From the makers of the popular NERF blasters comes the revolutionary LAZER TAG system, combining the power, precision and excitement of live-action blaster battles with the high-action, strategic, augmented reality game play of traditional video games.

Players download the NERF Lazer Tag app and then slip their iPhone or iPod Touch into the slot on the NERF Lazer Tag blaster. The App uses augmented reality to give users virtual targets to shoot via lazer, as well has a heads up display for tracking remaining power/rounds, scores, and health. There’s single player and two player mode and the lazer has a virtual range of up to 250 feet. There’s also a world wide virtual leaderboard that ranks each player’s profile and, with every successful mission, players will gain in-game access to upgradeable attacks, missions and gear.

The blasters will run about $40 a piece or $70 for a two blaster set. The App is fee for download at the iTunes App Store. Available late summer/early fall. Ages 8 and up.

Hat Tip – Engadget

Due to launch in late April, just in time for the film, the line of Avengers minimates will feature special exclusives to Toys R Us and Specialty/Comic Book stores respectively. Here’s a brief breakdown of where you can find each one.

Marvel Minimates – The Avengers Movie (Toys “R” Us/toysrus.com)
- Captain America & Thor
- Iron Man MK7 & Hulk
- Hawkeye & Black Widow (exclusive)
- Loki & Nick Fury (exclusive)

Marvel Minimates Wave 45 (Specialty stores/comic shops)
- Captain America & Thor
- Iron Man MK7 & Hulk

So, as you can see, Geoffrey will initially get the lion’s share of the exclusives, being able to sell the entire line. But you can bet that most comic book stores will simply go to TRU and pick them up and then mark them up as collectibles for their clients. Either way, they look rather cool.

Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers stars Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson (yum), Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. It’ll be premiering May 4th.

Hat Tip – Action Figure Insider

If you’re not familiar with the Big Bad Bow, it’s basically a NERF NStrike weapon toy meets a compound bow. It comes with a trio of oversized foam darts which fit on the end and are propelled by a air emitting chamber that are look like they are powered by the twin casters on either end. Sadly, those are only cosmetic, but they sure look sweet and intimidating!

And although you can’t fire the darts with a bow string like a real compound bow, there is a trigger mechanism that powers the air piston that shoots the dart. It shoots the foam darts as far as about forty feet. Which isn’t really much if you’re Hawkeye trying to take down one of Loki’s henchmen, but still worth fun for playing pretend Avengers. There’s a target scope to help take careful aim at targets and the foam darts are great for knocking over tin cans to practice your accuracy. And if you’re really serious about your Nerf-archery, there’s modification videos on YouTube that will help you increase your range (one guy claims over 95 feet).

Cost is about $29, some assembly required.

Hat Tip –

The Personal Pitching Coach takes the standard pitchback design and adds a few things that help hone your pitching form. In addition to the 9 sector strike zone, it also has a high tech radar system which measures pitch velocit (from 20-99mph), calls balls and strikes, and even pitch counts for up to two different pitchers over the course of an inning. The Personal Pitching Coach will also tally strikeouts, walks, and total pitches, and it can be adjusted to handle both Little League and Major league strike zones. It’ll even measure for fast pitch softball so the girls aren’t left out. Made from durable 16-gauge steel with stainless steel hardware, the PPC is foldable and is powered by four D batteries that provide up to 100 hours of power.

But at $400 (compared to the low tech $20 model), it’s a bit pricey. But it’s Hammacher and that’s just how they roll.

Hat Tip – The Ferret

Huge enough to play with anywhere and cuddly enough to fall asleep on, these Jumbo Pillow Pets are made of the softest plush fabric. That makes them great for kids who have a hard time going to sleep while traveling. And they also make for a familiar face when visiting family out of town. And because they are machine washable, they are easy to keep him clean and safe for kids. No “Velveteen Rabbit” syndrome here. Just toss into the washer and then into the the dryer. Nice and easy.

Jumbo Pillow Pets are a full 30 square inches and come as Jumbo Lady Bug, Jumbo Puppy, Jumbo Zebra, Jumbo Teddy Bear and Jumbo Panda. And I’m thinking if your kid is really into the Dreamworks picture Kung Fu Panda, this is a great way to play out the fantasy of having the Dragon Warrior with you on vacation! Course, for me, it would have to be the Teddy Bear. Is there anything better than the overnight friend who’s been chasing off the monster under the bed since 1908?

On sale at Amazon right now with a cost of around $50 with free shipping!

Hat Tip – Best Toy Guide

Let’s face it, the last thing you want is for your kid to go on a playdate, or visit grandma’s house and get caught drawing on the walls. By contrast though, you don’t want to discourage your child’s artistic talent either. So it’s always best to be prepared, and this Take Anywhere Chalkboard Cloth is idea for bringing with you everywhere your little artist goes.

