Bakugan Dragonoids take 7 Bakugan pieces to create a truly bad monster!

With Toy Fair 2010 now in the books, it’s time to review the “best in show” awards for the best toys of 2010 according to the Toy Industry Association. And highlighting the list are two familiar toy lines, Bakugan and Lego Mindstorms.

Taking the 2010 Boy Toy of the Year Award (as well as Property of the Year) wasn’t Taylor Lautner, but the Bakugan 7–in-1 Maxus Dragonoid. Looking very Transformer-ish, the Bakugan Droidoid combines 7 Bakugan (1 Bakugan and 6 Bakugan trap) pieces which unite to form the ultimate monster in the game. And in a deliberate design choice, all the Bakugan pieces (Grakas Hound, Dark Hound, Grafias, Brachium, Spitarm, SpyderFencer & Neo Dragonoid) are exclusive to the Dragonoid, so kids can’t collect them separately to build own custom Dragonoids. Too bad too, because that would’ve had some serious interactive and customizing potential. Cost at Amazon for the 7-in-1 Dragonoid is about $35.

Lego Mindstorms teaches kids the basics of robotics in a fun and educational manner.

Dads will appreciate the 2010 Educational Toy of the Year – Lego’s NXT Mindstorm 2, for its robotic obsessive toy that teaches kids the basics of Robotic Science. Kits include three interactive servo motors, sensors, control link with matrix display, and over 600 pieces. Cost is about $285 from Amazon.

Other toy winners include Captain Owen’s Dolphin Explorer Boat, winner of the Specialty Toy of the Year – cost around $25 and finally, the trifecta of Best Girl Toy, Innovative Toy and overall Toy of the Year went to Zhu Zhu Pet Robot Hamsters – cute little plushie furballs that scurry about with unique personalities, making fun sounds and chatters. Think Cabbage Patch rodents and you get the idea. Cost for each ZhuZhu RoboHambster is around $15.

Hat Tip – Geek Dad

Hot Wheels Custom Motors are a new premium priced race set from Mattel

It’s quite an interesting idea. Using the link to a series of YouTube videos, Mattel has created an interactive game which promotes their new Hot Wheels series called the Hot Wheels Custom Motors Cup Challenge. The short films have linked overlaid to the video image. Players choose between a lightning quick street legal GT Racer, or a four wheel-esque Baja Truck. The next video pops up and leads to the Garage, where players can choose between special upgrades, including faster engine, lifted suspension, oil slicks and more.

Each kit comes with custom upgrades to trick out your custom Hot Wheels ride.

From there, it’s off to the Thunder Speedway where it’s Gentlemen start your engines! After which, there are two other races (Deadwood Desert’s off road challenge, and a snow capped Whiteout Mountain) and with each race, the Garage prepares your custom Hot Wheel with even more speedy upgrades.

To get started in the racing action, check out the first video:

The custom creations are really over the top for the Hot Wheels crowd and that’s what means them really cool. Each race set comes with a bevy of custom parts to change the look and performance of your Hot Wheel and prices hover around $20-30 dollars at Amazon.

Hat TIp – Playgrounder

New Deluxe Buzz Lightyear Wingpack has retractable wings and sound effects from the Disney/Pixar hit movie.

The classic scene where Buzz pops out his rocket pack wings and soars with Woody to Andy’s car, with Buzz decreeing “this isn’t flying, it’s falling with style.” It was a classic scene which made my son long for that jet pack. And when he saw it in action in the opening of Toy Story 2, he REALLY wanted one. Well finally there is one from Mattel called the “The Buzz Lightyear Deluxe Action Wing Pack” and it’ll have kids screaming “to infinity and beyond!” Just don’t let them near a stairwell banister with it.

The wings have a span of over thirty inches fully retracted, and play cool sounds from the Disney/Pixar movie and promises to give kids tons of fun Space Ranger Adventures. Couple it with Buzz’ Toy Story Buzz Lightyear Gloves, Buzz Cuffs and the Deluxe Buzz Lightyear Costume, and you have a sweetly realistic Halloween costume for the fall!

“The Buzz Lightyear Deluxe Action Wing Pack

The cost of the Buzz Lightyear Deluxe Action Wing Pack is around $40 at Amazon.com, the gloves are around $10, Buzz Cuffs $20 and the costume ranging from $24-50. All they need now is that cool space helmet!

Hat Tip – Kids Tech Review

Designed for the 30th Anniversary of Empire Strikes Back, this ATAT Transport toy is over 2 feet tall and amazingly detailed.

To say this ATAT toy, designed by Hasbro in celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back (where have the years gone?) is huge is an understatement. Measuring in at over 2 feet tall by 28 inches long by a foot wide, the All Terrain Armored Transport looks like it walked right off the movie screen from the frozen tundra of the ice world of Hoth to the play area in your kids’ bedroom.

And not only is it impressive in size, but also in detail, as it includes room to transport up to 20 action figures, LED lights, firing projectile cannons, a dep[loyable speeder bike, retractable zip line for Luke’s light saber/grenade attack to the belly, and articulated walking legs which makes for real serious game play. There’s also the traditional movie sounds and phrases for realistic special effects. Both cockpit and troop sections open up to deploy and the head moves from side to side. Comes with speeder bike and 3.75 inch minifigure.

