Pixel Pets

A small creature that is glad you came back

Pick one of 98 pets, give it a name, and it is yours. Feed it treats, play with it, pet it and talk to it, and it grows up over the days you visit. Take it out for a walk and the world scrolls past while it tells you what it can see. Put it in the photo booth with silly glasses and a backdrop and keep the picture. Change its colour, put a hat on it, rename it whenever you like. It is a minute a day, and it is free.

You can look after three at once, and each one gets its own personality when you adopt it, so two people who choose the same fox end up with very different animals.

Your pet cannot get sick and cannot die. If you disappear for a week it will not punish you for it. It will have made a mess out of sheer boredom, and it will be delighted to see you. That is deliberate. A pet that makes you feel guilty is a pet you stop visiting.

Every day your pet also brings you one quote from our library of more than 12,000. That is the real point of the whole thing.

Your pet is saved in your own browser and nowhere else, so nothing you do here is sent anywhere. That does mean clearing your browsing data would leave it behind, so there is a passport code you can save and paste in on any other device to bring your pet with you.

Questions people ask

Is it really free?

Yes. There is no sign-up, no account, no email and nothing to buy. The page is free because the rest of the site is supported by ads.

Do I need to download anything?

No. It runs in your browser on any phone, tablet or computer. The whole thing is smaller than most single photos, so it loads on a slow connection even though there are 2,940 hand-generated sprites, 50 backgrounds and 40 photo backdrops in it.

Where is my pet saved?

On this device only, in your browser's own storage. Nothing is sent to a server and there is no account. That also means clearing your browsing data, or opening the page on a different device, would leave your pet behind. So there is a pet passport: tap Back up or move your pet and you get a code that is the whole pet. Keep it somewhere safe and you can paste it in on any device to bring your pet across.

Will updating the site delete my pet?

No. Your pet lives in your browser, not on our server, so new features and new pets never touch it. The save also carries a version number and keeps a backup of itself, so older pets are carried forward rather than replaced. The only thing that really removes a pet is clearing your own browsing data, which is what the passport code is for.

Can my pet die?

No. Your pet never gets sick and never dies. If you do not visit for a while it will make a mess out of boredom, and it will be very pleased to see you when you come back.

What happens if I miss a day?

Nothing bad. Your pet keeps growing from the days you do visit, and you can tidy the mess in one tap. There is no punishment and no losing.

How does my pet grow up?

It grows on the days you visit, not on the calendar. There are five stages: baby, little, young, grown, and fully grown on day 60. Miss a week and you lose nothing, you simply pick up where you were. A pet that lays eggs may leave you a permanent baby along the way.

How many pets can I have?

Up to three at once, and you switch between them with one tap. When one is fully grown you can retire it, which is a graduation rather than a goodbye: it moves to Pets you have raised and you can bring it back whenever there is room.

What is the photo booth?

A camera mode with 40 silly backdrops, 18 pairs of glasses, hats, collars, props to hold and 8 photo frames. Add a caption and it saves a framed picture of your pet with its name and day count on it. Nothing is uploaded anywhere.

Can I take my pet for a walk?

Yes. Tap Walk and the world scrolls past while the two of you go somewhere. Your pet points out whatever it spots on the way, and the route changes every time.

Can I change my pet's colour or dress it up?

Yes, any time. There are 22 coat colours, 20 hats, 11 collars, 18 pairs of glasses and 50 backgrounds. Some of them unlock as you keep visiting. You can also rename your pet whenever you like.

Does my pet have a personality?

Yes. Every pet is given one of eight personalities when you adopt it, and it keeps that for life. It also works out a favourite food and a favourite game over the first week. Two people who adopt the same animal end up with quite different pets.

Can I save a picture of my pet?

Three ways. Save a GIF gives you your pet animated as it is right now. The photo booth gives you a framed photo with a caption. And the growing-up GIF plays your pet from its first day to today, with the day count, and the baby says thank you for adopting me.

Is this a Tamagotchi?

It is the same idea, but it is not a Tamagotchi and is not connected to Bandai. This one is free, runs in a browser and your pet cannot die.

A note. Your pet says kind things, and it means them, but it is a small drawing and not a professional. Nothing here is medical or mental health advice. If you are struggling, please talk to a doctor, a therapist or someone you trust. In the US you can call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time.

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