Measuring larger than an square meter, it’s a bit bigger than your average chalk board. But that’s a good thing because it gives kids plenty of room to draw, or do their math work, or even for you to take the class outside and teach on a gorgeous day. Check out these features:

* Great rainy day activity
* Use indoor or outdoor
* Works with regular chalk
* Use on the floor, table or wall
* Fold away for compact storage
* Waterproof, durable surface
* Easy to clean just wipe with a damp cloth
* Use as a tablecloth for fun dinner parties
* Hang on the wall for shopping list/meal planner
* Easy to cut into any size
* Enough to make placemats as well
* Made from Oilcloth – easy to sew and hem or leave edges raw as Chalk Cloth doesn’t fray

And the best part is, the PVC used is phthalate free, meaning it’s perfectly safe for kids. Cost is about $40 AUS from Urban Baby.

Hat Tip – Babyology

The toy is made by Bladez Toyz’s as part of their “Pump & Play remote control” line and is known as the RC Jumbo Inflatable R2D2. It’s 26-inches tall and will foot pump, and a wireless remote. And it scoots around pretty fast as well. The RC Jumbo Inflatable R2D2 is scheduled to come out this fall and should cost around $60. Bladez also says that with it’s licensing deal with Lucasfilm, there will be more Pump and Play remote control toys coming out in time for Christmas. That would be cool. What would you like to see? Personally, I’d like to see an XWing/Tie Fighter duo for R/C dogfighting, or the Millenium Falcon would be a must! I think that C3PO would be cool, but would be very tall and probably difficult to operate due to center of gravity. Course, you could get more astromechs, but once you have R2D2, why would you want anything else?

Hat Tip – Pocket Lint

There are two track sets that will be available in the UK later this year – The Death Star Attack and the Battle of Endor. The Death Star Attack has highly detailed X-Wing and Vader’s TIE fighter which race along a figure 8 track that uses the box as a tunnel and has poster style figures painted on the track infield of Luke and Lord Vader. The fighters are raised off the actual “business end” of the racer and they slide around dog fight style. And what’s really cool is that the fighters glow in the dark, so you can turn off the lights and they look like they’re really flying around in space battling each other. And because the fighters are a bit too big for the track, catching up from behind enables knocking the other off the track – thereby shooting them down.

The Battle of Endor set has speeders which go along a T-shaped track that winds it’s way through a cardboard forest from the Moon of Endor, with ATATs and Chicken Walkers looking from above and rebel Ewoks ready to reign down doom in their unbelievably low-tech fashion.

Ages 5 and up. Should be out by fall.

Hat Tip – Pocket Lint

I know what you’re thinking … there goes James, showing his age talking about slot car racing again! Well, I can’t help it. Slot cars were HUGE when I was a kid. We gave my dad a slot car racing set for his last Christmas, and he just smiled because he knew it wasn’t really for him, it was for us. But he didn’t care as long as we did things together. So why am I waxing nostalgic about slot cars again? Because if you have a Delorean Slot car racing on the track to the right, there’s a good chance you can go back to time … they’re that fast.

The video below looks to be from Germany, perhaps, and gives us a look at the hyper competitive world serious slot car racing. The kind with standings and pit crews and leagues. Now when you watch the video, you’re going to want to fast forward to about 90-120 seconds in. The first part is a bunch of guys who live in their mom’s basement putting the final touches on their hyperslot cars. Note there’s no girls there that I can see. But once you get to race time, you can’t help but be blown away by how fast these guys are driving these slot cars!

What cracks me up is the peanut gallery actually trying to follow their favorite car by moving their heads as they sail around the track. Seriously, they’re going WAY too fast to keep track of any particular car, you’re better served just hanging on and hoping for a positive ending! Or a car that wipes out, which also happens.

Previewed on their NERF Nation Facebook page, the new Firefly technology is being launched with the NERF Vortex Lumitron and the conventional NERF Rayven shotgun style pistol, which has an extra long, 18 shot dart clip. The clip itself is battery operated because it’s also LED lit, while the Vortex discs and the conventional darts are glow in the dark to give your game play a kind of tracer round like feel.

The result is that kids can get into foamy firefights at night, although NERF is pretty adamant that kids need to play in an area that has been well cleared of obstacles so that they don’t trip and fall in the dark and kill themselves. Check out the video of it in action:

Additionally, there’s a great breakdown of the new extended ammo clips from Tactical Tag and how they affect the Nerf Rayven’s new rear mounted clip feeder:

As you can see, while cool looking to move the clip to the back, if you’re planning on using your drum feed clip, you’re going to run into some mild discomfort as you shoot on the run.

The cost of the new Rayven and Vortex Lumitron are around $29.99, and Target has the Light Up Rayven right now. The Vortex Lumitron will be out by mid March.

Hat Tip NERF Mods and Reviews