Good Old Fashioned Fun

Imagine playing with something that doesn't plug in, download, or even require batteries. That's exactly what The Public Art Fund and artist Klara Hobza are asking us to do in The New Millennium Paper Airplane Contest. This event will be held in the Great Hall at the New York Hall of Science on November 1, 2008, from 1 to 5pm.

The competition is open to the public and participants are invited to fly their planes in any and all of the following judging categories: distance flown, duration aloft, beauty, spectacular failure, children (under 13) division, and a "surprise" category. The planes must be made from a sheet of 8.5"x11" or A4 paper or smaller. Outstanding planes will be included in a book created by Hobza and the Public Art Fund to be published next Spring. Early registration is now closed, however, you can still register in person at the event.

Click here for more information.

Star Wars Origami

Check out these amazing Star Wars origami images from Dvice:



They are the creation of Won Park, from Hawaii, who has created a collection of origami sculptures made from real dollar bills. The Millenium Falcon in the above photo was made from three bucks.

Click here for more pictures including Park's Star Trek origami sculptures.

This Week's New Video Games

Nintendo DS
Bella Sara
Ben 10: Alien Force -- The Game
C.O.R.E.
Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell
Go, Diego, Go! Great Dinosaur Rescue
Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams
Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ
The Wonder Pets! Save the Animals!
Monster Jam: Urban Assault
MySims Kingdom
Ninjatown
Petz Rescue: Ocean Patrol
Petz Rescue: Wildlife Vet
Rubik's World
Shrek's Carnival Craze
Six Flags Fun Park
Travel Games For Dummies

Nintendo Wii
All Star Cheer Squad
Ben 10: Alien Force -- The Game
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess
FIFA Soccer 09 All-Play
Go, Diego, Go! Great Dinosaur Rescue
Goosebumps HorrorLand
Monster Jam: Urban Assault
MySims Kingdom
NERF N-Strike
PBR: Out of the Chute
Petz: Horse Club
Pirate's Quest: Hunt for Blackbeard's Booty
SCORE International Baja 1000
Shrek's Carnival Craze
Six Flags Fun Park
Think Fast
Ultimate I Spy

PC
Barbie Horse Adventure: Riding Camp
Bejeweled Twist
Bella Sara
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
Fallout 3
High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance
MotoGP 08
MySims
Petz Horse Club
Shrek's Carnival Craze
Spooky Spirits
A Vampyre Story

PS2
AC/DC Live: Rock Band Traack Pack
Ben 10: Alien Force -- The Game
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess
Go, Diego, Go! Great Dinosaur Rescue
Goosebumps HorrorLand
High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance
Monster Jam: Urban Assault
MotoGP 08
PBR: Out of the Chute
Shrek's Carnival Craze
SingStar Country
SingStar Legends
SCORE International Baja 1000
Think Fast

PS3
AC/DC Live: Rock Band Traack Pack
Fallout 3
MotoGP 08
SCORE International Baja 1000
SingStar Vol. 2

PSP
Ben 10: Alien Force -- The Game
LittleBigPlanet
Monster Jam: Urban Assault
Neverland Card Battles

Xbox 360
AC/DC Live: Rock Band Traack Pack
Fallout 3 X360
High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance
MotoGP 08
SCORE International Baja 1000
Scene it? Box Office Smash

High School Musical 3: Senior Year Opens Today

The day has finally arrived! High School Musical 3: Senior Year opens in theaters across America today. It's hard to believe but the tween juggernaut that is High School Musical only premiered two years ago as a Disney Channel original movie. The first HSM was a huge and fast hit with Disney's audience and propelled it's then, relatively unknown cast including Zac Effron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, and Ashley Tisdale into tweeny-bopper stardom.

The original was followed up the following year on the Disney Channel with High School Musical 2, which reunited the cast in a summer vacation plot. Once again singing, dancing, and working together took center stage as the kids focused on the summer talent show.

Today marks the first theatrical release for the HSM franchise with HSM 3: Senior Year premiering to stellar advanced sales around the world. It's the final year of High School for the gang and the latest movie will show the kids dealing with issues such as college, saying good bye, and, of course, the prom!

High School Musical 3: Senior Year opens today (October 24) in theaters everywhere.

