' at once while pressing the Reset button.

Debug Mode

To do: Would it be possible to get a picture of the debug mode in action?

To do: Find out how to debug v6. Apparently it is possible but no-one has worked out how to do it yet. [1]

The debug solder jumper on the circuit board.

Debug is enabled in different ways depending on the version. In versions 1-4, the debug function is located on the back of the circuit board. Next to where the battery should be, there is solder jumper JP3 with the name "DEBUG" above it. Debug mode is activated by shorting the two pads of the link using solder or graphite from a pencil.

In later versions debug mode is more difficult to activate, possibly because its convenient effects resulted in a large amount of people deciding to take advantage of it, to the disapproval of Bandai.

In version 5, the debug function is placed on the front of the circuit near the screen. A solder jumper labelled R11 must be shorted with solder with a wire attached. The other end of the wire must be soldered to a small circle labelled DEBUG.

Functions

Debug has two main functions:

• Hyperspeed: This makes the character rapidly move about the screen and age. This allows a baby character to grow up to the adult stage within minutes when it would normally take about 4 days. Hyperspeed is activated and deactivated with the 'C' button.
• Character selection: This allows the user to choose their character as soon as the egg hatches. Any official character can be chosen and a number of otherwise entirely unused characters can also be chosen.

Regional Differences

Connexion

This feature has not been found to be included in the Tamagotchi Connexion (European and Australian release) because of the Connexion's different circuit layout. It is unknown if the feature was removed or relocated to a different part of the circuit without the 'DEBUG' label.

Region Change

Two solderable links on a Connection circuit board.

The Connection (North America) can be turned into a Connexion (Europe, Australia). To do this, look for solder jumpers JP1 and JP2 towards the left of the back of the circuit board. Short both of them to activate the features mentioned below.

Connexion

Like the Debug feature, this is not included on the Tamagotchi Connexion hardware. It is unknown if there is a way to turn a Connexion into a Connection.

Version 1

To do: Check that these are all the changes - more regional differences are listed above but it's not known if they are affected by region changing.

This feature will result in:

• The date system will change to Day/Month instead of Month/Day.
• The word 'Gender' will be replaced with 'Style'.
• The words 'Time Out' will be replaced with 'Punish'.
• The pause feature doesn't work.

Version 2 and 3

The only effect this will have is the date system changing to Day/Month instead of Month/Day.

(Source: Console Database)

Unused Characters

Just about every version of Tamagotchi features a few characters which, by normal means, cannot be raised. While this in itself is not entirely surprising, sometimes sprites exist for these characters which would normally only be accessible if the character was able to be raised, and in some cases the character actually can be raised through the debug menu.

Many of the hidden characters are taken from the "Deka Tamagotchi", a promotional toy featured in a number of Japanese stores in 2004 where the characters could "befriend" normal Tamagotchis, therefore normal Tamagotchis would need data stored on these characters. Below is a list of characters which are unused in some way.

Image	Name	Versions	Description
	Nazotchi	V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6	Tamagotchi character used as a "placeholder", especially when connecting between versions. It's not normally accessible as a playable character (though on the V5 it can act as one of the parent characters) though it can be accessed through debug mode. On the Japanese version of the V1 (the Tamagotchi Plus) it only has three frames of animation.
	Burgertchi	V1, V2, V3	Mascots from the Deka Tamagotchi.
	Capsuletchi	V1, V2, V3
	Maikutchi	V1, V2, V3
	Omuratchi	V1, V2, V3
	Tamagotchi	V1, V2, V3
	Unknown	V1, V2, V3	Nothing is really known about this character. Colloquially known as "Three Blocks", it was probably planned to be one of the Deka Tamagotchi mascots, given by how other Tamagotchis interact with it when connecting.
	Tsutayatchi	V1, V2, V3	Only accessible through debug mode on the Tamagotchi Plus, however its sprites still exist on the international releases up to version 3, though its character data is replaced with a second Nazotchi. The only way to view its sprites is by having a Deka character use an item which it lacks the animation sprites for. Once again, it was probably planned to be one of the Deka Tamagotchi mascots, given by how other Tamagotchis interact with it when connecting.
	Flowertchi	V1	These characters only ever officially appeared on the western-only V2 and were never featured in Japanese releases. Because of this, they have no official artwork. Data for these characters exist on the Japanese Tamagotchi Plus and its western equivalent, the V1. The characters appear to have not been much more than a "test" and it's possible that they were abandoned by the Japanese branch of Bandai while the V1 was being designed, and this was overlooked by international staff when the V1 was used as a base for the V2.
	Kaerutchi	V1
	Toratchi	V1
	Whaletchi	V1
	Butterflytchi	V1	Like the aforementioned Flowertchi, Kaerutchi, Toratchi and Waletchi, this character was only released in the western V2 but has data in the Japanese Tamagotchi Plus and the V1. However, unlike the other characters, which seem to have been designed from scratch, this character appears to be based on a character from the PlayStation game Hoshi de Hakken!! Tamagotchi.
	ChoHimetchi	V1	While these characters are normally accessible on the western-only V2, their data also exists on the Tamagotchi Plus and the V1, and are accessible through debug mode. These characters first appeared on the Japan-only Mesutchi & Osutchi models released in December 1997, which were unique during that period of time in that they were the only Tamagotchis capable of connecting. It's possible that they were at some point intended to appear in the Tamagotchi Connection series as an allusion to that fact.
	Marumimitchi	V1
	Propellertchi	V1
	UFOtchi	V1
	Violetchi	V1	While this character is normally accessible on the V2, its data also exists on the Tamagotchi Plus and the V1, and is accessible through debug mode. Violetchi is unique among the unused characters due to the fact that it would eventually become an official character in the Japanese version of the Connection series and also one of the "main" characters in other releases, including the anime.

Unused Graphics

To do: Find out more information on unused sprites and data... Preferably not only through glitches.

In multiple versions of Tamagotchi, there is some unused item and character data that can either only be accessed through debugging (explained above), or can never be accessed at all. Some of the data that doesn't materialise during normal play can be accessed through glitches, however. One infamous 'glitch' present on just about any version of Tamagotchi is caused by a dying battery or a loose battery connection - or more accurately, a low battery can trigger a whole host of glitches, though it is impossible to accurately predict their behavior. This can give rise to sprites appearing that would not appear during normal play, such as items and games present on Version 3 appearing on Version 2.