New Video Games Due This Week

Tennis appears to be one of the most popular sports to play on the Wii and now Sega fans can play the game with their favorite characters on SEGA Superstars Tennis (multiple platforms). There are the characters you would expect, such as Sonic the hedgehog, but the game also includes some surprises like Ulala from Space Channel 5 - a game that we would love to see get a Wii update. Much less family friendly but just as fun is Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (multiple platforms), the sequel to the award-winning first-person shooter.

Other games due in stores this week:

Nintendo DS
Championship Pony
Fantasy Aquarium
Diary Girl
GoPets: Vacation Island
Lost in Blue 3
SEGA Superstars Tennis


Nintendo Wii
Worms: A Space Oddity
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
SEGA Superstars Tennis
WWII Aces

PC
Merv Griffin's Crosswords
Neverwinter Nights 2 Adventure Pack: Mysteries of Westgate

PS2
Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection
Samurai Warriors 2: Xtreme Legends
SEGA Superstars Tennis
SingStar '90s

PS3
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds
Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore
SEGA Superstars Tennis
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

PSP
Hannspree Ten Kate Honda SBK Superbike World Championship

Xbox 360
SEGA Superstars Tennis
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Electronic Yodelling Pickle

Yes, you read that right. Meet the Electronic Yodelling Pickle.


There really is no need to go into any sort of product description here because the name completely sums it up. The only thing the name doesn't tell you is that the Electronic Yodelling Pickle is 6.5" tall and made of plastic.

We know, you HAVE to have one don't you? Well it can be yours for $12.95 over at Merch-Bot.com

Majesco Delivers Six New Nintendo Games

Thank you to Majesco and Bender/Helper for giving me a look at some of Majesco's games coming out over the next few months. All of the games look like great titles and we are excited to get some hands-on time with them when they arrive. Three of the titles are Wii exclusives and each will probably find it's own following. For kids, Wild Earth: African Safari (Wii, Spring 2008, RP) puts the gamer in the perspective of a photo journalist and asks them to take photos of the African continent’s exotic wild life.


Gamers of all ages will enjoy playing Blast Works (Wii, May 2008, E) - a 2D side-scroller in which as you destroy enemies from your flying vessel, you’ll catch their parts and use them to make your own ship bigger and stronger. Blast Works also has a component that will appeal to the more hardcore gamer as it contains the ability to design, create, and play your own version of the game and all it's elements.


The third Wii exclusive is a party game that kids, teens, and adults will really enjoy. Wonder World Amusement Park (Wii, June 2008, RP), recreates all the fun of an amusement park, complete with rides and such, then adds in a huge dosing of hysterical mini-games.


In addition to these Wii games, Majesco also has three new titles for the DS. Eco Creatures (DS, March 2008, E), is a real time strategy game where you control battalions of cute woodland creatures to defend your forest and reclaim polluted lands.


Nanostray 2 (DS, February 2008, E), which arrived in stores last month, is an intense 3D shooter that allows players to configure their own weapons and battle through 32 challenges.


Finally, a game that really speaks to us, Toy Shop (DS, April 2008, RP), will put the gamer in the position of running a toy store and building the toys that go on the shelves. In this simulation game, players will create a store by placing shelves, display tables and even the cash register in an empty store. Then they will track their customers to determine what those customers want and finally, they will build the toys in the back room to meet the customers demand and hopefully ring up big sales.



Stay tuned to theToyGuy.com for reviews of these games as they become available.

- J. McKinney

Toy Airplanes, Cars, and Motorcycles Recalled by S.U. Wholesale

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with S.U. Wholesale Inc., announced a voluntary recall of the X Force Commander Toy Airplanes and Super Famous Toy Cars and Motorcycles for containing excessive levels of lead. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

The “X Force Commander” is a set of six plastic jet airplanes. Item number 5689 is printed on the front of the packaging. The airplanes are painted green, red, blue, silver, black and yellow. The “Super Famous” is a set of a plastic toy car and a motorcycle. The car is yellow or red and the motorcycle is gray. These toys were sold at Dollar Stores nationwide from September 2006 through November 2007 for about $1.

Consumers should immediately take these toys away from children and return to them to the store where purchased for a refund. For additional information, contact S.U. Wholesale toll-free at (877) 580-8883 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

Environmentally Friendly Ideas

Going green is more than just a buzz word or marketing gimmick. It's a practice that we should all try integrating into our lives and homes. A simple way of living a greener life is to try finding new uses for used items. Before you throw something into the garbage think if you can use that item as something else. For example, use the cardboard tubes left over from a roll of paper towels as a container for unused extension cords. They keep the cords neat and untangled plus you can write the length of the cord on the tube.

