Tamagotchi Paradise trades stressful virtual pet parenting for nature and tranquility

On a random Saturday in August, I became the omnipotent caretaker of a newly formed planet, one born, according to the lore, from humankind's collective love of Tamagotchis past and present. An egg hatched and a planet sprang forth. Then another egg hatched down on the surface of that planet and a critter sprang forth. In the few weeks since, I've raised half a dozen more creatures across three different virtual habitats, slowly but surely turning my planet into a bustling hub of adorable alien life.

Whereas previous Tamagotchi devices felt like they bestowed a personal challenge on players to keep individual characters alive and in their care as long as possible, Tamagotchi Paradise places more of an emphasis on pop...