Stranger Things Sends Tamagotchi Into the Upside Down as New Official Collab Announced
Netflix’s Stranger Things is entering the world of Tamagotchi in an unexpected new collaboration that gives Bandai’s classic virtual pet a supernatural makeover inspired by the show’s terrifying alternate dimension.
The new “Original Tamagotchi Stranger Things” combines the original virtual pet’s familiar gameplay with a specially designed device that brings the Upside Down into the palm of your hand.
The collaboration brings together two major anniversaries, with Stranger Things celebrating ten years since its Netflix debut in 2016, while Tamagotchi marks three decades since Bandai first introduced its hugely popular digital pets in Japan in November 1996.
Stranger Things has already teamed up with another beloved Japanese toy brand this year, with Sekiguchi releasing an official Monchhichi collaboration featuring plush keychains inspired by the Hellfire Club and Eleven.
For the new Tamagotchi, Bandai has taken inspiration from the Upside Down, the nightmarish parallel world inhabited by creatures such as the Demogorgon, and incorporated it directly into the device’s screen.
Instead of displaying the virtual pet normally, the LCD has been physically inverted, allowing players to raise their Tamagotchi through an upside-down display that reflects the supernatural dimension from the series.
The device itself uses a black and red design featuring the Stranger Things logo, while its packaging gives Mametchi, one of Tamagotchi’s most famous characters, a Demogorgon-inspired appearance.
Despite the horror-themed presentation, the device retains the original GEN1 programming used by the Western version of the first Tamagotchi, allowing players to raise Mametchi and other classic characters through the same gameplay that helped make the virtual pets famous.
Players must feed their Tamagotchi, clean up after it, treat illnesses and provide discipline, with its eventual growth determined by how well it is cared for.
Mini-games are also included, although the collaboration does not introduce any playable Stranger Things characters, meaning fans won’t be able to raise Eleven, Dustin or a Demogorgon as their virtual pet.
Bandai has also created a special Stranger Things-themed protective case for the device, complete with a ball chain that allows it to be attached to clothing, bags or other accessories.
The new release joins a growing selection of anniversary products from Bandai, including the recently revealed Tamagotchi ring, which shrinks the classic digital pet into a wearable device featuring a color screen and 30 different characters to raise.
Pre-orders for the new “Original Tamagotchi Stranger Things” opened in Japan on November 6, 2026, with the device priced at ¥3,300 (approximately $21 / £16) ahead of its February 27, 2027 release through Japanese toy retailers.
At the time of writing, an official US release has yet to be confirmed.
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