tama96 - A Tamagotchi for your desktop, terminal, and AI agents
by•
Inspired by the 1996 Tamagotchi, now programmable by AI agents. Care for your pet via desktop, terminal, or MCP.
Desktop: pixel LCD UI with clickable icons, system tray, background ticks, notifications, always on top so your pet stays visible.
Terminal: standalone or connected client, single binary, zero dependencies.
AI Agent: MCP server lets agents feed, play, and care for your pet with per action permissions and rate limits.
Replies
Hi Product Hunt Community!
I rebuilt Tamagotchi…but made it programmable by AI agents.
Inspired by the 1996 original Tamagotchi. Your care choices shape who your pet becomes! A virtual pet for your desktop, terminal, or AI agents.
You can monitor and care for your pet using the desktop app, terminal app, or MCP.
Desktop app - Pixel LCD display with clickable icons. System tray, background ticks, desktop notifications. Always-on-top so your pet stays visible.
Terminal app - Runs standalone or connects to the desktop app as a client. Single binary, zero dependencies.
AI Agent (like OpenClaw) - The bundled MCP server lets AI tools feed, play with, and care for your pet. Per-action permissions and rate limits keep things under control.
Created with Kiro, Rust, and Tauri. Download or clone and run your own.
@dumango :( Your pet can die from old age, neglect (hunger AND happiness at 0 for 12+ hours), untreated sickness, or baby snack overfeeding (5+).
love that this works as both a nostalgic desktop toy AND a serious dev tool. we've been building MCP servers for healthcare data, but using one for pet care is genuinely clever. the permission system for agent actions is a nice touch - shows you've thought through the chaos agents can cause.
@piotreksedzik That's one of my favorite pieces actually! Gives the agent some guardrails without making the experience feel too complex.
The MCP server integration is what makes this more than a nostalgia project. Everything in the terminal is about output and productivity, so building something in that space that's deliberately playful is a cool design decision. I'd actually want to see what happens when an agent tries to keep the pet alive during a long build.
@juelz Only one way to find out :) Thanks for the comment!
minimalist phone: creating folders
Interesting to see 2 similar launches (Tamagotchi concept) in one day. Love it!
@busmark_w_nika which other?? virtual pets are in!
I like how this lives across desktop, terminal, and agents without forcing one interface.
The terminal version in particular feels very “builder-native.”
Do you see most people using this as a fun side companion, or are you noticing more experimental/automation-driven use cases?
@luca_ardito Too soon to tell still. If anything, I think the desktop, TUI, and MCP pattern can be reused for other usecases and ideas too.