There were several popular toy fads throughout the 1990s, and the Furby hits the top of the list. With those big, mechanical eyes and a noble attempt at A.I., the Furby toy quickly found its way into the homes of kids across the United States.
Furby is the talking, reacting branch of the same family. If your child is after the screen-and-care kind instead — feeding a pet, watching it grow — that is a different shelf: see toys like Tamagotchi, including which two are still in production.
Although you may have been drawn to the Furby, several other toys were like a Furby — then and now. These toys followed the same model as programmable and teachable toys that functioned as robotic pets, and a couple of new ones have shown up since. Below, let’s look at 8 toys like Furby, plus the honest answer to whether the original is still around.
What is a Furby?
While the Furby was not modeled from any one animal, the Furby toys were soft and resembled a small creature with big eyes and tiny ears. The Furby was a robotic toy that a kid could “train” to learn different commands and speech patterns. The more a kid interacted with the interactive toy, the more the Furby could “learn” and pick up other behaviors.
One of the most enjoyable parts about the Furby boom was that the toy could interact with other Furbies. Placing two Furbies nearby could allow the two toys to interact with one another. It was not unusual to see a Furby carry on a conversation with another Furby, allowing them to chatter and even teach each other new phrases and behaviors. Although the Furby was the hot toy through much of the 90s, this toy has since gone out of favor, replaced by better technology and more entertaining toys.
While Furby hit its highest popularity in 1998, with the craze nearing the Cabbage Patch Doll mania, the toy slowly went out of favor in the early 2000s. The company reissued the interactive toy pet in 2005, adding more technology to the product. Now, the Furby could learn English, mixed together with his own language. The product came with a free Furby app that helped humans translate what their virtual Furblings were saying in Furbish. Although the revitalized Furby was popular at first, production stopped in 2018 — but that wasn’t the end of the story. More on that next.
Is Furby Still Made? Short Answer: Yes
Yes — Hasbro relaunched Furby in June 2023 after a five-year gap, and new versions are still on shelves today. The reboot keeps the fuzzy body and Furbish chatter people remember, but adds five interaction modes, better voice recognition, and a companion app. The current extra-long plush version, Furby DJ, sits at 4.8 stars from over 1,100 Amazon reviews as of this writing.
Furby DJ — see current price on Amazon
Alongside Furby DJ, Hasbro also sells the smaller Furby Vibes plush and a line of mini Furblets. So if you’re shopping specifically for a Furby, you don’t need an alternative — the real thing is buyable again. The list below is for the toys that scratch a similar itch without being an actual Furby, whether that’s because you want something new, something cheaper, or something Furby never quite offered in the first place.
Toys Like Furby
While the Furby was certainly the hot toy for kids worldwide, several other toy options mimicked the same idea of artificial intelligence and learning capabilities — some still sold today, some strictly nostalgia. Below, let’s take a look at 8 toys like Furby and understand how they compare.
Bitzee Magicals
Bitzee is the closest thing on shelves right now to the Furby feeling of “something is actually reacting to me.” It’s a screen-free, wearable pod instead of a plush animal, but the mechanic is the same idea Furby ran on: swipe, tilt, or touch it and it responds with sounds and motion, and it “grows” the more you interact. Instead of one character, kids unlock 20 collectible creatures. Rated for ages 5+, it’s sitting at 4.6 stars from over 6,300 reviews, which makes it one of the better-reviewed toys on this whole list.
furReal Newborns Kitty
furReal is actually Hasbro’s own long-running interactive-plush line — it’s been on shelves since long before the 2023 Furby relaunch, and it runs on a similar idea in a softer, younger-skewing package. This Newborns Kitty opens and closes its eyes, purrs, and reacts to touch and sound rather than “learning” language the way a Furby does — it’s closer to a pet you take care of than a character you teach to talk. Amazon’s Choice, 4.6 stars from 362 reviews, and geared toward younger kids than the original Furby’s audience.
Giga Pet
Although certainly not a stuffed animal like the Furby, a Giga Pet was a hot commodity through the 1990s. This toy was the size of a keychain and allowed kids to virtually care for their digital pet. Much like the Furby, a Giga Pet could learn new behaviors and had to be cared for.
The Giga Pet would eventually grow through various phases of development if the pet was taken care of properly. Improper care could cause the tiny, digital pet to become sick or even die. This popular digital pet monopolized kids, and their time, through much of the 90s. Original Giga Pets are long discontinued; what you’ll find now are secondhand units and Tamagotchi-style successors — see the link at the top of this page for which ones are still made new.
Paro
Source: Paro
More modern and technologically advanced, the Paro was a robot designed to work as a therapy animal for people who cannot be near a real, live animal. The Paro responds to touch on the forehead, which activates the robot. The Paro can work and function just like a real animal, and the goal of the robot was to provide the same therapy and beneficial companionship with people as an actual animal can. The robot aims to reduce stress and balance emotion in humans.
Worth knowing about, but it isn’t really a kids’ toy: Paro is a several-thousand-dollar therapeutic device sold mainly to care homes and hospitals, not something you’d wrap for a birthday.
I-Cybie
The adorable robotic dog, called I-Cybie, was an interactive and popular toy. Like a natural pet dog, the I-Cybie learned voice commands and tricks and responded to your tone and behavior. The little robotic dog would wag its tail and could even pick itself up if it fell over on its side. Just like the Furby, the I-Cybie worked to mimic human behaviors and would eventually learn new commands and behaviors over time. The I-Cybie was an excellent alternative for kids who could not own a real, live dog.
