If you’re a child of the 80s or 90s, chances are you may have grown up with a virtual pet of your own. After experiencing your Tamagotchi dying while you were at school or attempting to expand your Furby’s vocabulary, you may be wondering if there is still a place for interactive pets in a modern technological world.
Fast forward 30 years, however, and the virtual and interactive pets that we know and love have certainly evolved, growing hugely in popularity to become highly engaging interactive toys for children young and old. From role-playing games to feeding, grooming and in some cases even taking them to the toilet, these intelligent and interactive toys make great companions for children.
Furbies and Tamagotchis have seen impressive revivals in recent years, while many other interactive pets encourage caring and nurturing behaviour and teach children a sense of responsibility.
If you’re looking for an interactive pet to delight and entertain your child, here’s our pick of the best interactive pets from preschoolers to older children, as tried and tested by our enthusiastic toy testers, Erin and Neve.
Best interactive pets at a glance:
- Best for reacting to touch: Bitzee - £31, Argos
- Best for interactive features: Tamagotchi Uni - £70, Amazon
- Best for nostalgic vibes: Tamagotchi Original - £20, Amazon
- Best for soft plush: Pets Alive Smitten Kittens - £15, Amazon
- Best for entertainment value: Pets Alive Pooping Puppies - £20, Amazon
- Best for lights and sounds: Curlimals Flutter Wonders - £30, Amazon
- Best for preschoolers: Baby Paws - £25, Amazon
- Best for realistic movements: Robo Alive Dino Wars Mega Rex - £16.50, Amazon
- Best for responding to voice: Furby Interactive Pet - £54.99, Amazon
Shop now
Tamagotchi Uni
Best for: Interactive features
We’re all familiar with the iconic Tamagotchi, but joining the likes of the incredibly popular Tamatochi Pix, comes Bandai’s latest offering, Tama Uni (short for Tama Universe) which offers a more captivating and interactive experience than ever before.
The first-ever Tamagotchi with a full-colour screen, it features a wrist strap for motion sensor activities and games and the ability to link up with other Tamagotchi users via the online Tamaverse.
From the moment their egg hatches, children will be responsible for their Tama’s overall health and well-being, from feeding their Tama food and snacks to bathing them, playing with them and keeping them happy and entertained. Just like a real pet, the attention required is significant, however, children can recruit a babysitter once a day to help tend to their Tama when they aren’t able to do it themselves.
Tamagotchi’s Uni virtual pets can get sick and die if not cared for, so they can be quite a commitment, however, once an adult, Tamas do have a desire to marry and leave, providing a natural ‘break’ between Tamas with a far more happy ending.
Our testers loved playing the Tamagotchi Uni mini-games, including matching pairs and dancing, earning money to spend at the Tama Mall. Here children can buy additional food, entertainment or decor, discovering their Tama’s favourite items to quickly boost their mood.
Some of the controls took a while for our testers to master, and the instructions could certainly be better. However, the graphics on Tamagotchi Uni are a far cry from the basic monochrome of the 90s original, with engaging room settings, characters and outfits that allow some significant personalisation. Battery life is good, but Tamagotchi Uni also comes with the convenience of recharging via USB, although you can expect some mild panic when the battery's warning icon first appears.
We love how the Tamagotchi Uni encourages movement and activity, with the wrist strap registering your child’s real-life movements and collecting prizes during the ‘Tama walk’. There’s even the chance to meet other real Tamagotchis in the Tamaverse, competing in Tama games with other users across the globe.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon
Bitzee Interactive Toy Digital Pet
Best for: Reacting to touch
A recent release from interactive toy legends Spinmaster (the makers of Hatchimals), Bitzee takes interactive pets to a whole new level.
Thanks to an intelligent motorised display that flicks at high speed, Bitzee is the first interactive pet that children can actually touch, pet and stroke, with 3D holographic characters that appear to burst straight out of the chunky handheld case.
There are 15 Bitzee characters to collect, with options such as butterflies and unicorns that are rarer than others, providing the perfect motivation for your child to nurture and play with their pets. The more they play, the more treats they earn, which can then be used to lure new characters to their collection.
Given the appropriate care, Bitzee pets evolve relatively quickly from baby to adult and finally the Super Bitzee stage - where each character’s interactive mini-game is revealed. On the flip side, if ignored their pets will quite literally get in their car and run away! This feels a little less brutal than illness and death associated with other virtual pets and reassuringly, they can be lured back fairly easily with their favourite treats.
Bitzee is recommended for children aged five and above and we can completely understand why - younger children may struggle with the gentle touch and precise movements required to trigger the controls. Actions include softly petting the character from above, tilting the case from left to right and using a slider to switch between options such as food and games.
