Years after Tamagotchis died and lay forgotten in drawers, the toy’s Japanese makers are reviving the craze with a new smartphone app.

Bandai, a Japanese toy-making and video game company, has revealed it will release Tamagotchi L.i.f.e. (Love Is Fun Everywhere) for iOS and Android phones “very soon”.

Along with new features and mini games, the firm also promises a “retro mode”.

“Play the original game, which was introduced 16 years ago, and raise your Tamagotchi the same way you did when you were just a kid,” Bandai says.

While Bandai may have pounced on the Tamagotchi, are there other much-loved toys from yesteryear that could be transformed into apps?