Here is an interesting product that turns used water bottles into useful flower holders. It's the Façade vase from Orcadesign. This simple yet ingenious item is made out of industrial wool felt and slips right over a plastic water bottle. Judging by the designer's web site, the Façade vase is just a concept item right now but anyone with a sewing machine can easily make this on their own. Also, think about creating a larger version to cover wine bottles.

Helpful Web Sites - Instapaper.com

Have you ever found something on the Internet that you wanted to read but didn't have the time to do so at that moment? Instapaper is a great site for keeping track of all those pages you want to go back to. Instapaper allows you to mark a page for reading later then it keeps that page stored on a neat and orderly web page for you. Best of all, your Instapaper page is a minimalist's dream - clear and uncluttered, which makes keeping track of those unread pages a breeze. Check it out now at instapaper.com

Target Star Wars Exclusives

Two new Star Wars products that will be sold exclusively at Target have been found on shelves despite the fact that they weren't supposed to be available until next month. Aayla Secura's Jedi Starfighter (from Star Wars: Obsession) and the Attack on Kashyyyk battle pack (from The Force Unleashed) have been spotted in stores so you might want to get to Target soon.

Awesome!

We are now less than two months away from the premier of Speed Racer, the movie. If that doesn't get you excited, check out the following trailer that has been burning up the Internet this week.

New Video Games Due This Week

I hope all you PlayStation players didn't toss your PS2 when you bought the PS3 because judging by the following list, game developers are not ready to stop making games for the PS2. The game we are most excited about this week is Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (multiple systems), which is one of the most engrossing and vivid soccer experiences available for gamers. After a wholesome game of soccer, it's time to blast some zombies with House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return (Nintendo Wii). The arcade games House of the Dead 2 & 3 come packaged together on one Wii disc in this game from SEGA.

Nintendo DS
M&M's Kart Racing
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
George of the Jungle and the Search for the Secret
Insecticide
Nanostray 2
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Pocket Pets

Nintendo Wii
Puyo Puyo 2 [Virtual Console]
George of the Jungle and the Search for the Secret
House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return

PC
Imperium Romanum
Sudden Strike 3: Arms for Victory
Lost Empire: Immortals
Seven Kingdoms: Conquest

PS2
Buzz! Junior: Robo Jam
Buzz!: The Hollywood Quiz
El Tigre
George of the Jungle and the Search for the Secret
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Sprint Cars 2: Showdown at Eldora
World Heroes Anthology
Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure

PS3
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

PSP
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Wild ARMs XF

Xbox 360
Mass Effect: Bring Down The Sky
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

- J. McKinney

LEGO Mindstorms NXT Zoo!

When Fay Rhodes, co-author of The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Idea Book (No Starch Press) and contributor to The NXT STEP blog, realized that most NXT enthusiasts were primarily focused on building large battling robots, she decided to explore an entirely new creative genre - animals.

The result is her new book, The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Zoo! (No Starch Press). The book walks readers through the basic process of using the NXT kit, how to program with the NXT-G language (including how to make mini-programs called My Blocks), and shows how to build and program nine robots that act like their real animal counterparts.

The completed animal robots mimic the movement of the real life creatures, two of which, Ribbit the frog and Bunny the rabbit, have become the first hopping NXT robots ever created! In addition to these two creatures, the book will show readers how to build such animals as a camel, spider, peacock, and more.

The LEGO Mindstorms NXT Zoo! is in stores now for a suggested retail price of $24.95.

BKFK's Going Green Challenge for Teens

The By Kids for Kids (BKFK) 'Going Green Challenge' asks teenagers to help solve some of our most pressing environmental issues, including global warming, drought, famine and flooding. The teen or team that comes up with the winning idea will receive a $10,000 grand prize.

The Going Green Challenge, sponsored by The Weather Channel, officially runs until March 31, 2008. All youth under the age of 19 are eligible to participate. Participants may invent new methods to improve air quality, alternative energy, forest reclamation, irrigation, land preservation, recycling systems, water purity and more. It is free to enter. All entries must be received via the BKFK website, www.bkfk.com.

Hasbro's Play Rewards Program

Hasbro is currently offering cash rewards for purchasing Hasbro brand's toys and games. You can earn up to $50 to spend on additional Hasbro toys and games. The program is simple, just buy a toy or game from one of the included Hasbro brands then fill out a short form and mail it in with your receipt. Participating brands include Star Wars, Transformers, Nerf, Littlest Pet Shop, My Little Pony, Monopoly, Twister, Jenga, and more.

To see the full list of included brands and get started earning rewards, click here.