Overall, our toy testers found Bitzee engaging and fun, with the collective element a big plus point for fans of surprise reveal toys. On the downside, the constant clicking motor noise from the display was a little annoying and we felt the novelty wear off once all characters had been collected.
Buy now £31.00, Argos
Tamagotchi Original
Best for: Nostalgic vibes
If you’re looking for a more affordable interactive pet, or want your child to have a similar experience to your classic Tamagotchi from the 90s, the Tamagotchi Original could be the perfect choice.
With some major nostalgic vibes, these portable egg-shaped Tamagotchi come in a range of brightly coloured shells - from the iconic comic book to mermaid, ice cream and even bright neon designs. The variety of shells allows a clear differentiator when buying Tamagotchi for siblings, but also allows children to express their personality by picking the colour and design of their choice.
A portable, no-frills virtual pet, the Tamagotchi Original comes housed on a handy chain, allowing children to attach it to their keys or bag for nurturing on the go. Just like the 90s classic, children must look after their digital pet by feeding them, playing with them and cleaning up their poop, as well as putting them to bed, providing medicine when sick and even disciplining them if they misbehave.
There are three buttons to operate and again while the instructions weren’t hugely helpful for more detailed functionality, our testers got up to speed relatively quickly.
With fun electronic games to help their Tamagotchi develop from baby to adult, it’s important to watch your Tamagtchi’s happy and hungry metres - as they can get poorly or ‘return to their home planet' if they don’t get enough attention. The shape, personality and life of each Tamagotchi character will depend on how well your child cares for it, with a maximum stay being around 23 years (days).
We love the option to ‘pause’ care when your child is at school or unavailable, as the pressure of keeping their Tamagotchi healthy can be a little overwhelming for some. Our biggest bug bear is that the screen is not backlit and really quite dull in appearance, making it somewhat harder to care for your Tama in low light settings.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon
Zuru Pets Alive Smitten Kittens
Best for: Soft plush
If your child loves to play and cuddle up with cute plush toys, the Pets Alive Smitten Kittens could easily become their new best friend.
With an adorable unboxing experience, our toy testers loved cracking open the brightly coloured ‘ball of wool’ outer to reveal one of eight furry kittens (including a super rare rainbow kitty) snuggled up inside. As well as the plush interactive toy, children will also find additional fun surprises including a sheet of sparkly kitten stickers, kinetic sand ‘kitty litter’ compound and a miniature milk bottle for feeding their new pet.
The kitten itself is adorable, in a seated position with soft lifelike ‘fur’ and huge sparkly eyes. Batteries aren’t included, but once you’ve added your triple-A’s and flicked the switch to on, this interactive kitty quickly springs to life.
With a tap on the head, the feeding of a bottle or the press of the paw, Smitten Kittens make over 10 different sounds and reactions, from mews and miaows to cat singing and a much more authentic purr. The purr is surprisingly realistic, with a therapeutic vibration that ripples through the toy, making it an absolute pleasure to stroke - just like petting a real cat.
We can imagine children wanting to collect the whole litter of Smitten Kittens, however, it's worth noting that in our experience, the glow-in-the-dark eyes were more of a subtle glimmer than the vivid cat’s eyes you might be expecting.
Buy now £14.99, Amazon
Zuru Pets Alive Pooping Puppies
Best for: Entertainment value
An interactive pet you can test without even removing from the packaging, Pets Alive Pooping Puppies are sure to appeal to kids who love a bit of toilet humour, combining an adorable pup, entertaining fart noises and poop without any of the mess. What’s not to love?
There are three different Pooping Puppies to collect in the range and helpfully for parents, each one has subtle differences in the bone colour on the packaging - ideal when trying to avoid receiving duplicates.
Inside this fun poop-shaped box, children will reveal their soft plush puppy, along with a removable nappy, sheep of fun poop stickers, a pack of three puppy bones and our personal favourite, Puppy’s first poop certificate - a milestone that we never thought we’d be celebrating with excitement.
Pooping Puppies make some adorable woofing, barking and whining sounds, but the real magic happens when he starts to eat. Simply pop a bone into his mouth to hear him crunch as he tucks into his treat, before pushing downwards on his front legs to trigger some highly amusing farting, straining and splat sounds, as the colour-changed treats make their way to his nappy.
It’s worth mentioning that treats must be fed one at a time to avoid getting stuck and you do need to press down quite firmly to trigger the poop. Our testers also found the nappy a bit of a novelty, preferring to see the instant rewards of their efforts. Don’t forget to switch from the demo mode to see the full range of sounds and reactions.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon
Curlimals Flutter Wonders Bella Bear
Best for: Lights and sounds
Interactive pets don’t have to be all about eating and pooping as there are a variety of toys that provide a more calming and sensory experience.
The latest addition to the already popular range of Curlimals interactive toys, the adorable Curlimals Flutter Wonder Bella Bear combines soft fur, super cute responses, movement and colour-changing lights to become an adorable new companion for children aged three and above.
