History Main / VirtualPet

'''Virtual pets''', aka digital pets, artificial pets, or (more commonly) v-pets, are a sub-genre of the RaisingSim, where the player is able to interact one-on-one with each pet. At its core, it's a type of game where the objective is caring for an animal like in real life, but without the possibility of harm for a real, living thing. They take up little space; most will fit in your pocket. The cost of maintaining one are minuscule as well - just your time and whatever power source they need, usually batteries. The other major advantage is that the consequences of negligence are minimal. Even if the player fails somehow and their pet "dies", it can be reset and started over.

* ''Toys/{{Tamagotchi}}'': The hand-held virtual pet that set off one of a thousand fads in the mid-to-late '90s. They were often banned from schools for being distracting. This didn't stop a lot of kids from setting them on silent and checking on them between classes. It also had a number of video game adaptations, the first of which was on the UsefulNotes/GameBoy in 1997. [[GoodBadBugs They could also be "paused" by going into the menu and choosing the option to set the time, then leaving it run in that manner]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Petz}}'': The series as a whole is centered around taking care of animals in a mostly realistic manner. Started as two individual games, ''Catz'' and ''Dogz'', before becoming a much larger series. The series is often seen as shovelware do to its ubiquity on the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS and UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, though early games in the series were fairly high in quality and easily modded.
* ''VideoGame/PetZombies'': A relatively obscure UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 3DS}} game that spoofs this genre.

* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha3'' for UsefulNotes/PlayStation has [=PocketStation=] mode (any versions other than JP require a cheat device to access), in which a fighter of the player's choosing can be downloaded to the accessory and raised with minigames or letting it sit idle.

* ''VideoGame/{{Tamagotchi}}'' (GB), a straightforward video game adaptation of the original Toys/{{Tamagotchi}} toys for the Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoy. It also received two sequels which never left Japan.

* ''VideoGame/AdoptMe'': A ''VideoGame/{{Roblox}}'' game focused around collecting and trading virtual pets.

* ''VideoGame/PixelPetz'': A mobile game where players can design their own pixel art virtual pets.

* ''VideoGame/{{Creatures}}'': The player raises creatures known as Norns.''

* ''VideoGame/{{Creatures}}: The player raises creatures known as Norns.''

* [[Creator/{{Sony}} AIBO]]: The first attempt at an AI pet, it's a RobotDog with a fairly complex behavior system. However, they're mostly bought to be reprogrammed for other purposes, such as sports.

* ''Digi Pets'': Another small-name brand created to cash in on the craze. Unlike most, this one allowed you to choose one of a number of pets, first ten and ending at ''32'' with their final model. Surprisingly, did not suffer in quality compared to other trend-following v-pet devices.

* ''Magical Witches'': A spin-off of ''Tamagotchi'' spin-off ''Digimon'', using the same connection design to allow two witches to fight each other.

* ''Nano Pet'': Made by Playmates to follow on the coattails of the Giga Pet. It uses the Tamagotchi-style egg-shaped body (though without the "cracks") and the Giga Pets' 4-button controls.

* ''VideoGame/SurviveMolaMola'': Raising an Ocean Sunfish. The main goals are to survive as long as possible but also find out [[TheManyDeathsOfYou all the different ways it can perish.]]

* ''VideoGame/SurviveMolaMola'' is a mobile game where your goal is to raise an Ocean Sunfish to adulthood.

* ''VideoGame/{{Furvilla}}'': A virtual pet game with [[FunnyAnimal fur]][[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom ries]] both [[BunniesForCuteness mun]][[CuteKitten dane]] and [[BasiliskAndCockatrice fan]][[OurDragonsAreDifferent tas]][[OurGryphonsAreDifferent tic]].

* ''VideoGame/Wobbledogs'': A sandbox game where you create and care for the titular Wobbledogs.

* ''VideoGame/MonsterTale'' combines this with a {{Metroidvania}}; depending on how you raise Chomp, he'll aid the young protagonist Ellie in exploration and combat in various ways.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bubbaruka}}: A UsefulNotes/RPGMaker {{Explorer Horror}} game where you care for three virtual pets.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fishkeeper}}'' is an aquarium simulator.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fishkeeper}}'' is a virtual pet & building simulation game where the player takes on the role of an aquarist and must build aquariums for business clients. In addition to working within economic constraints, the player must keep in mind the needs of the fish at all times.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bubbaruka}}'' centers around an InUniverse game with these. Like most, you can pet it, feed it, and play with it. However, doing certain things in the minigame sections causes the game to [[DisguisedHorrorStory go downhill fast]].

* ''VideoGame/YourAmazingTGotchi'' has you taking care of one, except she is a green anime-like girl. It is also very hard to keep her from suffering a horrible death.

* ''VideoGame/{{Dragonseeds}} is another {{Mons}} game about raising dragons.

* ''VideoGame/FishTycoon}}'' is a simulator where the player breeds, raises, and sells fish.