Infantino Recalls Infant Rattles

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Infantino LLC, of San Diego, CA, announced a voluntary recall of the Infantino Lamb Grabby Rattles. The tail-piece on the rattles can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

The recalled Infantino Lamb Grabby Rattles™ are shaped like a lamb with an Infantino elliptical-shaped logo stamped on the front right foot of the lamb. Only rattles with date code 0907 printed on the back of the left ear of the lamb are included in the recall. The production batch code is printed in a dial format with the year in the middle of a circle and an arrow pointing to the number on the circle that indicates the month. Rattles that do not have a date code are not included in the recall. Recalled items were sold at Wal-Mart, Babies "R" Us and specialty stores nationwide from September 2007 through February 2008 for between $3 and $4.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from young children and contact Infantino for a replacement rattle or a product of equal value. For additional information, contact Infantino toll-free at (888) 808-3111 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT or visit the firm�s Web site at service.infantino.com

Dungeons & Dragons Co-Creator Dies at 69

Gary Gygax, the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, the game that paved the way for today's role-playing games, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva, WI. He was 69 years old. According to his wife, Gail Gygax, he had been suffering from health problems for several years.

Gygax created Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson in 1974 and the game has gone on to inspire video games, books, an animated series and movies. Cygax was still hosting his weekly D & D game as recently as January.

Gygax is survived by his wife and six children.

Toys "R" Us Star Wars Sale

Toys "R" Us is currently having a sale on all Star Wars action figures priced $10.99 or less. From now until Saturday, March 8, when you buy two figures, you get a third for free!

Click here to view the ad online.

The Results Are In!

Last month we ran a poll asking you to select the best toy of all time. We asked a famous celebrity to announce the results but they wanted a lot of money and we realized since this is a blog, you wouldn't even see who it was. So we decided to skip the celebrity and just tell you ourselves who won.

Your favorite toy of all time, with 36% of your votes is (drum roll please) Frisbee!!

New Video Games Due This Week

No offense to the rest of the new games coming out this week but the one me and most of the gaming community are most excited about is Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii. This is the Wii premier of one of Nintendo's most popular games that brings together a plethora of popular Nintendo characters in an anything goes melee. The other game that we are really excited about is MLB '08: The Show, which is about as close as most of us will ever get to actually playing in the majors. Look for Super Smash Bros., in stores at the end of the week and MLB '08 on Tuesday.

Here is a look at some of the other releases due in stores this week.

Nintendo DS
Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery
Best of Tests DS
Chicken Hunter
Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest
Imagine: Figure Skater
Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer
Ninja Reflex
Petz Bunnyz

Nintendo Wii
Ninja Reflex Wii
Super Smash Bros. Brawl

PC
Company Of Heroes Gold
Imperium Romanum
Legends Of Norrath: Inquisitor

PS2
MLB '08: The Show
Silent Hill Origins
World Championship Cards

PS3
Army of Two
MLB '08: The Show
Rocketmen: Axis of Evil

PSP
God of War: Chains of Olympus
MLB '08: The Show
World Championship Cards
flOw

Xbox 360
Army of Two
Rocketmen: Axis of Evil

- J. McKinney

Last Day To Vote

Today is your last day to vote for the best toy of all time. Just look at the column to the right and choose your favorite toy from the list. Check back in on Monday for the results.

Toy Fair Recap: Wild Planet, Uncle Milton, Zizzle

Last year Wild Planet introduced a new game that turned into quite a success, called Hyper Dash. This year they will introduce two new versions of the popular get-up-and-move game with a very cute preschool version and newly imagined Hyper Jump, that will have kids jumping for joy.

Uncle Milton, the company that took ants from the picnic to the spotlight with the Ant Farm, has a new pest product that will likely raise a stink. It's a remote controlled skunk and it is sure to delight pranksters everywhere when it hits the shelves later this year. From pest to pet, Uncle Milton has it covered with the Pet's Eye View camera. This handy digital camera attaches to a pets collar and snaps random pictures as your pet goes about his or her day. Finally, good old Uncle Milty has a line of Indiana Jones items including a bedroom security toy that dumps spiders on any intruder.

Toy makers Zizzle, burst onto the scene a few years ago with iZ and have continued to develop top-notch electronic toys ever since. This year we can expect a line of ESPN branded hand-held games, a High School Musical karaoke microphone, and Hip Hop - a game that clips onto your belt and gets you up and moving to play.

Family Dollar Recalls Magnetic Dart Boards

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Family Dollar, of Charlotte, N.C., announced a voluntary recall of FUN ‘N SAFE Magnetic Dart Boards.

Although no injuries have been reported to date, small magnets at the ends of the darts can detach. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal.

The magnetic dart board is about 15 inches wide with a black, white, green, and red bulls eye checkered design and was sold with six 4-inch long magnetic darts. The darts magnetically adhere to the dart board when thrown. “Made in China” is embossed on the back of the board. Sold exclusively at Family Dollar stores nationwide from January 2001 through January 2008 for about $5.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and return the board and all of the darts to a Family Dollar store for a refund.

