“New species discovered!” — the 1997 follow-up with an all-new cast, a new game, and the debut of Mimitchi.
What Is the Gen 2 Re-Release?
The Tamagotchi Original “Gen 2” is a reissue of the second 1996/97 model — the “New Species Discovered!! Tamagotchi,” which fans call the “P2.” It launched shortly after the first model with an entirely new set of characters and a different mini-game, and it’s where the beloved rabbit-like Mimitchi made her debut. Like the Gen 1, it returned for the 20th anniversary in 2017, rolled out globally from 2018, and stays in production with rotating shell designs.
Bandai officially describes Gen 2 as the “New Species Discovered!!” characters, and the device wears a yellow-and-blue ripple background print to set it apart from Gen 1’s checkerboard. The core nurturing is the same as Gen 1 — but as Bandai puts it, the difference is “what they eat, what game keeps them happy, and how they get back to Tamagotchi Planet.” If you’ve already raised the original six and want fresh faces, Gen 2 is your pick.
What’s Different From Gen 1 (and From the 1997 Original)
Compared with Gen 1, the Gen 2 swaps in a completely different character roster, uses a Higher or Lower number game instead of Left or Right, feeds hamburgers and cake instead of bread and candy, and shows a UFO (rather than an angel) on its goodbye screen.
Versus the 1997 original, the Gen 2 reissue carries the same modern tweaks as the Gen 1 reissue:
- Same-size replica (~2 in / 5 cm) — not a shrunken version.
- Low-battery warning screen and a single CR2032 battery.
- Louder, slightly altered sounds and smoother (but dimmer) animation.
- Stricter discipline: missed attention calls count against your adult outcome even when the meter is full.
- Snacks can be fatal in the child/teen stage if overused.
- A Gen-2-specific quirk: in the Higher/Lower game, each round now starts with a fresh number instead of carrying over the last one.
- The medicine icon is now the syringe in all regions (the original English P2 used a bottle and spoon).
The Growth Chart: Egg to Adult
Gen 2 follows the same five-stage life cycle as Gen 1, with its own characters at each step. One “year” equals one real day.
| Stage | Character | When |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | — | Hatches about 5 minutes after you set the clock |
| Baby | Shirobabytchi | First hour — a no-stakes “practice” stage; always becomes Tonmarutchi |
| Child | Tonmarutchi | From ~1 hour old until age 3 |
| Teen | Tongaritchi (good care) or Hashitamatchi (poor care) | Age 3 to 6 |
| Adult | One of six (see below) | Age 6 onward |
| Secret | Zatchi (English release) | Special unlock — see below |
As with Gen 1, the teen you become decides your ceiling: good care makes Tongaritchi (the path to the best adults), while sloppy care makes Hashitamatchi (steered toward the lower tiers).
Every Gen 2 Adult and How to Get It
Just like Gen 1, your adult is decided by your care mistakes (missed hunger/happy calls) and discipline mistakes (ignored attention calls). The headline character is Mimitchi — she went on to become one of the franchise’s three permanent mascots alongside Mametchi and Kuchipatchi.
| Adult | Reputation | How to get it (from the good-care teen, Tongaritchi) |
|---|---|---|
| Mimitchi | The best — the iconic rabbit-eared mascot | 0–2 care mistakes, 0 discipline mistakes |
| Pochitchi | Good — the friendly dog | 0–2 care mistakes, 1 discipline mistake |
| Zuccitchi | The quirky one | 0–2 care mistakes, 2+ discipline mistakes |
| Hashizoutchi | Mid-tier | 3+ care mistakes, 0–1 discipline mistakes |
| Kusatchi | The plant-like neglect character | 3+ care mistakes, 2–3 discipline mistakes |
| Takotchi | Worst care — the octopus | 3+ care mistakes, 4+ discipline mistakes |
A poor-care teen (Hashitamatchi) leads toward Hashizoutchi, Kusatchi, or Takotchi.
The secret character — Zatchi: raise your Tamagotchi to Zuccitchi while never disciplining it (keep discipline at 0%), then give Zuccitchi near-perfect care (0 discipline mistakes) to unlock the hidden alien character.
Note for collectors: Japanese Gen 2 units use slightly different rosters — the Japan-only characters Nyatchi (a cat), Sekitoritchi, and Charitchi don’t appear on the English/reissue version sold in Western stores.
How Care Works
Care is identical in structure to Gen 1 — only the food and game art change. Use A to move, B to confirm, C to cancel, and cycle the status screens to watch Age & Weight, Discipline, Hungry, and Happy.
- Meals vs. snacks: a meal (hamburger) fills a Hungry heart and adds 1 weight; a snack (cake) fills a Happy heart but adds 2 weight and risks sickness. Raise happiness with the game, not cake, to keep weight low.
- Attention & care mistakes: answer the lit attention icon within ~15 minutes (hunger, happiness, or lights-off) or it logs a care mistake.
- Discipline: scold it when it calls but refuses food and play; on the reissue, ignoring discipline calls counts against you even with a full bar.
- Sickness, sleep & poop: cure illness with medicine, turn the lights off at bedtime, and clean poop promptly to avoid mistakes and disease.
The Mini-Game: Higher or Lower
Gen 2 trades Gen 1’s direction game for a number game. Your Tamagotchi picks a number 1–9; you guess whether the next number will be higher (press B) or lower (press A). Win at least 3 of 5 rounds to win the game, which fills one Happy heart and trims 1 weight. On the reissue, each round starts with a fresh number. As with Gen 1, the game is the smart way to keep your pet happy without piling on weight — essential for raising Mimitchi.
Buying Guide: Shells, Price & Where to Find It
The Gen 2 reissue sits right alongside Gen 1 at Walmart, Target, Amazon, and Bandai’s official shop, usually around $20–25. The two generations look similar on the shelf, so check the packaging: Gen 2 is labeled “Gen 2 / New Species Discovered!!” and wears the yellow-and-blue ripple print. Shell designs — including gingham, floral, and seasonal patterns — rotate frequently, so check a major retailer or the official shop for the current lineup. The device inside is the same same-size replica as Gen 1.
At a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Original release | 1996/97 — the “P2,” New Species Discovered!! |
| Reissue release | 2017 (Japan) / 2018 (global), ongoing |
| Character set | New-species characters — 6 adults + 1 secret (Mimitchi debuts here) |
| Screen | Monochrome LCD |
| Mini-game | Higher or Lower (number guessing) |
| Battery | 1 × CR2032 |
| Difficulty | Classic — demanding but simple |
| Price | ~$20–25 |
| Availability | Widely available new in stores |
Want the original cast instead? See our Tamagotchi Gen 1 Re-Release Guide. For how it all started, read The Original Era (1996–1998) and the full History of Tamagotchi. And for the franchise’s newest device, explore our complete Tamagotchi Paradise guides.