
May 23



Tired of those Beanie Babies yet?

Well, get ready for the Giga Pets, scheduled to hit such Chicago stores as Toys "R" Us and probably your child's "gotta have" list next week.

And unlike the Beanie Babies, who just sort of lie there in your hand, a Giga Pet is a child of the computer revolution and needs constant care to keep its circuits humming.

Without virtual feeding, hugs, discipline, sleep and bathroom time, the little creature will sadly sprout wings and soar heavenward.

Made by Tiger Electronics, a privately held electronics toy and game-maker based in Vernon Hills, the Giga Pets are actually little hand-held video screens attached to a key ring.

The line now has six pets: Digital Doggie, Compu Kitty, Virtual Alien, Microchimp, Bit Critter and a Baby T-Rex from the "Jurassic Park" sequel, "The Lost World."

The pet is born on command on the screen after the tab on the back is pulled. For example, the dinosaur crawls out of his egg and a stork delivers the kitty. After that, the pet beeps whenever it gets hungry, needs a nap or whatever. It's up to the owner to figure out what's needed by pushing the various keys, which activate different icons. A half-full bowl of food means the pet is hungry.

"Once it's turned on, it's alive and it's your responsibility to take care of it properly," said Stewart Sims, a senior vice president at Tiger, as he watched his just-born T-Rex devour a meal of eggs and then break into a happy smile.

With a suggested retail price of $9.99, the Giga Pets are similar to a toy called Tamagotch, or "cute little egg," which was introduced several months ago in Japan by Bandai Co., a Japanese toymaker. They are scheduled to be launched this week at toy stores in New York and San Francisco, retailing at roughly $15.

Sims reports that when the Giga Pet was tested in an area elementary school recently, "the girls all named the pet right away (which can be done on the screen), and the boys started disciplining it right away."

And the dream of every manufacturer of such products: Will the Giga Pet be picked up as a promotion by a fast food chain or food company, a la McDonald's and the Beanie Babies?

"We've spoken to a number of companies," Sims said. "We're hopeful."

Copyright © 2019, Chicago Tribune