For additional information, contact Family Dollar at (800) 547-0359 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.familydollar.com

News: Disney Interactive Announces Ultimate Band Video Game

Disney Interactive Studios announced today that it will release Ultimate Band for the Nintendo Wii and DS later this year.

This new music experience game will allow players to build their own band or jam alone using the Wii Remote and DS stylus. According to Disney, the game will feature some of the biggest names in a variety of music genres including rock, alternative, pop, and emo.

As long as the music is good, this game should be a huge seller as it's the first major music game that doesn't require players to buy the additional expensive controllers. As of now, the game is slated for a Holiday release. We will let you know as soon as we here more.

Toy Fair Recap: Wham-O, K'NEX, Playmates

Did you know that this year marks Wham-O's 60th anniversary? That's right, the company that invented the Frisbee, Hula Hoop, and Slip 'N Slide is turning 60. In addition to tons of great new toys from these three brands, Wham-o also has a really cool Glow Streak Air Hockey table coming out. Not only does the table and puck glow but an LED light inside the puck creates streaking light effects as it glides across the table.

Each year, K'NEX introduces a new thrill ride to it's line of huge construction sets. This year the ride is the Saw Blade - a 1500 piece construction set that functions like the real ride when finished. At the other end of the spectrum from the advanced-skill Saw Blade is the new line of Sesame Street kits for kids ages 3 and up. These simple snap together kits included rounded pieces that allow younger kids to easily construct their favorite Sesame Street characters.

If you tuned into Live with Regis & Kelly last Friday you saw one of our favorite new toys from Toy Fair - Night Guardians from Playmates. This cuddly plush doll comes with two light-up crystal toys that a child can activate remotely by pressing the doll's paw. The lights can be scattered around the room and placed in those dark areas that keep kids awake at night. Whenever the child is feeling scared, they just squeeze the Night Guardian's paw and the lights turn on. Night Guardians will available this fall $39.99.

Toy Fair Recap: Bandai

We know, we know - Toy Fair is over. But we still have so many great toys to tell you about so we are continuing our Toy Fair recaps this week. Lets get back into the coverage with Bandai!

The Power Rangers continue to be a huge hit for Bandai and this year we will see a whole new batch of figures, vehicles, and role-play items for the Power Rangers Jungle Fury line. A newer property that is also becoming an evergreen success for Bandai is Ben 10. We will see plenty of figures, accessories and role-play items for Ben 10 as well as Sumo Slammers, which bring one of the cartoon Ben's favorite past times to life. A new property that Bandai will create a line of figures for is Blue Dragon - an animated series, which is a classic adventure story of magical Shadow powers, flying air fortresses and unbounded heroism.

2008 marks the release of Tamagotchi Version 5 and this time, its all about raising a family. Speaking of electronics, Bandai's Girlz Connect line will introduce new LocketPals in a range of colors.

New Video Games Due This Week

There are quite a few games on this week's release list that I'm looking forward to spending some time with. One that I've already had a chance to play and really enjoy is Disney Friends for the DS. This virtual pet game allows you to interact with some of your favorite Disney characters in their unique environments and both kids and adults will really get a kick out it. SEGA Bass Fishing for the Wii is another game that will appeal to all ages. The name sums it up and you can expect some good old fashioned fun as you cast off with the Wii Remote and try to land one of four different types of freshwater bass.

Here is a look at some of our top picks due in stores this week:

Nintendo DS
Bratz: Super Babyz
Bubble Bobble Double Shot
Brain Assist
Disney Friends
Fantasy Aquarium
Naruto: Ninja Destiny
Petz Wild Animals: Tigerz

Nintendo Wii
Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None
Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed
Rebel Raiders: Operation NightHawk
Cocoto Magic Circus
SEGA Bass Fishing

PC
Frontlines: Fuel of War
Lost: Via Domus
The Sims 2 FreeTime
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty

PSP
Blokus Portable: Steambot Championship
Patapon
Puzzle Guzzle

PS2
Heavenly Guardian

PS3
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Lost: Via Domus
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty

Xbox360
Frontlines: Fuel of War
Lost: Via Domus
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty Collector's Edition

- J. McKinney

Your YouTube Fix - Live With Regis and Kelly

Everyone at theToyGuy.com is still laughing about Chris' appearance on last Friday's Live With Regis and Kelly. Apparently we aren't alone because people have been posting the video on YouTube. Here is your chance to see it if you missed it. Enjoy!

Slimed!

Well, ever since the Regis & Kelly sliming aired this morning, the question I keep getting asked is: "What does it feel like to get slimed?" It's probably one of the most unusual feelings you could ever have.