Transformers The Ride

Earlier this week news of a Transformers theme park ride began making its way around the world. Here is what we have learned so far. Next year, Universal Studios Hollywood will begin construction on a Transformers ride that will feature 3-D high-definition footage with special effects and robotics. The ride is scheduled to open in 2011 and will likely cost more than $40 million to create.

The ride will be based on the Michael Bay movie and will replace the current Backdraft and the Special Effects Soundstages attractions at the movie theme park. No specifics on the ride itself have been released other than it promises to put visitors in the middle of the battle between Autobots and Decepticons.

According to Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO, Universal Parks & Resorts, the ride will be a collaboration with Hasbro, DreamWorks, Bay and the film’s executive producer, Steven Spielberg.

Additional Drop Side Cribs Recalled by Delta Enterprise

In Addition to the recalled cribs listed in the previous post (see below), The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Delta Enterprise Corp., announced a voluntary recall of about 600,000 drop side cribs. The crib’s drop side can detach when the spring peg is not engaged, which can cause an entrapment and suffocation risk to infants and toddlers.

The recall involves all Delta drop side cribs manufactured prior to 2006 that use “Crib Trigger Lock with Spring Peg” drop side hardware design. The recalled model numbers and country of origin include: 4340, 4343, 4520, 4600, 4620, 4624, 4625, 4629, 4660, 4665, 4720, 4750, 4751, 4850, 4855, 4857, 4880, 4920, 4925-2, 4925-2B, 4925-6, 4980, and 8605. The model number, country of origin and manufacture dates are located on top of the mattress support board. The recalled cribs have Delta’s name and address on the mattress support boards and Delta’s logo on the teether rail.

The cribs, which were made in China, were sold at major retailers nationwide from January 2000 through January 2007 for between $33 and $200. Cribs currently sold at retail are not involved.

CPSC and Delta urge parents and caregivers to immediately stop using these cribs and contact Delta to receive a free, easy-to-install repair kit. Call Delta toll-free at (800) 816-5304 anytime after 5 pm today or log on www.cribrecallcenter.com to order the free repair kit.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to find a safe, alternative sleep environment for their child until the repair kit, with new safety pegs, is safely installed are the recalled cribs.

Delta Enterprise Drop Side Cribs Recalled

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Delta Enterprise Corp., announced a voluntary recall to replace missing safety pegs involving 985,000 drop side cribs. Failure to use or install safety pegs can cause an entrapment and suffocation risk to infants and toddlers.

When the safety pegs in the base of each leg of the crib are missing from the lower track, the crib locks can disengage and detach if lowered below the peg hole, creating a hazardous gap. This gap can lead to the entrapment and suffocation of an infant or toddler.

The recall involves all Delta cribs manufactured in Taiwan or Indonesia, with the “Crib Trigger Lock with Safety Peg” drop side hardware design. These model numbers and country of origin can be located on the mattress support board label: 4320, 4340, 4500, 4520, 4530, 4532, 4540, 4542, 4550, 4551, 4580, 4600, 4620, 4624 (production dates 01/06 thru 11/07), 4640, 4660, 4720, 4735, 4742, 4750 (production dates 01/95 thru 12/00), 4760, 4770, 4780, 4790, 4820, 4840, 4850, 4860, 4880, 4890, 4892, 4900, 4910, 4920, 4925-2, 4925-6, 4930, 4940, 4943, 4944, 4947, 4948, 4949, 4950, 4958, 4963, 4968, 4969, 4980.

The recalled cribs have date codes ranging from 1995 though December 2005 and one model (4624) was made in 2007. The model numbers are located on the top of the mattress support board.

The cribs, which were made in Taiwan and Indonesia, were sold at major retailers, including Walmart, Kmart and Target.com from January 1995 through September 2007 for about $100. These cribs have also been found to be sold secondhand. Cribs currently sold at retail are not involved.

CPSC and Delta urge parents and caregivers to immediately stop using cribs that are missing a safety peg on any leg of the crib and contact Delta to receive a free, easy-to-install repair kit. The kit will include safety pegs in a bold color and warning labels to be affixed to the mattress board. Consumers with cribs that have all safety pegs installed may continue to use the cribs; however, CPSC recommends that these consumers contact Delta for the repair kit for future assembly purposes. Call Delta toll-free at (1-800-816-5304) anytime after 5pm today or log on www.cribrecallcenter.com to order the free replacement kit.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to find a safe, alternative sleep environment for their child if their recalled crib is missing safety pegs.

