toyfair2019
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Game streamer Ninja will have his own toy line
You can't usually show support for a game streamer in the real world outside of t-shirt and stickers, but Wicked Cool Toys is kicking things up a notch. It's introducing a line of toys themed around streamers, starting with Twitch superstar Tyler "Ninja" Blevins. You'll find two-inch collectibles in blind packs ($5 each, above) and four-inch dancing figures ($10) themed around his characters and emotes, as well as head wear ($20) that gives you that blue hair and headband. All of those should ship in the fall, and there are plans for plush toys, games and other goodies.
Lightsaber Academy helps you practice your Jedi swing
Toy lightsabers are a lot of fun: Kids love to strike poses, swing them through the air and jab the weapons at their friends as they pretend to be Luke Skywalker, Rey or even Darth Vader and Kylo Ren. But what they can't do with a standard lightsaber is actually learn how to wield one. Star Wars Lightsaber Academy, an app-connected toy introduced at this week's Toy Fair, aims to change that by putting kids (and adults) under the virtual tutelage of some of their favorite Force users.
'Overwatch' action figures and Monopoly are coming this spring
Hasbro is about to give you many, many ways to flaunt your Overwatch fandom beyond the occasional Nerf gun. It's launching a series of toys and games themed around the character-driven shooter, including Monopoly Overwatch Collector's Edition. The $50 board game turns maps into properties, cards into loot boxes and player pieces into familiar characters like D.Va and Winston. However, that's really just the start of the collection -- the action figures in particular stand out.
Owleez is the mutant offspring of a cuddly pet and a helicopter
Ask any parent of a school-aged child and they'll probably tell you nurturing toys are big now. Those are the ones where petting and feeding it are not optional activities, thanks to a series of sensors embedded under the plaything's surface. It's like a Tamagotchi on steroids. Those same parents might also say that drones are still pretty popular, before complaining about their child terrorizing the dog with one. The two product categories couldn't have been more different, until this week's Toy Fair. Spin Master's new Owleez is a cute little owl you must care for until it gains the confidence to take to the skies thanks to the rotors hidden beneath its feathered exterior.
Air Hogs' new racer is the Spider-Man of remote-controlled cars
Spin Master's Air Hogs brand is, like it says in the name, primarily a toy aircraft line today. Remote-controlled planes, helicopters and, of course, drones. But occasionally it will hit the ground with some cool land vehicles like race cars, tanks or even the Batmobile. However, this year the company is bringing back a four wheel hit from a few years ago that, while it may not fly, is decidedly not confined to the ground. The Air Hogs Zero Gravity Laser Racer is a car that can ride on the floor, then climb up the wall and even take a shortcut across your ceiling.
Nerf's 'Fortnite' guns will be here March 22nd (updated)
If you thought Hasbro was already milking the Fortnite trend for all it's worth with an official Nerf gun, you haven't seen anything yet. The toy maker has unveiled its full line of Fortnite-themed Nerf guns (including Super Soakers), and while it's not a complete reflection of the battle royale shooter's arsenal, it's likely you'll find something that suits your tastes. People who prefer dart-based havoc can pick up the AR-L assault rifle ($50) or SP-L pistol ($20) for conventional weaponry, but they can also wield $10 MicroShot dart blasters for surprise attacks. If you've ever wanted to shoot foam projectiles from a llama's mouth, now's your chance.
PowerUp Toys is motorizing more paper vehicles
PowerUp Toys, the makers of a smartphone-controlled paper airplane kit, is at Toy Fair 2019 with three new gizmos to occupy your free time. The company has an updated version of its popular plane kit with dual propellers, a new motorization kit that can power other origami vehicles and an accessory that can turn a smartphone into augmented reality goggles.
Hasbro's Bluetooth lightsaber lets kids train to become a Jedi
Hasbro has a new toy for the future Jedi in your life. The Star Wars Lightsaber Academy is a suped-up version of the standard lightsaber that comes with its own training exercises and activities built in, according to The Verge. The toy connected to a smartphone app via Bluetooth to provide Jedis-in-training with interactive challenges that teach them to fight like their favorite Star Wars characters.
The new Pictionary has you drawing in thin air
It's not easy being a traditional board game manufacturer in these digital days, although some companies have taken pretty bold steps to bridge the gap between table-top and pixel-based play. Now Pictionary is doing the same with Pictionary Air, which takes your competitive sketching off the paper and puts it onto your phone, tablet or TV screen instead.
A 'Stranger Things' version of 'Dungeons and Dragons' arrives April 22nd (updated)
The third season of Stranger Things won't arrive until July, but you might be able to while away some of the time by checking out the Dungeons and Dragons adventure the gang plays in the first episode. Hasbro is releasing a D&D starter kit based on "Hunt for the Thessalhydra" on April 22nd.
Hot Wheels' new TechMods are remote-control cars you build yourself
Hot Wheels has excelled at merging the real and virtual worlds for the past few years, but a lot of that has been focused on the driving experience -- specifically, how to make it more like a video game, with toys like Hot Wheels AI, Mindracers and Augmoto. This year the brand is finally giving budding gear heads some love with its new TechMods set, an app-controlled vehicle that you build yourself and then control with your phone. It's not the same as tinkering under a hood, but it is actually fun to put together.
Lego’s newest playsets are haunted by AR (updated)
As much as we like to shake our metaphorical canes at kids and lament how they're all about Minecraft and Fortnite these days, the truth is that they're still really big into physical play too. Children still love Lego, both the plastic bricks and the worlds they can create with them. However, the company is now going to try to unite all these different aspects -- building, video gaming and storytelling -- with its new AR-based line, Lego Hidden Side. Kids can construct sets and bring them to life using their phones, with a continuing narrative to keep them coming back for more.
3Doodler's mobile app is like a coloring book for 3D printing
3Doodler is finally launching a mobile app, and it'll come with step-by-step instructions you can follow to hone your 3D-printing skills. The company will also roll out a new project every week to give you something fresh to work on after you've already gone through all the tutorials (over 10, the company said) featured at launch. But the best thing the application can offer if you truly can't wield your 3D-printing pen properly even after loads of practice is stencils. You don't even have to print out the stencils: you can literally just draw with a 3Doodler right on your mobile device while following the patterns on the screen -- sort of like a paint by number coloring book.
Speak & Spell is B-A-C-K
If you're a techie of a certain age (cough), you probably have fond memories of the Speak & Spell. The Texas Instruments toy's quirky speech synthesis may be quaint by modern standards, but it sounded like magic at a time when getting any computer to talk was a big deal. You'll be glad to hear it's back, then. Basic Fun is introducing a revived Speak & Spell that includes all the familiar games, that simple segmented display (albeit one based on modern LCDs) and, of course, that signature orange-and-yellow design. However, there is one important change you'll have to consider: the voice.