But before I get into that, first we have to give a huge shout out to the folks at Nick who arranged for the sliming. It takes a whole lot of people working a lot of hours to pull off something like that. And they seemed to have as much fun as we did. The day before the show, they had to figure out where they could be and how they could dump the slime, without tipping off the audience--and without damaging the very expensive light fixtures. Somehow they managed to do it.

We also have to give a shout out to the Live! team-- Jan our producer, Tommy who managed the entire process (including the clean up!), Brian the director and, of course Michael Gelman who let us have this much fun. And Kelly and Mark are two of the funniest people on the planet and about as good sports as you could imagine. Plus you may not know this, but they made history! Yes, they were the first husband and wife team ever to be slimed!

So, what does it feel like? Well, after it hits your head, all you see is green! And then, though it's only seconds, it feels like the slime just keeps pouring. For me, it was more than 3 gallons! I have to say it's a total riot. It's a little on the cold side and it doesn't taste all that bad. Can't tell you what's in it, though. That's a closely guarded secret--known only to select people at Nick, and the Slime Master who makes up each batch. (How's that for a cool job?) No two batches are really the same. It's always green, and it's always gooey, but there are always surprises.

Slime was introduced by Nick in 1982, and being slimed is a real honor. Last year, more than 40,000 Americans had that honor when Nick launched the Slime Across America tour, and of course, Slime will play a huge role in the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards on March 29.

You can bet we'll be watching, and enjoying every Sliming!

- C. Byrne

(Photo credit: Disney/ABC Domestic Television)

Live With Regis & Kelly

We hope you tuned in to Live With Regis & Kelly this morning to see Chris Byrne with some of our favorite toys from Toy Fair. Regis had the day off so Mark Consuelos joined Kelly and everyone had a gooey good time.

Here is the list of toys that Chris had with him on the show:

HOST CHAT

FurReal Friends Biscuit, My Lovin’ Pup
Hasbro
5 and up
$179.99
Available Fall 2008

Indiana Jones Sound FX Whip
Hasbro
6 and up
$19.99
Available May 2008

Silly Somersaults Curious George
Play Along
18 months and up
$19.99
Available Fall 2008


SEGMENT 1

Hot Wheels Trick Tracks
5 and up
$11.99 - $19.99
Available now

Juku Couture
Jakks Pacific
6 and up
$19.99
Available Fall 2008

Hannah Montana Malibu Beach House
Play Along
6 and up
$159.99
Available Fall 2008

Little Mommy “Gotta Go” Doll
Mattel
3 and up
$49.99
Available July 2008

Color Surge
Crayola
5 and up
$7.99
Available now

Enviro-Blox
Cadaco
3 and up
$5 - $15
Available Spring 2008

Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker
Jakks Pacific
8 and up
$29.99
Available Fall 2008

Lego Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull Playset
Lego
6 and up
$49.99
Available Now 2008

Magnext
Mega Brands
6 and up
$4.99 – 59.99

Zinkotek
Zinkotek
3 and up
$199.99
Available Spring 2008

Football Training Bouncer
Little Tikes
3 – 10
$299.99
Available now


SEGMENT 2

Smart-E-Bear
Intellitoys
3 and up
$79.99
Available Fall 2008
smartebear.com

Night Guardians
Playmates
3 and up
$39.99
Available Fall 2008

Laugh & Learn Smart Bounce & Spin Pony
Fisher-Price
12 – 36 months
$69.99
Available

Barbie iDesign
Mattel
5 and up
$29.99
Available now

U-Dance
Hasbro
8 and up
$74.99
Available fall 2008

Swizzle
Radica
6 and up
$29.99
Available July 2008

Bakugan Battle Brawlers
Spin Master
6 and up
$4.99 – 29.99
Available now

You To the Rescue
I Can Do That Games
4 – 8
$19.99
Available now

Super Slimer
Jakks Pacific
6 and up
$19.99
Available Fall 2008

Toy Fair Update + Live With Regis & Kelly Info

Toy Fair has ended, however, we are going to continue posting showroom recaps here over the next few days so keep checking in. In the meantime, if you would like to see some of the toys we have been blogging about as well as some yet to be mentioned, then tune into Live With Regis & Kelly tomorrow (Friday the 22nd) when Chris Byrne will be stopping by the show with some of our favorite Toy Fair finds. Check back here after the show when we will post the list of all the toys Chris is taking with him.

Toy Fair Recap: Jakks Pacific

Oozing through the Jakks showroom is one of our favorite mystery compounds - Nickelodeon Slime! That’s right the gross-out green substance returns this year and it's slimier than ever. Jakks also has a great line-up of non slime toys heading to stores this year including the very cool Night Vision goggles, a line of Harajuku inspired fashion dolls called Juku Couture, the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker, which does exactly what the name implies - makes delicious cupcakes, and a new collection of Discovery Kids science and learning themed toys.

