The Tamagotchi was first released in Japan in 1996 after it was developed by Akihiro Yokoi and his colleagues at his toy development company.

Measuring just a few centimetres long, the egg-shaped digital gadget was home to a series of pixelated alien pets.

Owners had to feed, clean and play with their pets by pressing three tiny buttons. Looking after your Tamagotchi and seeing them evolve was thrilling for many children and its popularity quickly spread from Japan across the world.

Almost 100 million Tamagotchis have been sold in more than 50 countries.

Akihiro Yokoi tells Emily Uchida Finch how the hit toy was born, and the impact its prevalence has had on his life and career.

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(Photo: Tamagotchi. Credit: Yves Forestier/Sygma via Getty Images)