This Week's New Video Games

Nintendo DS
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? Make the Grade!
Back at the Barnyard: Slop Bucket Games
Backyard Football '09
Barbie Horse Adventure: Riding Camp
Candace Kane's Candy Factory DS Puzzle October 21, 2008
Carnival Games Mini Golf
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Celebrity Sports Showdown
Dancing With The Stars: Get Your Dance On
Ener-G: Dance Squad
Ener-G: Gym Rockets
Ener-G: Horse Riders
High School Musical 3: Senior Year
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Master of the Monster Lair
Mechanic Master
Pass the Pigs
Rock University Presents The Naked Brothers Band: The Video Game
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
SpongeBob SquarePants Featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom
Tornado
Touchmaster 2
Transformers: Animated -- The Game
What's Cooking? with Jamie Oliver

Nintendo Wii
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? Make the Grade!
Backyard Football '09
Barbie Horse Adventure: Riding Camp
Build-A-Bear Workshop: A Friend Fur All Seasons
Circus Games
Dancing With The Stars: Get Your Dance On
Disney Sing It
Guitar Hero World Tour
High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Monopoly
Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2
Pet Pals: Animal Doctor
Petz Rescue: Wildlife Vet
Rock University Presents The Naked Brothers Band: The Video Game
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
SpongeBob SquarePants Featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom
Think Fast
Wii Music

PC
7 Wonders III
Backyard Football '09
Bully: Scholarship Edition
EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction
NBA 2K9
NHL 09
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

PS2
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? Make the Grade!
Backyard Football '09
Barbie Horse Adventure: Riding Camp
Disney Sing It
Guitar Hero World Tour
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Monopoly
Rock University Presents The Naked Brothers Band: The Video Game
SpongeBob SquarePants Featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom

PS3
BioShock
Disney Sing It
Guitar Hero World Tour
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Monopoly
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

PSP
Crash: Mind Over Mutant
Guitar Hits
Midnight Club: LA Remix

Xbox 360
Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3
Disney Sing It
Fable II
Guitar Hero World Tour
The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Monopoly
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

Toy Boats Recalled

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Dollar General, announced a voluntary recall of Battery Operated Toy “Speed Boats”due to a potential burn hazard. The two battery terminals can come into contact with each other, causing the battery to overheat, posing a burn hazard to consumers. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

The recalled toy speed boats are lightweight plastic toy boats supported by an inflatable hull with “outboard” motors on them. The motor uses two AA batteries. The toy boat measures about 12 inches long by 8 inches wide and comes in various colors and designs. These toys were sold at Dollar General nationwide from March 2008 through July 2008 for $3 each.

Consumers should take these toys away from young children and return them to the store where purchased for a refund or replacement product. For additional information, contact Dollar General at (800) 678-9258 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dollargeneral.com.

Fall Toy Preview Show: The Buzz from Dallas

The economy may be taking a wild ride, but the buzz here in Dallas where the 2009 Fall Preview Show has been underway for two days is that there's one ride that everyone is counting on -- Santa's.

The toys for the 2008 holiday season may just be arriving on store shelves around the country, but the toy industry is looking ahead to next year already. We got a sneak peek at some of the toys that are currently in the works for next year, and it's pretty impressive. Of course, specifics are still under wraps, and everything is top secret, so we can't tell you exactly what you're going to see, but we can say that the industry is proceeding with the kind of optimism that has always characterized the toy business.

We didn't get a chance to see what Hasbro and Mattel are planning (that's coming up in a few weeks). However, overall, there are a lot of creative ideas that are going to be in the pipeline, and there's lots of creativity in store. In fact, creativity seems to be one of the motivating factors as we saw a boom in activities and arts and crafts, and new ways of capitalizing on how kids play today--with computers and electronics.

We also saw clever additions to existing lines that will add fun without adding a lot of cost. Probably the best news for consumers is that advances in technology, manufacturing and design mean that the majority of toys will stay reasonably priced, an acknowledgment that even if we do end up in an official recession, kids are still going to want to play, and parents are still going to want kids to have great play experiences.

And while we can't tell you exactly what we saw, we can make a few predictions. Computer time got a lot more fun. Classic toys get new twists, and if you're a young Star Wars or Ben 10 fan, you're going to be very happy. Maybe you could have made those predictions yourself, but it's been fun to see what everyone has been up to for the past year.