Jakks is also introducing new Hannah Montana dolls and accessories including the massive Malibu Beach House and new In Concert Dolls. For kids who want to make believe they are Hannah, the Rockin' Electric Guitar and Rock Star Acoustic guitar are both back with updated styles and colors while the new Rockin' Keyboard joins the line of rocktastic toys.

Wrestling fans have a ring full of new figures to look forward to in 2008 as Jakks amps up its World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) line of figures, playsets, and accessories. Another popular line of figures, Pokemon, will also be expanded this year focusing on collecting and interchanging pieces.

Toy Fair Recap: Hasbro

Hasbro continues to bring us closer to robotic pets as a reality with it's successful line of FurReal Friends. This year, they will introduce a new cat, a chipmunk, and a life-sized Labrador named Biscuit. In addition to the line of electronic pets, Hasbro's Playskool brand has created Kota, a robotic Triceratops that will be more than 3 feet long and respond to touch and sound.

It wasn't all robots in the Hasbro showroom, except for the Transformers, which we will get to in a second. Additional Playskool products include the Glide 2 Ride Bike, which is designed to help kids go from foot-power to petals as they learn to ride a bike. Helmet Heroes are role play toys for preschoolers that feature realistic-looking helmets with lights, sounds, and a microphone so kids can hear themselves as they broadcast their adventures. From heroes to princesses, Hasbro has the Sweet Lilly Castle - a giant princess themed house for kids to play in, which even includes a beautiful dress for kids to wear and feel like a princess.

In the world of action figures, Hasbro celebrates the 25th anniversary of G.I. Joe Vs. Cobra, a full line of In the world of action figures, Hasbro will release toys for the latest Transformers animated series, new G.I. Joe figures that celebrate the 25th Indiana Jones figures and playsets, Star Wars Clone Wars and movie character figures, new Marvel action figures, and a large-scale Cloverfield monster that includes 10 parasites, two interchangeable heads, and a Statue of Liberty head accessory.

Get ready for some of the coolest Nerf toys ever created with the Nerf Vulcan - a tripod-mounted, motorized Nerf machine gun that uses an ammo belt and storage box to fire up to 25 Nerf darts without reloading - and the Nerf N-Strike game for the NintendoWii that comes with a Wiimote-based Nerf blaster.


Check back later for a separate post on Hasbro's line of games, including the new line of EA electronic games.

Toy Fair Recap: Mattel Part 2

This is part two of our Mattel showroom recap. Scroll down to the earlier post for part one.

In addition to the Barbie items we mentioned in the previous post, Mattel has a bunch of great toys for girls coming out in 2008 including a new Disney Princess doll - Sleeping Beauty, which comes with the three fairies from the movie who fight over the color of Sleeping Beauty's dress. The doll's dress actually changes color so kids can recreate that scene from the movie.

Look for more new Polly Pocket Pop 'N Swap figures, more High School Musical singing dolls, a new Little Mommy doll, and a new property we were only teased with called MyMeebas, which will be unveiled in June.

For boys, in addition to the items we mentioned last week, Matchbox will continue it's successful Mega Rigs line with a new space theme this year. We can also expect a range of figures, playsets, and role-play items for the next Batman movie. Speaking of movies, Mattel will also release new Cars minis, larger vehicles and a new programmable, "walking" Lightning McQueen car.

Check back later for our recap of the Hasbro showroom.

The Toy Of The Year Awards Winners

Last night the eighth annual TOTY (Toy of the Year Awards) were held in New York City, kicking off the 105th Toy Fair.

Following are the winners of the 2008 TOTY Awards.

Toy of the Year – Air Hogs Havoc Heli Laser Battle - Spin Master, Ltd

Most Innovative Toy of the Year - Smart Cycle™ Physical Learning – Fisher-Price

Infant/Preschool Toy of the Year – Moon Sand Adventure Island – Spin Master Ltd.

Electronic Entertainment Toy of the Year - Power Tour Electric Guitar – Tiger Electronics

Educational Toy of the Year - Smart Cycle™ Physical Learning – Fisher-Price

Activity Toy of the Year - LEGO City – LEGO Systems, Inc.

Game of the Year – Rubik’s Revolution – Techno Source

Specialty Toy of the Year – Snap Circuits – Elenco

Outdoor Toy of the Year - RipStik® Caster Board – RipStik USA

Girl Toy of the Year - Littlest Pet Shop: Display & Play Round & Round Pet Town Playset – Hasbro, Inc. and Troop Groovy Girls – Manhattan Toy

Boy Toy of the Year – Transformers Movie Deluxe Figures – Hasbro, Inc.

Property of the Year — Hannah Montana – Disney Consumer Products

Congrats to all winners and nominees!

