Counting Down

Whatever your plans may involve tonight, we hope you have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve celebration.

See you in 2009!

How Cool Is This?! The Slegoon

This is not your grandfather's toboggan! The Slegoon is an over-the-top new sled design with a roll-bar style cage and double the speed of a typical sled. It is the winning entry in the UK IOM3 Design Innovation in Plastics competition and hopefully will be available soon. If it does show up in stores you will find out about it here.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from all of us at theToyGuy.com!

More Star Wars Holiday Fun - Chanukah Edition

Last week we posted about some fun and cool Star Wars Christmas ideas and this week, in honor of the festival of lights, we bring you the Droidel!


That's right! It's an R2-D2 inspired Dreidel and you can make one yourself by downloading and printing the Droidel pdf image, here, and following these instructions:

From StarWars.com:

How To Make a Paper Droidel:


1. Print out the Droidel PDF and glue it to a thin piece of cardstock or cardboard like from a cereal box

2. Once the glue is dry, have an adult carefully cut it out along the edges (including the flaps). Also cut out R2-D2's circle dome.

3. Carefully cut out the circle. This is where the small pencil or a straw will go -- so you can spin the dreidel like a top.

4. Fold along the lines on the inside, then glue or tape where the flaps tell you. Do the top part last.

5. Fold the top extra R2-D2 circle top into a wide cone and place on top of the dreidel with glue or tape. Make sure the holes line up.

6. Then stick in a small pencil or a straw through the holes you cut at the top.

7. Now you're read to play!

This Week's New Releases

It's Christmas week and the game releases have slowed to a trickle. By now, all the game companies have released most of their products in the hopes that you have already bought them.

Here is a look at some of the few new games arriving in stores this week:

Nintendo DS
Bigfoot: Collision Course

Nintendo Wii
Fun! Fun! Minigolf
Rock Band 2

PS2
Rock Band 2
M&Ms Adventure

PS3
Savage Moon

Evenflo Recalls Majestic High Chairs

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Evenflo Company Inc., announced a voluntary recall of Evenflo Majestic High Chairs due to fall and chocking hazards. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

The recall involves Evenflo Majestic™ high chairs made before January 23, 2007. The recalled high chairs have the following model numbers: 3001395A, 3001583, 3001633A, 3001669, 3001700A, 3001713, 3001713A, 3001730A, 3001732, 3001732A, 3001733, 3001742, 3001742A, and 3001756. The model number and production date can be found on a white label on the seatback. “Evenflo” is printed on the label and on the push button on the front of the tray. The chairs were sold at juvenile product and mass merchandise stores nationwide, including Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Burlington Coat Factory and Shopko, and on-line at walmart.com from January 2006 through May 2007 for between $80 and $110.

Consumers should immediately stop using the high chairs and contact Evenflo to receive a free repair kit. For additional information, contact Evenflo at (800) 233-5921 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit www.majestichighchair.com

Star Wars Christmas Fun

The Official Star Wars Blog has some fun Christmas related posts including an interview with the person who made the Star Wars Nativity scene above.

You can read the interview and see more creative Star Wars Christmas pictures at The Official Star Wars Blog.

Chris Byrne on The Recent KB Toys Bankruptcy

Yesterday, our own Chris Byrne, aka The Toy Guy, wrote a very informative article for Obit Magazine on KB Toys recent bankruptcy filing. You can read the article here. The article was then picked up and published over at The Huffington Post.

- Jeff McKinney

This Week's New Releases

Nintendo DS
Burger Island
Candace Kane's Candy Factory
C.O.R.E.
Dreamer: Horse Trainer
Dreamer: Puppy Trainer
Learn Math for Grades 1-4
My Personal Diary
Mystery P.I.: Portrait of a Thief
Yamaha Supercross

Nintendo Wii
Deal or No Deal
Garfield Gets Real
M&M's Beach Party
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People -- Episode 5
Summer Sports 2: Island Sports Party
Yamaha Supercross

PC
DQ Tycoon
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People -- Episode 5

PS3
Crash Commando
Rise of the Argonauts

Xbox 360
Rise of the Argonauts
Sega Soccer Slam [Xbox Originals]

Claire's Recalls Children's Metal Necklaces

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Claire’s Boutiques, announced a voluntary recall of the Best Friends Yin Yang Necklaces Sets due to a risk of lead exposure. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

This recall involves a set of two necklaces that have a silver-colored metal bead type chain and a lobster-claw clasp. One of the necklaces has a single, metal pendant with the word “Best” attached to a black, yin metal pendant. The other necklace has the word “Friends” attached to a white, yang metal pendant. They were sold at Claire’s stores nationwide from April 2007 through August 2008 for about $8.

