Tamagotchi was invented by Aki Maita of Bandai. It was released on November 23, 1996 in Japan. A worldwide release occurred on May 1, 1997.
The name Tamagotchi is a portmanteau of the Japanese words for “egg" and “watch”. The idea behind Tamagotchi is that it is a virtual pet that must be cared for throughout the day.
The pictures below show the instruction booklet included with the Tamagotchi released in 1997.