The 50 Worst Inventions

When a child asks a parent for his or her first pet, the defense platform is a given: Are you going to feed it? Are you going to keep it clean? With Bandai toys, late-1990s children finally got their way past those basic questions with a pet that fit in their pocket. Via combinations of buttons A, B and C, Tamagotchis could be fed, changed and entertained. But just like an actual pet with a pulse, the egg-shaped device required constant care. If not, it could be dead — in less than a day. For parents looking to foster time-management skills in their children, the Tamagotchi often got the best of that battle. Mommy! Mommy!