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The February issue of Shueisha's V Jump magazine is announcing on Saturday that Bandai will release the "Digital Monster Ver. 20th" keychain games as remakes of its Tamagotchi-like toys from the 90s. Bandai is releasing the toys to mark the 20th anniversary of the Digimon franchise next year.

Like the originals (pictured above), the LCD toys will feature familiar Digimon characters in their classic dot form. People who purchase the toys will be able to raise monsters from Versions 1-5. Players will be able to raise two monsters together and participate in two-on-two tag-team battles against friends. Growth time for Digimon will speed up in the remake, and monsters will reach their ultimate forms in about one week. Players will be able to keep a record of their collection of raised Digimon in an album. Digimon Web functionality will let players battle online.

Bandai will release the new toys for 3,500 yen (about US$30) in Japan at the end of next June. The company will begin accepting orders on January 6. Bandai released the original Digimon portable virtual pet toy on June 26, 1997.

The Digimon Tamers anime is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and Bandai is releasing that series' Digivice, the D-Power (or D-Ark in Japan) to celebrate. The Digimon Adventure 02 anime marked its 15th anniversary last year with D-3 ver. 15th Digivice toys. Bandai also released its Digimon Adventure tri. Complete Selection Animation Digivice in 2015.

The franchise's first television anime series, Digimon Adventure, celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2014.

[Via Hachima Kikō]