toys
Latest
Lego's Imperial Star Destroyer set has 4,700 pieces and is 43 inches long
This magnificent specimen is all your childhood dreams come true: a 43-inch long Imperial Star Destroyer made from Lego. The new 4,700-piece Lego creation is the largest Star Wars-themed set to date and will let you finally recreate the epic opening scene of A New Hope in your living room.
Blipblox is a synth made for kids that adults will like too
Blipblox is a synthesizer designed for children. The company behind it, Playtime Engineering, even calls it a toy. And it certainly looks like one. It's made out of bright, glossy, primary-colored plastic. The large knobs and buttons are clearly meant for the clumsy hands of a child. Oh, and it's covered in crazy blinking lights that are mostly there for show. But if you start digging a little deeper, you'll find more than just a plaything.
Toys 'R' Us could come back with six stores and a website
Following the custom of well-known retailers that went under as a result of leveraged investments and business moving online, Toys R Us is reportedly close to a comeback. According to Bloomberg, a former executive is pitching plans for a chain with locations that are a third of the size of the stores you remember (probably because some of them still remain out there, empty and loom) and, of course, a website. Radio Shack is still around, and while Circuit City's stripped-down relaunch last year didn't go quite as promised, it's still functioning online. Based on the report, Richard Barry is planning to open about half a dozen locations by the holiday season, under the "Tru Kids" entity (consisting of the same lenders it owed) that owns the name. An executive of a toy company is quoted saying the industry will benefit from a self-standing toy store, even though competitors like Walmart and Target have expanded their sections.
The latest 'Fortnite' Nerf guns include a rocket launcher
Hasbro isn't done riding the Fortnite bandwagon now that its themed Nerf guns are here in earnest. The toy maker is launching five new blasters on September 1st, and they might scratch your itch if you're looking for either heavy firepower or something a little stealthier. For one, there's a $30 RL Blaster rocket launcher that represents a dart-based equivalent to the earlier Super Soaker design -- if you really, really have it in for someone, you can make that abundantly clear. Those who'd prefer a one-handed weapon can spring for the $15, HC-E Mega Blaster, which mimics the game's hand cannon (albeit with a single-shot capacity).
NFC-enabled Hot Wheels cars keep tabs on which is fastest
Hot Wheels has done a lot over the past few years to reinvent itself as a brand that's more than just little die-cast cars. We've seen remote control vehicles, augmented reality racing and even cars you build yourself. Now the brand's next step is to go back to its 1/64-scale roots, but with a decidedly modern twist. Hot Wheels ID look like normal cars, but each carries a tiny NFC chip in the bottom that makes it possible to track each car's race time and speed. Now, when kids claim their car is the fastest, they have the data to back it up.
How to buy tech for other people's kids (without annoying their parents)
Gift gifting for kids has gotten a lot more complicated over the past two decades or so. Gone are the days when you could just buy a doll or toy truck and know that it would be enjoyed by the child and fairly noncontroversial with the parents. A lot of that recent complication comes from how tech-heavy toys have gotten, from robot kits to drones to AR-enabled playsets. And that's before you even consider video games and consoles like Xbox or PlayStation. When it's your kid it's a little easier: After all, you should know what they like, what they'll take care of and what rules you've set for them. But what about your best friends' kids, your nieces and nephews or young cousins? While there's no silver bullet gift since every kid is different, there are some general guidelines you can follow when purchasing a tech gift for kids, one that won't have the other adults glaring at you or the kids tossing it to the side in favor of something shinier. READ ON: How to buy tech for other people's kids
Kid-friendly tech toys that won't make their parents hate you
Gifts don't always have to be toys or games to be appreciated. They can even be a little practical without your resorting to boring presents like (ugh) socks. If a kid really likes a particular video game, you can pick up some kind of branded decoration for their room, which they'll appreciate every time they go in there. If their game of choice is Overwatch, this adorable little mood light will look nice on a shelf next to all their Funko Pops (because every kid has Pops now) or next to their bed if they need a nightlight... even if they'd never admit it. READ ON: Kid-friendly gifts that won't make their parents hate you
Lego dives into the Upside Down with a 'Stranger Things' play set
Netflix's Stranger Things already has a number of unusual if appropriate tie-ins, but this latest might top them all if you're a die-hard fan. Lego is releasing a 2,287-piece Stranger Things set that recreates both the Byers' home and its Upside Down equivalent in uncanny-if-blocky detail, including eight of the core characters. There are plenty of little touches -- you'll see functioning Christmas lights in the Byers' living room, while Eleven can travel with an Eggo waffle in hand.
Tamagotchi On is connected, cute and cacophonous
Beep. Beep. Beep! The constant refrain of an unhappy Tamagotchi. Or any Tamagotchi, really. '90s kids learned to both love and dread that sound when the egg-shaped Japanese toy hit American shores over twenty years ago. And, while Tamagotchi never really went away, most people left it behind in favor of more robust smartphone simulations like Pokémon Go and Neko Atsume. Now Bandai has a new creature built for the smartphone era, one that stays true to its roots as a single serving device but also includes a boatload of connectivity, so you can get super social with your virtual pets.
How to buy tech gifts for other people’s kids
Gift giving for kids has gotten a lot more complicated over the past two decades or so. Gone are the days when you could just buy a doll or toy truck and know that it would be enjoyed by the child and fairly noncontroversial with the parents. A lot of that recent complication comes from how tech-heavy toys have gotten, from robot kits to drones to AR-enabled playsets. And that's before you even consider video games and consoles like Xbox or PlayStation. When it's your kid it's a little easier: After all, you should know what they like, what they'll take care of and what rules you've set for them. But what about your best friends' kids, your nieces and nephews or young cousins? While there's no silver bullet gift since every kid is different, there are some general guidelines you can follow when purchasing a tech gift for kids, one that won't have the other adults glaring at you or the kids tossing it to the side in favor of something shinier.
Lego's Spike Prime kits give kids the confidence to code
STEM has a bit of an image problem: Despite efforts to make it colorful and friendly, it's still intimidating to a lot of students. When there are parents shoving electronics kits at them while offering no help and teachers insisting that learning to code is fundamental to their career prospects, some kids end up completely turned off. But now Lego Education has a $330 kit, Spike Prime, aimed at building coding literacy and overcoming the confidence problem that drives many kids away from STEM before they reach high school.
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.
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.