Silverlit stopped making the I-Cybie years ago, and the listings that turn up now are used, collector-priced units rather than anything you’d buy new for a kid today — so we’ve dropped the buy link that used to point to a since-discontinued listing.
Tamagotchi
The first of the digital pets was the Tamagotchi, and its popularity quickly flooded toy stores around the world in the 1990s. This small, digital pet could be kept in a toy the size of a keychain. The Tamagotchi would learn new behaviors and tricks but had to be well-tended and cared for by a watchful owner.
The Tamagotchi would develop and grow the more the owner cared for their digital pet. Eventually, the Tamagotchi would grow to adulthood and fly back home to their home planet. Like a Furby, the Tamagotchi required constant care and attention to become a healthy “pet.”
The Tamagotchi was the first digital pet craze that kicked off a chain of similar digital pet companies — and unlike most toys on this page, it’s one of the few still sold new. See toys like Tamagotchi for the current lineup.
Hatchimal
The Hatchimal toy was a popular toy that immediately brought back memories of the Furby. Like a Furby toy, the Hatchimal must be well cared for and attended to grow into an adult pet. The Hatchimal could learn new language and behaviors and learn how to walk and perform tricks.
Different from a Furby, the Hatchimal went through various life stages. This development started with the toy pet in an egg form, which required constant care to get the animal to hatch. The Hatchimal eventually grew into an adult pet toy that children could continue to interact with through ongoing attention and interaction. Spin Master keeps releasing new Hatchimals lines, so unlike Giga Pet or I-Cybie, this one is still easy to find new.
Aibo
As an answer to the Furby craze, the Aibo was created. This robotic dog was able to work and function just like a living dog. The Aibo could wag its tail, perform tricks, and much like a Furby, learn new behaviors and commands.
The Aibo was an adorable robotic puppy that would even yap and bark for attention. The Aibo existed until about 2005 when the company discontinued this mechanical toy. Part of the reason for the Aibo popularity downturn was the sky-high prices.
To pay for the automation and A.I. programmed into this toy, buyers had to pay close to $2,000 to own this robotic dog. Sony did revive Aibo in 2018 as a modern robot dog, but it’s priced closer to a used car than a kids’ toy — worth knowing exists, not worth shopping for as a gift.
Similar toys : Toys Similar To Pogs | Toys like hatchimals
FAQs
While Furby was an instant sensation, some other toys detailed on our list were not quite as popular, though similar in style. We understand that you probably have many questions surrounding both the Furby and toys like a Furby. To better help you understand the Furby toy and help you understand similar options, we have frequently asked questions surrounding toys like Furby.
What animal is a Furby based on?
Is it an owl? A bear? No, the tiny Pygmy Tarsier is actually the model for the Furby. This little animal is found in the Pacific and throughout Asia and is the model for the popular toy that swept toy shelves in the late 1990s.
Can you still buy a Furby?
Yes. Hasbro stopped making the 2005-era Furby in 2018, but relaunched the toy in June 2023, and it has stayed on shelves since — including newer versions like Furby DJ, Furby Vibes, and the mini Furblets line. The 2023-and-later Furbies keep the classic look but add more interaction modes and a companion app; the original 1998 and 2005 Furbies are collector items now and only turn up secondhand.
Can you reprogram a Furby?
Although you cannot reprogram a Furby, it is possible to reset your Furby. This process will allow you to restart your Furby from factory settings, similar to when you first took your Furby out of the package. To reset your Furby, you will need to flip your toy upside down and remove the cover that protects the batteries.
There will be a small button in the upper left hand that will allow you to reset the toy. Press and hold the button for about three seconds, and your lovable Furby will be restored to factory settings.
Are Furbies the same as Hatchimals?
Although the two toys may seem similar, a Hatchimal is completely different from a Furby. The Furby toy would already come hatched and in its adult form. The only input necessary from the child is to teach the Furby new words and behaviors. The Furby could then learn from its owner or other Furbies if they were placed close to another Furby toy.
Comparatively, the Hatchimal is the new toy that goes through various phases of life. Much of the Hatchimal ownership begins with the toy still in the “egg” which the little creature must break out of. By allowing the animal to hatch, the child must work with the Hatchimal, teaching it new behaviors, tricks, and language. Eventually, your little creature will be able to walk and talk as it approaches its adult stage.
Are Furbies worth anything now?
While Furbies may have been able to fetch a pretty penny in the height of the Furby craze, today, many original 1998 and 2005 Furbies do not bring in much money at all secondhand. Many people will sell their vintage Furby online through various online markets and auctions, often priced around $50 or less. Current 2023-and-later Furbies are a different story — those are new retail products, not collectibles.
How do you teach a Furby to talk?
The Furby will come only speaking “Furbish,” or its own made-up language. One of the appealing features of the Furby is that it can quickly learn new words in your language. Working together and regularly interacting with your Furby is the best way to teach your Furby to talk.
Keep your Furby turned on for several hours every day. Although the toy is marketed as the Furby being able to “learn” language, the truth is that the Furby is pre-programmed with certain words that it will eventually say. The words will appear more frequently when you interact with your Furby.
The longer you keep your toy turned on and engage with it, the quicker it will learn to say English words.
Sources and verification
Product details above (ratings, review counts, stock status, ages) are pulled from each item’s current Amazon listing, checked directly rather than assumed from an old cache. The Furby relaunch date and current lineup come from Hasbro’s own June 2023 announcement. Prices and availability change often — treat what’s here as a starting point, not a live quote.
Last verified: 21 August 2026. Spotted a price or product that’s changed? Tell us — corrections get the page re-checked and re-dated.
More cool toy lists: Toys like Tamagotchi | Toys like Hatchimals | Toys Similar To Pogs