Toy Fair Recap: Mattel Part 1

In addition to touring the Fisher-Price showroom (see earlier post below) we also had the opportunity to go through Mattel, which is conveniently in the same location as Fisher-Price (trust us, when you do Toy Fair, the less walking you have to do the better your day goes).

So let's start with Barbie. There are several new traditional doll lines due in 2008 but we want to talk about the untraditional Barbie items that you can expect to see in stores this year. Barbie iDesign, which is hitting the shelves now, is a CD Rom game that uses fashion cards that kids scan through a USB scanner to create unique fashion designs on a computer. Moving from virtual fashion to physical fashion is Barbie Bcause. This is a line of small bags and notebooks made from re-purposed scraps from the production of clothing for the dolls.

Slightly more traditional, are Peekaboo Petites and Fashion And Beauty Fashion Dolls. Peekaboo Petites are collectible, miniature dolls that come in a large variety of themes in charm-adorned cases that match and can be worn as necklaces or back-pack clips. Fashion Dolls look like traditional dolls but feature multiple points or articulation so they can be posed.

Over on the boys' side, Hot Wheels is celebrating its 40th anniversary and the production of its 4 billionth car this year. To commemorate, Hot Wheels is debuting a line-up of new vehicles, track sets, and playsets. In honor of the 4 billionth car, Mattel unveiled a one-of-a-kind, diamond-encrusted, 1:64-scale Hot Wheels car. The most expensive Hot Wheels vehicle ever made (valued at $140,000) will be auctioned off to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters charity organization.



Check back for part two of our Mattel recap.

Toy Fair Recap: Fisher-Price

We took our first Toy Fair showroom tour yesterday and it was one of the biggies - Fisher-Price. We won't beat around the bush here, the most impressive item in the showroom was by far this year's Elmo doll. Elmo Live, which will be in stores this October, is the most life-like and realistic representation of the Sesame Street puppet ever made. Not only does Elmo Live laugh and move but he stands up, sits down, crosses his legs, and waves his arms all while telling jokes, stories and flapping his mouth open and shut just like the puppet. If you catch a video of this toy in action, you would have a hard time differentiating it from the TV puppet.

Elmo wasn't the only impressive toy that Fisher-Price will release this year. Following on the success of last year's Laugh & Learn Smart Cycle, this year Fisher-Price will introduce the Laugh & Learn Smart Bounce & Spin Pony. This classic playground-themed ride for infants connects to the TV via a wireless IR device and the animated action on the TV is controlled by the movement of the child.


Another cool Fisher-Price toy is Spike the Ultra Dinosaur. This realistic moving R/C dinosaur walks, stands up on it's hind legs, makes sounds and features spikes along its back and tail that light up.


Two kid favorite cartoons will have some exciting new toys this year from Fisher-Price. Dora the Explorer will explore new heights when she teams up with a flying horse for the Dora Prance & Fly Pegasus toy. From this November's TV movie, “Dora Saves the Snow Princess”, Dora Prance & Fly Pegasus is a two-piece toy with a Dora and Pegasus doll that interact with each other and tell stories based on the movie.

Dora's cousin, Diego, has a great new line of track and vehicle based toys called Animal Rescue Railway. A flexible track system will allow kids to connect three separate play-sets each with their own animal rescue adventures.

We could go on and on about all of the great toys we saw at Fisher-Price but this is a blog and not a novel. So you can take it from us, from licensed characters to activity products to kid-tough electronics, Fisher-Price has a great line in store for kids this year.

Check back later today for our next showroom recap - Mattel!

Toy Fair Coverage Begins Tomorrow!

While Toy Fair in New York City doesn't officially begin until Sunday (February 17), we are already out on the town scouting out the best of what to expect in 2008. Check back tomorrow for the beginning of our coverage when we tell you what Mattel and Fisher-Price have in the works!

Remote-Controlled Helicopter Toys Recalled By Soft Air USA

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Soft Air USA Inc., of Grapevine, TX, announced a voluntary recall of their Remote-Controlled Helicopter Toys due to a potential burn or fire hazard.

This recall involves the remote-controlled helicopter toy “Fun2Fly Microcopter” with item number 91001. The helicopter comes with a transmitter that controls and recharges the helicopter. The helicopter is made of foam and plastic and measures about 6 ½ inches by 2 ½ inches. The transmitter measures about 4 1/2 inches by 5 inches. “Fun2Fly” and “Microcopter” are printed on the packaging. The item number is printed above the UPC label.

The recalled items were sold at sporting goods stores and other retailers nationwide from May 2007 through December 2007 for about $30.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled toy helicopter and return it to the retailer where it was purchased for a full refund. For additional information, call Soft Air USA collect at (817) 210-4181 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or e-mail the company at Bhook@softairusa.com

News: MEGA Brands to Unveil New Safety Standard For Magnetic Construction Toys

This Sunday at a press conference from Toy Fair, MEGA Brands will unveil a new safety standard developed with Intertek, an international testing authority. This first of its kind ingestion gauge will exceed all current and proposed ingestion standards. The new safety system will be implemented in MEGA Brands new line of toys called MagNext, which will also be shown at the press conference.

