Monthly Archives: September 2013

More Movie Madness

A few weeks ago we reviewed a number of toys based on movie adaptations of comic books, including Iron Man, Superman, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This week we’re looking at more movie characters, but these are aimed at a younger crowd.

Sulley Monster Mask (Spinmaster)
sully maskThis plush mask is cute, not frightening—just like the real Sulley. But that won’t keep the kids from putting it on and trying to scare mom and dad. 100 percent kid-powered, the eyebrows move up and down and the mouth opens and closes along with the child’s.  A t-strap on the back keeps the mask in place but also allows for easy on and off. For ages 3 and up. $14.99. spinmaster.com/

Roll-A-Scare Race Playset and Roll-A-Scare Monsters Assortment (Spinmaster)
roll-a-scare trackIf you remember the Zoobies craze from a few years back, the Roll-A-Scare monsters will feel familiar. They start off round and careen down the Playset Race track that parents and kids can build together. But when they cross the magnetic finish line, they pop open. There are a total of 12 monsters (including Boo, who isn’t really a monster). Each of the 12 comes with a student ID card that also pops them open. The Playset is $20, and each of the monsters costs $7-$12. spinmaster.com/

My Scare Pal (Spinmaster)
scare palsThese squeezable, cuddly Mike and Sulley plush toys will soon become your child’s new best buddies. They’re great for toting around the house and acting out favorite scenes from the movie.  Pull Mike’s long arms and legs and he’ll say one of 10 funny lines, encouraging your child to help him grow and to watch his eye, since he only has one.  For some reason, Sulley has 15 lines plus a growl that will send the kids into enough giggles to power Monster City. The kids can also shake Sulley into Tickle Mode, Scare Mode, or Sleep Time mode. Requires 2 AA batteries (included). $20-30). spinmaster.com/

The Smurfs2 Movie Figures (JAKKS)
smurfsCelebrate the new Smurfs 2 movie with a fun line of highly-detailed characters. There are 24 different 2.75” figures (individual Smurfs cost $4 each, 2-packs for $7). You can also get any of a dozen 7.5” Bean Bag Plush Smurfs that are perfect for snuggling up with on a road trip (and Smurfs do love to travel). $8 each. www.Jakks.com

Disney Planes Wing Control Dusty Crophopper Remote Control Plane (Mattel)
dustyOne of the hottest kids movies right now is Disney Pixar’s Planes and this cool, interactive remote-control toy with an absurdly long name lets kids “become” Dusty, using their arms to control his movements.  In manual mode, your child pushes a button to start the propeller and move the plane forward, he or she then use the two controllers—one on each arm—to make the plane fly, dive, and roll. If your child doesn’t want to be a pilot, there’s also an autopilot mode too, which takes Dusty through three pre-programmed performances. $40. Batteries not included. http://shop.mattel.com/

Disney Planes Sky Track Challenge Track Set (Mattel)
This unique race set lets you attach planes to the track with special clips so they can do loops and other tricks. Lots of parent-child fun building the track, but the roadway didn’t hold together well so we ended up having to glue it. In addition, the set comes with only one plane, which is a bummer since a true “race” track should come with at least two vehicles, shouldn’t it? Still, pretty entertaining. $31 (plus the cost of an additional plane)  http://shop.mattel.com/

In It for the Long Haul

Suitcases come in different shapes and sizes, but the best ones are the kind you pack up and go on a trip with. Here are some of our top picks for family (or solo) travel.

Tarmac AWD 22 (Eagle Creek)
eagle creekThis well-built carry-on-size bag comes with a ton of extras, including sturdy, 360-degree dynamic wheels that make navigating crowded airports a breeze, and lockable (and self-repairing) zippers. The Coat Keeper is an especially nice feature. How many times have you brought along a sweater or jacket just in case the flight gets chilly—and then left it on the plane or in the back of a taxi? The Keeper lets you clip your jacket to the outside of the suitcase. The AWD 22 also comes with a No Matter What warranty that really does cover damage from any cause. About $330. Eaglecreek.com

Pack-It System (Eagle Creek)
american touristerThe Pack-It System comes in a variety of styles. Folders help keep your clothes wrinkle-free and compressed; Cubes are great for t-shirts, pants, underwear, and anything else you can roll up; Sacs keep all your small stuff organized; and Mud Boxes are water-resistant and perfect for muddy shoes and scuba wetsuits. $25-$30. Eaglecreek.com

iLite Supreme Wheeled Boarding Bag (American Tourister)
american tourister2If you’re taking a short trip and are bringing your computer along for the ride, this bag may be just the ticket. Despite its small size, the iLite series sports sturdy wheels that allow you to push, pull, and turn any way you want. It also has a very comfortable retractable handle. On the inside, you’ll find plenty of pockets, straps, and zipper compartments, all of which make keeping your clothes where you put them. Samsonite/American Tourister have positioned the iLite as a laptop bag, but although the large exterior pocket has plenty of room for a computer, cables, and a few other gadgets, it’s not as well-padded as it could be. But that’s nothing a few extra pairs of socks couldn’t solve. About $75. Samsonite.com