Consumers should immediately take these recalled products away from children and return them to any Claire’s store for a full refund. For additional information, call Claire’s at (866) 859-9281 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web sites at www.claires.com

Good News For Twilight Fans. It's A Trilogy!

It seems as if the hit teen-vampire flick, Twilight, will be back for at least two more movies. According to a post on Acting Auditions, a casting agency's blog, Summit Entertainment has started working on the sequel New Moon, based on Stephenie Meyer's second book in the series. The studio also plans to film Eclipse, the third book, back to back using the same director.

There are currently four books published in the Twilight series with a fifth in the works.

Don't Forget Toys For Tots

Times are tough for a lot of us this year but if you can, please donate a new toy to the Marine's Toys For Tots foundation. If you live in the US and would like to help, head on over to Toys For Tots to find out where you can drop off your toy donations.

This Week's New Releases

Nintendo DS
Build-A-Lot
Cate West: The Vanishing Files
Drivers Ed Portable
Left Brain Right Brain 2
Slingo Quest

Wii
Neopets Puzzle Adventure
Rygar: The Battle of Argus
WordJong Party

PC
Defense Grid: The Awakening
Prince of Persia
Princess Waltz

PS2
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

PS3
Sonic Unleashed

PSP
Dungeon Maker II: The Hidden War

Chris Byrne on The Early Show Tomorrow

Chris Byrne, aka The Toy Guy, will be dropping by The Early Show tomorrow (Saturday, December 6) with a look at some of the must have toys of the holiday season.

The Early Show Saturday edition airs tomorrow on CBS. Check your local listings for times.

OKK Trading Recalls Toy Army Figures

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with OKK Trading, announced a voluntary recall of Toy Army Figures for violating the federal lead paint standard. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

The recall involves 7 ½ inch tall plastic toy Army figures. The figures are dressed in Army fatigues and have guns. They were sold at Dollar type retailers and OKK Trading’s Web site www.okktoys.com from June 2008 through September 2008 for about $1.

Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact OKK Trading for a full refund or replacement toy. For additional information, contact OKK Trading at (877) 655-8697 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.okktoys.com.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard Coming To Muggle Stores

J.K. Rowling, the creator and author of the 'Harry Potter' series is releasing a new book on Thursday, 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard.' Although this is not a new book in the Harry Potter series, it is a collection of fairy tales that was referred to in 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,' the final installation of the Potter novels.

Proceeds from the sales of the new book will go to a charity co-founded by Rowling.

Look for 'The Tales of Beedle the Bard' in stores and online nationwide on December 4.

This Week's New Video Games

Mac
DQ Tycoon

Nintendo DS
Burger Island
Cate West: The Vanishing Files
Dreamer: Puppy Trainer
Emma at the Farm
Happy Cooking
Heavy Armor Brigade
M&Ms Adventure
Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi
My Fun Facts Coach
Prince of Persia: The Fallen King
Slingo Quest
The Tale of Despereaux
Winter Sports 2: The Next Challenge
Wordfish

Nintendo Wii
Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun
Deer Drive
Family Party: 30 Great Games
Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine
Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars
My Fitness Coach
Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek
Safecracker: The Ultimate Puzzle Adventure
Space Invaders Get Even
The Tale of Despereaux

PC
Defense Grid: The Awakening
DQ Tycoon
Grand Theft Auto IV
Hired Guns: The Jagged Edge
Shaun White Snowboarding
The Tale of Despereaux

PS2
Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories
SingStar ABBA
The Tale of Despereaux
Yamaha Supercross

PS3
Prince of Persia
SingStar ABBA

Xbox 360
Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon
Prince of Persia
The Tale of Despereaux