The press conference is scheduled to tale place Sunday, February 17th at 11:30 AM (EST) at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. Executives from both companies will be on to answer questions.

Check back here for more information after the press conference.

New Video Games Due This Week

You may recall that last week we noted that the number of new game releases was finally picking up after the post holiday lull. Well we are happy to report that once again there are plenty of new games slated for release this week across all platforms. Looking at the list, we can tell you that the Dora and Diego games are going to be big hits with the kids and rightly so - these games are a blast!

Nintendo DS
Barnyard Blast
Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of the Ancient Arts
Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue
Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Nintendo Wii
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids
Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue
Jumper: Griffin's Story
London Taxi Rush Hour

PC
Abra Academy: Returning Cast
Carrier Strike Force
Conflict: Denied Ops
Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue
My Horse and Me
Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate
Penumbra: Black Plague
Pirateville
RPG Maker VX
Sam & Max Episode 203: Night of the Raving Dead
Spaceforce: Captains

PS2
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids
Go, Diego, Go!: Safari Rescue
Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon
Jumper: Griffin's Story

PS3
Conflict: Denied Ops

PSP
Chessmaster: The Art of Learning
Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of the Ancient Arts
Wipeout Pulse

Xbox360
Black
Conflict: Denied Ops
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements
Jumper: Griffin's Story
Lost Odyssey

Your YouTube Fix: Lego Star Wars

We know, it's another Lego video but this one is just too good to pass on.
Enjoy and happy Friday!

Children’s Hooded Sweatshirts Recalled by Seventy Two Inc.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Seventy Two Inc., announced a voluntary recall of the Bonafide Love Hooded Children’s Sweatshirts due to a strangulation hazard. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

This recall involves the Bonafide Love children’s hooded sweatshirts. The sweatshirts are reversible and come in two styles. The hearts and stars style is green and in the front has a heart surrounded by pink stars. On the reverse, it is hot pink with light pink dots. The Robots style is gray with drawings of robots and pink hearts. On the reverse, it has a zebra-like pattern with gray and black stripes. “Bonafide Love” is printed on a label sewn into the collar. The recalled items were sold exclusively at Nordstrom stores nationwide from November 2007 through December 2007 for about $40.

Consumers should immediately remove the drawstrings to eliminate the hazard or return the sweatshirts to Nordstrom or to Seventy Two for a full refund. For additional information, contact Seventy Two Inc. collect at (626) 330-8027 ext. 170 between 9 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

Sega Reveals NiGHTS Bonus Game Content

Sega revealed a list of bonus events that are contained in the “My Dream” portion of NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, the sequel to the critically-acclaimed hit NiGHTS. The My-Dream feature is an online environment that gives gamers the freedom to create their own dream world using elements from the NiGHTS world. Once a month, the Nightopians (the inhabitants of the dream world) will hold a special event, which includes seasonal decorations and actions such as this month's celebration of Chinese New Year. My favorite is the July celebration of the running of the bulls when the Nightopians will be wearing bull armor and holding red capes.


NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams for the Nintendo Wii is in stores now and rated E for everyone. Check out the game review page of theToyGuy.com at theToyGuy.com/GameReviews.html for a full review.

- J. McKinney

New Video Games Due This Week

Good news for gamers! The slow trickle of new releases has been replaced this week with several highly anticipated new titles. Action fans can finally get into Devil May Cry 4 and the latest Turok adventure. For the party-minded gamers, Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore arrives in stores this week. For the younger audiences, several new animal titles are trotting into stores including My Horse And Me, Zoo Tycoon 2, Pet Pals, and Puppy Palace.

Here's a look at some of our favorite picks for the week:

Nintendo DS
Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles
My Horse and Me
Paws & Claws: Pet Resort
Pet Pals: Animal Doctor
Puppy Palace
Real Soccer 2008
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Zoo Tycoon 2

Nintendo Wii
Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore
My Horse and Me
The Spiderwick Chronicles

PC
20 Questions
Merv Griffin's Crosswords
The Spiderwick Chronicles

PS3
Devil May Cry 4
Turok

PSP
Downstream Panic!

Xbox360
Devil May Cry 4
Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Turok

Your YouTube Fix: Super Lego Mario

I can't think of a better way to spend a rainy Friday at the office than searching YouTube for random goodies. Check out this stop-motion masterpiece.

If you like it, there are plenty more where it came from. Just try searching "LEGO Mario" on YouTube.

- J. McKinney