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Original Digital Monster Toy Remake Adds 20th Anniversary Digimon
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
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Bandai announced plans last month to release remakes of its original Digital Monster keychain toys to mark the 20th anniversary of the Digimon franchise this year. The company unveiled details of the new devices on Friday and began accepting pre-orders.
The new Digimon Zubamon will debut on the device to celebrate the franchise's 20th anniversary. The toys will also offer Digimon from the first five versions, including MetalGreymon, SkullGreymon, Andromon, Megadramon, and MetalTyrannomon. The tiny games will feature Dracomon as the 10th anniversary Digimon and Hackmon as the 15th anniversary Digimon.
Agumon will be exclusive to the remakes' Original Brown version, and Gabumon will be exclusive to the Original Gray version. Agumon, Gabumon, and other Digimon will be able to combine to reach their Ultimate stages. If certain Digimon participate in a tag-team battle, they will be able to fuse and create the most powerful monsters.
Unlike previous versions of the toys, the remakes will allow players to raise two Digimon at the same time. As another update to the original version, the device will speed up the time it takes to raise monsters. Digimon will be able to reach their final form in two days, compared to the original version that took six days for Digimon to attain their Ultimate forms.
Like the originals, the new devices will offer battles. However, the remakes will allow two-on-two battles that let players combine Digimon and face off against powerful opponents. Players can also participate in solo battles against a series of opponents and try to beat their friends' records. Fortunately, the new toys will be compatible with the original Digital Monsters toys and the 15th anniversary editions.
Bandai teased that players will be able to participate in a new D-1 Grand Prix competition online, and it will announce details in the future.
The devices cost 3,500 yen (about US$30) each, and they are slated to ship in Japan in July. Bandai will accept pre-orders until March 27.
Bandai released the original Digimon portable virtual pet toy on June 26, 1997.
The Digimon Tamers anime celebrated its 15th anniversary last year, and Bandai is releasing that series' Digivice, the D-Power (or D-Ark in Japan) to celebrate. The Digimon Adventure 02 anime marked its 15th anniversary in 2015 with D-3 ver. 15th Digivice toys. Bandai also released its Digimon Adventure tri. Complete Selection Animation Digivice in 2015.
The franchise's first television anime series, Digimon Adventure, celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2014.
[Via Siliconera]
