More than ten million copies of the Tamagotchi virtual animal have been sold worldwide since the end of 1996 according to Bandai, the manafacturers of Tamagotchi. Originally designed for 8-15 year old children, the Tamagotchi virtual animal is now a huge success with the adult population in Japan. What is so attractive about the Tamagotchi which is in essence a simple electronic game? Why is it so appealing to such a large spectrum of the population?

Several theories have been provided to try and explain the success of the Tamagotchi virtual animal. Firstly there is a section of the world population that is naturally fascinated by 'the new' particularly when it comes to electronic gadgetry. The Tamagotchi could therefore be fulfilling the same desires as the electroninc games produced by Nintendo during the 1980s. However, according to the sociologist Howard Besser, the human population has a natural need to take care of something or someone. The Tamagotchi is ideally suited for this purpose since it elliminates the practical problems associated with taking care of real animals such as cats and dogs.

Doctor Michael Basquin, from the Pitie Salpetriere hospital in Paris, has been studying the elements of child behaviour that have made the Tamagotchi such a success with the younger generation. According to Doctor Basquin, children often like to play with objects that are in fashion without necessarily attributing any importance to the nature of the object itself. In the early 1980s, for example, the Rubik cube and the yoyo both invaded the children's playgrounds. However, certain children use the Tamagotchi as a means of overcoming a deep loneliness. This loneliness stems from the lack of affection from some children's families. Sometimes the attachment to the virtual animal is so strong that the children become extremely depressed when it 'dies'.

The death of the Tamagotchi
The strong attachment that children often feel towards their pet Tamagotchi has lead to the creation of an Internet cemetery which allows the Tamagotchi to be buried when it 'dies'. This according to several psychologists is dangerous since it often means that children have to deal with the concept of death at a very young age. So serious is the situation that the manufacturers, Bandai, have had to change the illustration appearing on the Tamagotchi liquid crystal display screen when 'death' occurs. The initial Tamagotchi model showed a tomb followed by ghosts and angels. This has now been changed to a starry setting with an angel. Bandai plans to produce a third model in which the Tamagotchi character is seen flying back to its planet in a spaceship-like vehicle. Despite these changes, several countries fear the effects that the Tamagotchi will have on young children. South Korea, for example, has banned the presence of the Tamagotchi in all school classes.

Virtual Reality-escaping the problems of modern life?
The Tamagotchi is just one way in which people are entering the world of virtual reality. Recently the japanese company Fujitsu, released a computer program called "Fin Fin on Teo the magic planet". This virtual reality game was a result of 8 years research into virtual reality computer programming costing approximately 30 million dollars. Such games allow players to enter new worlds and have experiences that are not possible in the real world perhaps providing the player with a means of escaping modern day problems. The appeal of such virtual reality games has increased with the introduction of human characters into virtual reality scenarios . Tomb Raider I, a virtual reality adventure game released by Eidos Interactive, uses a female heroine called Lara Croft to entice players. Lara Croft's appeal is based on a number of factors. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, many virtual reality game enthusiasts find her physically attractive. Secondly, the Lara Croft image and voice are being used in the promotion of records and films. This undoubtedly provides publicity for Lara Croft and the Tombraider I virtual reality adventure. Finally Lara Croft's popularity is just part of a more general success of virtual reality adventures. Another virtual reality game company, Hori Pro, has created Kyoko Date, a virtual reality heroine. Hori Pro is employing similar promotional strategies to those used by Eidos Interactive with Lara Croft.

A number of such adventure games are now commercially available. With the modern day problems that many people face on a daily basis, virtual Tamagotchi pets and virtual reality adventures share one important feature in common-they provide an essential escape route from such problems. The success of virtual gadgetry, such as the Tamagotchi, and virtual reality adventures, such as Tombraider I, can only be expected to increase as we move into the 21st century. All we can do in the real world is wait and see...