For now, though, we'll turn the focus back to this year, and the amazing toys that are going to delight kids and families.

Iron Man Sequel News

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Terrence Howard will not return for the Iron Man sequel but rather Don Cheadle will take on the role of Jim Rhodes. The Rhodes character is rumored to be getting an iron suit of his own in the sequel and bringing the character of War Machine to the big screen.

Stay tuned for more news.

This Week's New Video Games

Mac
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith

Nintendo DS
Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs
Bratz: Girlz Really Rock!
Cesar Millan's The Dog Whisperer
FIFA Soccer 09
Littlest Pet Shop: Garden
Littlest Pet Shop: Jungle
Littlest Pet Shop: Winter
Lovely Lisa
My Dress-Up
My Japanese Coach
My Make-Up
My Secret Diary
Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2
Rock Revolution
Smart Boy's Toy Club
Smart Girl's Party Game
Smart Kid's Party Fun Pack
Tak: Mojo Mistake

Nintendo Wii
Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune
Avatar: The Last Airbender-- Into the Inferno
Boogie SuperStar
Bratz: Girlz Really Rock!
Dokapon Kingdom
Jeep Thrills
Littlest Pet Shop
Penny Racers Party: Turbo-Q Speedway
Safecracker: The Ultimate Puzzle Adventure
Sam & Max: Season One
Tak and the Guardians of Gross
Ten Pin Alley 2

PC
Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile
Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Path of Zuko
Brain Training For Dummies
Cesar Millan's The Dog Whisperer
Combat Wings: Battle of Britain
Etch A Sketch
FIFA Soccer 09
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Littlest Pet Shop
Pet Pals: New Leash on Life
Rock University Presents The Naked Brothers Band: The Video Game
Saints Row 2
World of Goo

PS2
Avatar: The Last Airbender-- Into the Inferno
Bratz: Girlz Really Rock!
Dokapon Kingdom
FIFA Soccer 09
Nitrobike
Tak and the Guardians of Gross
The Dog Island

PS3
Age of Booty
Blitz: The League II
Dead Space
FIFA Soccer 09
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Red Baron Arcade
Rock Band 2
Rock Revolution
Saints Row 2

PSP
FIFA Soccer 09

Xbox360
Blitz: The League II
Dead Space
FIFA Soccer 09
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Rock Band 2
Rock Revolution
Saints Row 2

Counting Down ...

OMG! Were just two weeks away from the High School Musical 3 theatrical premier!
Here's a little something to tied you over.

Hasbro Recalls Nerf Blasters

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Hasbro, announced a voluntary recall of the Nerf™ N-Strike Recon Blasters for posing a potential pinching hazard. The blaster’s plunger can pull the user’s skin during firing of the toy blaster resulting in injury to the face, neck, and/or chest. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

This recall involves the Nerf N-Strike Recon CS-6 Blasters for children age 6 and up. The toy blaster is yellow with a black handle and orange plunger, trigger, and reload clip. The word “NERF” in black lettering is on both sides of the blaster and the word “ARMED” is indented on the orange plunger. “RECON CS-6” is on the gray cocking mechanism. There are five interchangeable parts including the shoulder stock, the flip-up sight, barrel extension, quick re-load clip and dual-mode light beam. Model number 63552 and UPC codes 653569272021 and 653569311218 can be found on the packaging. Only blasters with an exposed orange plunger are included in this recall. This item was sold at Wal-Mart, Target, Toys “R” Us, discount stores and toy stores nationwide from November 2007 through August 2008 for about $20.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy blasters away from children and contact Hasbro for a free cylindrical cover to prevent additional injuries. For more information, contact Hasbro toll-free at (800) 245-0910 anytime or visit the firm’s Web site at www.hasbro.com/nerf

R/C Star Wars R2-D2 Action Figure

This has to be the cutest remote control R2-D2 ever created. It's the size of the original Star Wars R2 action figure and controlled by a lightsaber remote. There's a lot packed into this tiny droid including realistic sound effects, a red LED eye, and turning head. You can move R2 forward and in a circle. Just think of all the possibilities of having R/C controlled action figures - you wouldn't have to be bothered with any of that cumbersome playing again. Instead you can just sit back and watch your toys play on their own.

R/C R2 is available now at Think Geek for $30.

