A Tamagotchi-style free PC and mobile game called Hatching has just released to promote the Finnish horror film of the same name - and it sees players hatch monsters in their browser or phone. The movie centers on a family, specifically a young girl looking to please her mother, who come across a mysterious and supernatural egg. Over the course of the film, the egg swells and eventually hatches, spawning an unhinged monster.Tamagotchi was a massively popular trend in the 1990s and 2000s, and the brand continues to see success with modern versions and special-edition releases like the adorable Kingdom Hearts Anniversary Tamagotchis. The premise of a Tamagotchi game is rather simple: players are given a digital pet and are tasked with nurturing it. Tamagotchi pets begin life as an egg, and eventually hatch into small creatures before growing and evolving through regular care. Players can also scold Tamagotchis when they refuse to eat or take part in training exercises. The virtual pets can even get sick and die if the player neglects them enough. Bandai, the toy's publisher, introduced the Tamagotchi franchise as a series of individual devices, typically styled with various colors and patterns, although there have been many subsequent mainline and spin-off Tamagotchi games for mobile devices, handhelds, and consoles.The official Tamagotchi brand has partnered with names like Star Wars and other pieces of popular media, but the general framework of the game can be applied to any number of different projects. This is exactly what horror distribution company IFC Midnight and indie developer Airdorf have accomplished with their free horror game, which emulates the gameplay of a Tamagotchi. To promote the recently released film Hatching, Airdorf has developed what it describes as a free Tamagotchi-inspired virtual pet "with a creature/body horror twist." As explained on the game's Itch.io page, players can use their mouse (or finger, if playing on iOS) to select choice prompts in the style of a classic point-and-click game, which will lead to a monstrous surprise when the egg hatches. Unfortunately, the title isn't available on Android.[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/Airdorf/status/1526627412246675456[/EMBED_TWITTER]This isn't the first time a 90s toy has seen a horror twist, with one FNAF fan recently creating a Furby inspired by the series. The idea of a horror-themed Tamagotchi is certainly an interesting one. Everything about Tamagotchi, from its hardware branding to its advertising and increasingly smaller presentation (evidenced by releases like the MacBook Touch Bar Tamagotchi) exudes cuteness and a wholesome, family-friendly appeal. By turning this formula and iconography on its head in a horror setting, Airdorf could end up providing some valuable chills.Whether or not the Tamagotchi-inspired Hatching game will help in promoting the movie remains to be seen, but it serves as proof of just how enduring the legacy of Tamagotchi is - even in an unofficial form. While the beloved virtual pets have evolved since their original 90s counterparts, the spirit and memory of Tamagotchi seem as powerful as ever.Hatching is currently free-to-play on PC and iOS.Source: Airdorf/Twitter, Airdorf/Itch.io