Virtual Reality Egg From Japan Is the Next Big Thingamajig

‘Toys R Us. May I help you?”

Yes, do you carry those funny, little Japanese computer pets that are the newest craze?

“Sorry, we’re all sold out right now. We have more coming in.”

“Wal-Mart. May I help you?”

Yes, do you have any of those plastic Tamagotchi chicken egg pets in stock? You know, the ones that hatch and you have to feed or they die?

“Sorry, we’re all sold out right now. We have more coming in.”

“Target. May I help you?”

Probably not. I don’t suppose you have any of those virtual reality pets that go to the bathroom?

“Sorry.”

Where is Ace Ventura, Pet Tamagotchi Detective, when you need him? It took seven phone calls around Ventura County to finally turn up a toy store that had the miniaturized video game “pet” on its shelves--Kay-Bee’s in Oxnard and Ventura. And possibly only because it had received a new shipment that morning.

By the lunch hour, the Ventura store was nearly cleaned out of the day’s shipment of the odd, little “pet from cyberspace.” (Parents might save a tearful, empty-handed trip home from a toy or department store by calling first.)

Just when you thought Beanie Babies had made their mark as the toy of 1997--successors to Tickle Me Elmo’s 1996 sales frenzy--along comes a $17.99 plastic egg on a key chain called the “Tamagotchi,” which means “cute little egg” in Japanese (even though the label says “Made in China”).

If you flinch at the $17.99 price tag for a tiny video-game toy that looks like a cross between an egg timer and a cheap watch, well, they were recently fetching $300 on the Japanese black market. The good news is that batteries are included and assembly is not required.

“I’m flying to Europe tomorrow with my 10-year-old daughter, so I’m taking it on the plane,” said Sandra Torres of Ventura as she made her purchase. She smiled and added, “It’s for her. My friend asked me yesterday, ‘Haven’t you seen the latest thing from Japan?’ ”

David Sebring called the Ventura store from his home in Santa Paula at 12:05 p.m. and reserved two “computer pets.” By 12:25, Sebring was at the store, one of several local outlets that have imposed a two-Tamagotchi limit, to claim his order.”I heard about it on CompuServe. We have two daughters, 8 and 13. We like the idea.”

It took Harry Klein three trips to the toy store before he scored two Tamagotchis.

Laughing, he said, “I’ll take a red and a pink one. They’re for my grandsons. I don’t understand it but I want to be in the know. When I was a kid, we didn’t expect what kids expect today.”

The market will soon be flooded with more computer pets: A U.S. manufacturer is putting out something called the Nano Pal for $14.99, and the Giga Pet will soon be on shelves for a couple of dollars less.

But parents need not spend any time wondering about the next toy craze.

The “Jurassic Park” sequel, “Lost World,” and the new “Batman and Robin” movie, which will feature Arnold Schwarzenegger, will both be released this summer. And surprise, surprise--action figures for them are already on the shelves.