The virtual iPhone pet thing has been done. In fact, it’s been done many, many, times. But, the developers behind Hatch think that the virtual pet idea can be done again – and this time, done correctly.

You see, Hatch is a different sort of iPhone pet. How is Hatch different? Hatch developers claim that a user’s iPhone actually becomes the virtual pet, in a way, so Hatch is about far more than just an image on your screen. Confused? Here are some more details.

Meet Your New Pet “Fugu”

When you adopt a Fugu, your Fugu will become part of your iPhone. Every time you look at your screen, Fugu will be there. If you open up a new app, Fugu will react to that app by dancing with the music you play or by licking your screen (and by going through other actions). Since you already look at your iPhone hundreds of times per day, the developers behind Fugu assume that you’ll love to pet, care for, play with, and take care of your Fugu every time you look at your screen. Essentially, it will be hard to escape your pet Fugu.

The idea behind the Hatch app is to make your iPhone come alive. By creating a loveable cartoon character that you adopt and raise, your iPhone pet will be with you every time you open your phone. I’m guessing that a Fugu might get annoying eventually, but the idea sounds like a fun one for the time being. Hatch is also the first virtual pet app that turns your phone into a virtual pet, since your Fugu will be on your screen every time you open up your phone.

Want A Fugu? Here’s How to Get One

The Hatch app won’t be available in the Apple Store until early 2013. But, you can reserve your very own Fugu egg right now by heading to the Fugu website. Once there, simply fill in your name and other details, choose your egg (pick a nice color!), and wait for Hatch to, well, hatch. There’s no word yet as to how much battery life Hatch will suck or if you can turn off the app when you don’t want to see your Fugu. In fact, the developers behind Hatch haven’t released much information at all. But, I’m guessing that all of the details will arrive in January or March.

While you can’t have your Fugu right away, you will have a chance to play with the world’s first virtual iPhone pet that loves you back soon enough. It will be interesting to see whether or not the Fugu idea catches on. It’s hard not to think of the Tamagotchi virtual pet device that came out in the late ‘