Man, what great toy. It’s as if the toy’s designers brought their kids in on the project and gave them everything they wanted save real laser cannons!

Cost is $100, which very affordable considering what you get. Ages 4 and up.

Hat Tip – Uncrate

With over 80 different actions, Bigfoot the Monster is radio controlled and full interactive.

Researchers looking for Bigfoot in the Pacific Northwest have been looking in the wrong state. Turns out that Sasquatch can be found in the state of New York, at the New York Toy Fair.

Made by Imaginext, Bigfoot the Monster is a remote controlled behemouth for kids aged 3-8. Bigfoot can walk, express emotion, do tricks like somersaults and have interactive “touch points” which cause him to react to being touched. Bigfoot also has a vocabulary, being able to say interactive phrases like “wanna play?” and others. Bigfoot can also fall asleep, throw a ball, exercise, laugh, eat, chomp and burp. All total, Bigfoot has over 80 actions and phrases to keep kids occupied all afternoon.

The tall radio controlled manbeast will be available nationwide starting in June for about $100.

Hat Tip – Marketwatch

Woody and Buzz are back and this time, kids can relieve their adventures Lego Style

Last fall, we reported that in timing with the re- release of Toy Story 1 and 2 in 3D, and Toy Story 3 coming out this year, Disney and Lego were releasing Lego versions of Toy Story favorites Woody, Buzz and many of those toy favorites we’ve all come to know and love. Now details have come out what sets are available.

There are six sets in total right now, based on the first two movies, and more sets scheduled to be released in July when Toy Story 3 hits theaters.

Woody and the Round-up Gang Lego Style

The first set, “Woody and Buzz to the Rescue,” includes Lego kits for Woody, Buzz, and R/C. Price will be around $30 US.

The next set is a Giant Buzz Lightyear and his Star Command Spaceship. Price is about $80US. Buzz will also have his hands full with a Lego version of the Evil Emperor Zurg. Then there’s Woody’s Roundup, which includes Woody, Bullseye, Jesse and Prospector Pete.

Green Army Men MiniFigs from Toy Story

Finally, rounding out the initial set are Lego versions of the infamously cool toy green plastic soldiers, complete with plastic toy base to build them on.
Sets come complete with supporting minifigs which include Woody, Buzz, Little Green Men, and others from the hit Disney/Pixar series.

Lego has had great success with movie properties in the past, from Star Wars to Batman to the up coming Harry Potter series. But CT has a hunch that Toy Story may be their biggest hit yet.

Hat Tip – Pocket Lint

Playmates announces toys for the fourth, and final, installment of the Shrek Animated Film Series.

Later this year, another installment of the hit animated film series Shrek will enter movie theaters. The film, Shrek Forever After, will have the way paved by Playmates Toys who have announced a complete line of toys which they say will “deliver the full Shrek experience.” Here’s hoping that doesn’t include bodily functions.

The Sherk toy line will include mini figures, the Shrek Ogre Attack Ball, Swamp playsets with ooze filled containers and figurines, even an Ogre army. Kids will also have fun with edible worms and bugs that they can make and eat with the Shrek Bug and Grub Activity Set. Finally, there will also be talking plush dolls, and of course toys which represent Shrek and all his friends from Far Away.

Playmates is no stranger to movie tie-ins, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles, Star Trek, The Simpsons, and a host of Disney products. So the Shrek franchise should be in good hands.

Shrek Forever After toys are scheduled to hit retail shelves later this Spring.

Hat Tip – Action Figure Insider

The 75th Anniversary Edition of Monopoly adopts a circular and electronic fashion.

Hasbro has recently put out dozens of custom versions of its iconic board game Monopoly, but in honor of its 75th anniversary, Hasbro is putting out a version which brings the board game quite literally full circle.

Though the game itself is essentially the same, rather than going around the block and buying up properties, game players will ride around a circle in a roundabout fashion. And instead of using cash for commerce, the Anniversary version borrows from its ATM variant and uses electronic bookkeeping with its built in bank console which issues a pin and debit chip with which to conduct business.

Though it's route is circuitous, all other aspects of the game are the same, save no cash changes hands.

The result is meant to guarantee that the banker has no financial advantage over the others and will do away with the temptation to quietly raid the coffers. Still, all the other aspects of the classic game – buying and selling properties, building houses and buildings, and going directly to jail are all the same.
No word on price just yet, but it’s certain to be a collector’s item for board game fans.

The 75th Anniversary version of Monopoly will go on sale later this year, but will also be unveiled at this year’s Toy Fair in New York.

Hat Tip – Pocket Lint

Mattel's Stealth Rides are foldable R/C cars with up to 30 hours of play on a single charge

In an attempt to capture some of the Transformers fever, Mattel has created foldable radio controlled cars called Stealth Rides.

With the push of a button, Stealth Rides unfold from it’s box like state and can run around for up to 30 hours on a single charge. And Mattel is so confident that kids will love the new cars, they have created licensing deals which promise to bring along such properties as Batman, which will mean a Stealth Ride Tumblr, as well as a handful of others which will be unveiled at this month’s New York Toy Fair.

Stealth Rides will be coming out in August for about $25 each.

Hat Tip – Engadget