Encouraging nurturing behaviours, Bella Bear curls up into a cute little ball when resting or sleeping and can be activated by being gently patted on the head, tickled on the tummy or stroked on the nose, triggering a wide range of movements and sounds. With over 100 sounds and reactions to discover, the more children play with their Curlimal, the more responses they will unlock.
Our testers loved the cute sneezing, tickling and laughing from their Curlimal, who even likes to sing and tell them when they are feeling happy. What really stands the Culimals Flutter Wonders apart from the rest of the range however are the movements and lights - with wings that move in a ‘flutter’ motion and colour-changing lights that offer a pretty impressive show when the lights go down.
Buy now £30.00, Amazon
Baby Paws
Best for: Preschoolers
With simple actions that encourage nurturing behaviours, Baby Paws makes a great alternative, teaching children as young as 18 months old how to care for their animals and pets.
These cuddly plush pups are available in a choice of three designs, including a Dalmatian, Cocker Spaniel and Husky, each with large sparkly eyes and super soft fur that is perfect for petting. Our toy testers loved removing the bone dummy and watching the pup’s eyes open and close, with a variety of cute sounds including panting and barking, sleep sounds and snoring.
Thanks to the cute blanket that converts to a carry bag, children can even take Baby Paws with them wherever they go, either cradling them via the handle or creating a cute shoulder bag with a safety latch. We love that the bone is attached to prevent it from getting lost and making it easy to master for even the smallest of hands.
While your child may outgrow this toy relatively quickly, each Baby Paws pup has a QR code linked to the free compatible app, with additional gameplay including bathing, grooming and providing medicine with friendly veterinarian Juliet.
Buy now £24.99, Amazon
Robo Alive Dino Wars Mega Rex
Best for: Realistic movements
If your child likes their pets to be on a much bigger scale, they don’t get much bigger than the Robo Alive Dino Wars Mega Rex - a giant robotic T Rex with lifelike sounds and movements.
The biggest dinosaur in the Robo Alive range, it offers fun interactive play rather than nurturing and caring, however, children will love the true-to-life movements of this supersized toy. As well as an authentic dinosaur stomp and flick of the tail, it also rolls its head from side to side as it lets out a fairly menacing roar.
Engaging and fun for play battles and duels with friends, Mega Rex comes with removable clip-on armour and a real firing light-up blaster weapon, ideal for knocking down any enemies that try and head into their secret lair.
The large size of this interactive toy means it will certainly appeal to the kids, however obviously it's more suited to play inside the home than some of the more portable interactive pets as a result. Our toy testers loved the secret slime pack, with soft and stretchy slime as a welcome additional treat.
Buy now £16.50, Amazon
Furby Interactive Toy
Best for: Responding to voice
We all remember the Furby from the 90s, but in 2023, Furby is back with a more visually appealing and child-friendly makeover. With a choice of brightly coloured and incredibly fluffy designs, kids will love welcoming these cheeky and playful interactive pets into their homes, with a choice of five entertaining play modes, activated by simple voice commands.
Unlike smart devices that are ‘always on’, Furby is activated using the heart button on its forehead and a basic ‘Hey Furby’ command, followed by your child’s choice of play mode including Dance Party, Light Show, Copycat and Let’s chill, or our toy testers personal favourite - Tell my fortune. The latter turns Furby into the modern-day equivalent of a magic eight ball, shaking the Furby as you ask your fortune and then waiting with anticipation as he shares the result.
With over 600 reactions to discover, Furby also responds to tickling or cuddling, petting or brushing its hair. The girls loved hearing his cute reactions to being tickled and shaken, laughing as he even broke out into occasional Furbish. With his supersized ears moving up and down when he talks, Furby will gently drift off to sleep when lay down on his back and quite adorably, is even impartial to the odd nightmare, requiring some comfort to calm him down.
The Furby is quite easily the noisiest of the interactive pets we’ve tested, you can turn off sounds quickly when required by pressing his heart three times in a row.
With a wide range of reactions, he doesn’t appear to ‘learn’ like the original, you’re unlikely to experience regular repetition of responses like you might with other cheaper alternatives. The new Furby cannot communicate with the originals, but siblings and friends will love syncing their 2023 Furby’s for a shared party time experience.
Buy now £54.99, Amazon
Verdict
With so many interactive pets to choose from, the right toy for your child will very much depend on their age and personality. However, thanks to its high-quality graphics, interactive gameplay, customisation options and ability to link with other real players in the Tamaverse, the Tamagotchi Uni gets our pick for the best overall interactive pet you can buy today.
While it doesn’t come cheap, it’s held the attention of our toy testers for the longest duration by far, with our oldest Tama reaching a fairly impressive age of 54.