Razor USA Recalls PowerWing Three-Wheeled Scooters

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Razor USA LLC, announced a voluntary recall of the Razor® PowerWing™ Three-Wheeled Scooters due to a laceration hazard. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Description: The PowerWing is a three-wheeled scooter, which was sold in either black or silver. The recall includes products with serial numbers beginning with:


The serial number is located on the bottom of the scooter near the front wheel. Products with an oval sticker next to the serial number with a “V” followed by any letter (example VE, VF, VG, etc.) are not included in the recall. The recalled scooters were sold by authorized retailers nationwide and online from October 2007 through September 2008 for about $100.

Parents should immediately stop children from using the product. Do not return the product to retailers. Contact Razor for a set of free replacement foot platforms.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Razor USA at (800) 314-9870 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.razor.com/recall

This Week's New Video Games

Nintendo DS
Bleach: Dark Souls
Crash: Mind Over Mutant
Imagine: Babysitters
Imagine: Fashion Designer New York
The Legend of Kage 2
Prey The Stars
Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals

Nintendo Wii
Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune
Crash: Mind Over Mutant
Game Party 2
Line Rider 2: Unbound
Madden NFL 09 All-Play Pink
NBA Live 09 All-Play
Penny Racers Party: Turbo-Q Speedway
Sam & Max: Season One
Ten Pin Alley 2
World of Goo

PC
Etch A Sketch
Exodus from the Earth
Nancy Drew: The Haunting of Castle Malloy
Pet Pals: New Leash on Life

PS2
Crash: Mind Over Mutant
NBA '09: The Inside
NBA 2K9
NBA Live 09

PS3
Fracture
NBA '09: The Inside
NBA 2K9
NBA Live 09
Red Baron Arcade PS3
Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars

PSP
Crash: Mind Over Mutant
My Spanish Coach
NBA '09: The Inside
NBA Live 09

Xbox360
Children's Miracle Network Family Games Pack
Crash: Mind Over Mutant
Fracture
Guilty Gear 2: Overture
Madden NFL 09 Pink
NBA 2K9
NBA Live 09
MLB Stickball

Time To Play Most Wanted List Announced

At yesterday's Time To Play launch event (see previous post) Chris Byrne and Jim Silver announced the Holiday 2008 "Most Wanted". This is a list of the 16 toys that will most likely top most kid's wish lists this holiday season.

So let's get right to the list!

In order of age appropriateness:

Laugh & Learn Smart Bounce and Spin Pony
(Fisher-Price/Age: 12-36 months/Approximate Retail Price: $69.99)

Elmo Live!
(Fisher-Price/Age: 18 months and up/Approximate Retail Price: $59.99)

V-Motion Active Learning System
(VTECH/Age: 3-7 years/Approximate Retail Price: $69.99)

TAG Reading System
(LeapFrog/Age: 4-8 years/Approximate Retail Price: $49.99)

Hot Wheels Turbo Driver
(Mattel/Age: 4 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $20.99)

Star Wars The Clone Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer Helmet
(Hasbro/Age: 4 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $29.99)

Bakugan
(Spin Master/Age: 5 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $4.99-$24.99)

Furreal Friends Biscuit, My Lovin’ Pup
(Hasbro/Ages 5 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $179.99)

MagNext
(MEGA Brands/Ages: 6 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $4.99-$59.99)

Clickables
(Techno Source/Age: 7 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $12.99-$29.99)

Eye-Clops Night Vision Goggles
(Jakks Pacific/Age: 8 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $79.99)

LEGO Star Wars: The Clone Wars
(LEGO /Ages: 8 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $49.99-$119.99)

U-Dance
(Hasbro/Age: 8 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $74.99)

Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker
(Jakks Pacific/Age: 8 years & up/Approximate Retail Price: $29.99)

Guitar Hero World Tour
(Activision/ Rated: T/Approximate Retail Price: $59.99)

Rock Band 2
(Harmonix/ Rated: T/Approximate Retail Price: $59.99)

You can find the full list with item descriptions and images on theToyGuy.com next week.

Time To Play Magazine Launch

It's official! Chris Byrne and the gang from theToyGuy.com have joined forces with Jim Silver of aNb Media to create Time to Play, an informative and multi-faceted resource for parents and caregivers. Our first venture is the website, www.TimetoPlayMag.com, which will launch today, October 1 and provide adults with information, entertainment, and services on what's fun for children and their families.