toy fair 2011
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Activision and Sega show off Wappy Dog dogbot / Nintendo DS game at Toy Fair 2011
Toy Fair 2011 isn't quite as big a deal as say, CES or MWC, but it still has its fair share of nifty plaything gadgets. One jewel of the show is Sega's Wappy Dog toy that interfaces with Activision's Nintendo DS title of the same name. In what amounts to the logical evolutionary conclusion of the artist formerly known as Tamagotchi, Wappy Dog allows folks to communicate with their digital pets not only via the DS, but also by playing with and training their pooch's robotic doppelgänger. After playing with DS Wappy, the game automatically syncs up with the toy bot to keep it from developing multiple personality disorder. Though currently a prototype, the toy can dance (hopefully with a little more flava than its iDog cousin), whine, and bark in response to your child's interactions, and is slated for a release this fall at an unknown price point. No need to thank us for finding your next family pet.
Fisher Price releases iCan Play Case and Kid-Tough See Yourself Camera, you'll thank 'em
You know who you can count on to protect your technology? Fisher Price, that's who. We know, it sounds a bit crazy, but what other company out there is thinking about safeguarding your gadgets from those adorable yet greasy-handed kids? The company is kicking off Toy Fair with a few new gadgets that do just that, and first up, is that cute little Laugh & Learn iCan Play iPhone case up there. The $20 plastic enclosure stores any generation iPhone or iPod Touch and has a screen cover to protect your precious capacitive LCD from "dribbles and drool." Seriously, OtterBox has its work cut out -- the toy even has rattles and handles to entertain when mommy or daddy have to yank the phone out to make a call. And because looking at e-mails, texts, or apps could get bit boring for those three to 36-month-olds after awhile, Fisher is adding a few new Laugh & Learn apps to the App Store later this month. What about the older kids, you ask? Well, they won't be interested in your brand new point-and-shoot when they've got a Kid-Tough See Yourself Camera of their own. Or at least that's what the company's hoping -- the plastic camera has a rotating 1.2 megapixel lens with a 4x zoom so kids can take pictures of themselves and then check it out on the 1.8-inch LCD screen. The shooter houses a SD card slot and is powered by four AA batteries. Sure, it doesn't have the latest and greatest specs, but what $70 camera do you know that can customize shots with "fun digital stamps"? We told you your gadgets would stay safe and sound. The iCan Play Case and Kid-Tough camera won't be available until this summer, but we've got the gallery of hands-on shots below so you can check 'em out earlier. %Gallery-116367%
Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure announced, incorporates augmented reality
Augmented reality dragons. Have you ever heard such a completely radical combination of words in your entire life? Activision and developer Toys for Bob are banking on the novelty of that concept to make their recently announced franchise reboot, Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, a hit. Here's the pitch: The game includes a "Portal" mat, upon which players can place one of over 30 toys modeled after characters, including the titular dragon. This drops the character into the game, where its unique set of skills helps the player ... you know, do platform-y stuff. Though it sounds like a lot of love is going into the actual game -- with a script penned by the writers of Toy Story and a score composed by Hans Zimmer -- the toys actually seem to be the focal point. Each figure includes some sort of internal memory, which saves the experience, gold and improved skills of their in-game counterparts. From there, players can drop their toys on other players' Portals to use their customized characters in one of the game's cooperative or competitive modes. Oh, and to make these little guys even more collectible, each toy adheres to an element (fire, water, earth, etc.), augmenting its abilities and giving it access to exclusive areas of the game. Skylanders is set to launch this fall for $70, which nets you the game itself, a Portal mat, three toys and some trading cards. No platforms have been announced, though the game was demonstrated on Wii during its debut presentation at the 2011 American International Toy Fair today (that's right -- mystery solved). Man, if we were 12 again, we'd go absolutely nuts for these things. Heck, even in our jaded mid-20s, we're having a difficult time tempering our excitement. Check out the galleries below for a look at the game and its importable statuettes. %Gallery-116315% %Gallery-116316%
Activision to reveal 'innovative new universe' integrating games and toys at NYC Toy Fair
Hidden within the "company outlook" section of Activision's latest earnings report is a tease for a new game, or series, or something. Activision calls this new project "an innovative new universe with broad appeal that will be revealed at Toy Fair later this week and will bring the world of toys, video games and the Internet together in an unprecedented way." In an investor call, Activision's Eric Hirshberg said the game would be out in "the back half" of this year. If it's being revealed at Toy Fair (February 13–16 in NYC) and it has "broad appeal," expect it to be some kind of children's game. Activision recently unveiled Squinkies for DS (pictured), which fits the "toys" (it's based on a popular toy franchise) and "broad appeal" classifiers, but not the "unprecedented" online integration, making it unlikely that the DS game alone is what the report is talking about. it's possible that this new game will use the Squinkies license, though, since Activision has those rights. Rest assured, Joystiq will be at Toy Fair to find out more about this mystery project. Update: And the answer is ... a new Spyro game, with interactive toys!
Hot Wheels Video Racer has a VGA camera under its hood, confirms that kids have it all
Damn kids these days and their cool tech toys! We know we sound cranky, jealous, and old, but how are we supposed to react to Mattel's new Hot Wheels Video Racer? Yep, just as the headline reveals, everybody's favorite matchbox car is now home to a VGA video camera that can capture 30 to 60 frames per second and a .95-inch LCD that allows you to play back that recorded footage right on the belly of the tiny vehicle. While a short clip of the Video Racer flying off a self-made jump may be pretty awesome, Mattel will also include protective cases so those wild and crazy kids can mount the cam to a skateboard or helmet. Disappointingly, the small car only houses 512MB of storage, which can only hold 12 minutes of video, but at $60, Mattel also includes a rubberized mini USB to USB cord for connecting the cam to a Mac or PC and child-friendly editing software. The Video Racer won't actually peel out until the fall, but we managed to take a few shots of the little thing this week and nab some video of it while at CES. Hit the break for that video and start saving that allowance! %Gallery-114785%
