Bandai Sharpens Teeth
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They beep. They chirp. They drive parents nuts. And now, Bandai America Inc. is taking electronic pets a step further.
Meet the DigiMon, a snarling little monster kids can raise, bathe and train to battle other digital pets.
Like the Tamagotchi--those egg-shaped virtual pets that youngsters carried around on a key chain--the DigiMon is a digital creature that children “raise” and nurture through a virtual life.
After a few days of feeding the little beasties, kids can connect two DigiMons together through a docking link on the toy. The two creatures fight briefly, with the winner emerging “stronger” and the loser needing his owner to spend time treating his wounds.
Bandai America, the Cypress-based arm of the Japanese toy company, sold more than 10 million Tamagotchis in the U.S. last year, and more than 40 million worldwide. The company released the DigiMon line nationwide in late January.
Though Bandai declined to release sales figures, a slew of sites on the World Wide Web have cropped up with training tips for DigiMon owners.
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P.J. Huffstutter covers high technology for The Times. She can be reached at (714) 966-7830 and at p.j.huffstutter@latimes.com
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