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Smartwatches would be the perfect place to revive this '90s gaming fad

Did you own a Tamagotchi or Pikachu pedometer as a kid? Raising a virtual pet on your smartwatch would motivate you to hit your steps and stay fit.

I have vague, nostalgia-tinted memories of raising my Tamagotchi to adulthood and running with my marathoner dad wearing my Pikachu pedometer to make the little monster happy. While an Android smartwatch or Apple Watch has the display space and RAM for an in-depth app, an active care system would lead to most people abandoning their virtual pets after the novelty wears off. Last year, I spotted Garmin holiday faces(like the one above) that would start empty and then build a snowman or decorate a tree based on how many intensity minutes you completed.

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