Colora (American Tourister)
The most noticeable feature of the Colora series is the eye-popping colors (including raspberry, lime green, and orange), which make spotting your luggage on the baggage carousel quite easy. Even the handles and wheels stand out. Now all you have to do is find a stylish wardrobe to match. On the inside of the bag, you’ll find plenty of pockets, zippers, and cross-straps to help keep your belongings right where you pack them, something that’s greatly appreciated when bringing home souvenirs or trying to keep your things in any sort of order. $125-$145. Samsonite.com

Helium Garment Bag (Delsey)
delseyDelsey’s garment bags come in three styles: Covers (or sleeves) are lightweight and include a locking hangar clamp to keep your clothes from sliding around, as well as a few exterior pockets; Non-rolling bags are pretty much what the name indicates: they’re framed bags that you sling over your shoulder or hold by the top handle. They also have lots of pockets for shoes, toiletries, accessories, and maybe a book or two; Rolling bags will keep your clothes wrinkle-free and looking good, but they’re are a little bigger and heavier. Fortunately, they’ve got wheels—something to consider if you’re traveling in a group and you’re the designated Sherpa. The rolling bags come with an adjustable strap that allows you to connect them to other bags, freeing up your hands. One of our favorite features about Delseys is the built-in over-weight indicator, which lets you know if you’ve gone over the 50-pound limit of doom. $79-$150. Delsey.com

Learning with Your Kids? There’s an App for That

As fun—and educational—as iPads can be, when it comes to parents playing learning games with their children (as opposed to kids playing by themselves and turning into zombies), there really isn’t an app for that. Until now. TigerFace Games has developed a number of learning apps that allow parents and children to either compete or collaborate. The TigerFace Games apps are just a few of the dozens of games that are part of the Fingerprint Network. We spoke with Nancy MacIntyre, Fingerprint’s CEO and co-founder. Having worked at Broderbund, LeapFrog,and  Hasbro, Nancy knows a thing or two about games. “We’re trying to create experiences that parents and kids can do together,” she says.

We test-drove three Fingerprint apps, including two that are being released this week. We also previewed two more that are due out by the end of September. All are fun, engaging, entertaining, and challenging, and the graphics and animation are excellent.

Cosmic Reactor
Two players compete head-to-head in seven math-based games. One is a memory-match game, where players turn over “plates” that have equations, trying to find matching pairs (for example, 5×2 and 20-10). In another, a randomly-generated problem comes up (“pick the equation that gives 41”), and players have to find the right one from among a bunch of equation-sporting viruses that are floating around the screen. Customization is easy, so kindergarteners can do simple addition and subtraction, while older kids can multiply and divide larger numbers. (Ages 5-11; $2.99).

Quick Tap Spanish
In this two-person game, players race to match foreign-language words with their English equivalents. Quick Tap (which also comes in French, German, Portuguese, Mandarin, and others. Includes more than 100 word pairs in a variety of categories, such as animals, colors, food, and numbers. A fun way to brush up on the basics. (Ages: 5-11; $1.99)

The Flying Alphabetinis
If you like Scramble With Friends (by Zynga) or Boggle, you’ll love this game, where tiny acrobats with letters on their bellies pile on top of each other and create a jumble. Players find words forwards, backwards, up, down, and even zig-zagy. Flashcards with hints (like a picture of a boat) help early readers.  (Ages 5-11; Free – $2.99).

Sushi Scramble (coming soon)
A friendly sushi chef puts letters on floating boats while hungry customers grab them as fast as they can. In the 2-person collaborative mode, players work together to complete assignments such as, “Make two words that start with T”. In competitive mode, up to four players make words using letters from the boats or snatched from another player’s tray..(Ages 7-11; $2.99)

Equator (coming soon)The earth is out of whack and the only way to set things right is to come up with two equations that produce equal results. Both players work together using game-generated numbers and floating arithmetic operators (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division). As the game progresses, problems gradually become more challenging. (Ages 5-11; Free – $2.99)

When parents download any of the 40+ Fingerprint apps, they become part of the Network, which offers some nice features. Of course, basic parental controls keep kids from downloading more apps without permission. But there’s also the ability to set up individual profiles for everyone in the family and track each child’s progress. That way dad and mom will know whether there are specific areas the child needs to work on.

Right now, Fingerprint apps are available only on Apple devices. But Android versions will be out soon.  As Nancy MacIntyre says, “We’ll do anything we can to keep kids and families playing together.” For more info, visit http://www.fingerprintplay.com

Superhero Toys

In a recent article on wired.com, Kevin Feige-the man behind just about every Marvel comics movie released over the past decade-says that Marvel has movies planned out until 2021. If you’re a kid (or someone who still loves comic book characters and adventure movies), that’s great news and you might want to look at some of your favorite superhero capes before the films arrive! If you’re a parent, that might be less-than-great news because every one of those movies will spawn a series of related toys and games, that means… more money spent on toys! Have no fear though, you can check out websites like https://www.raise.com/coupons/walmart and save money with their coupons and discount codes on those coveted toys. Here are just a few of them.

iron man action cycleIron Man Action Cycle (Playhut)
Iron Man and his alter ego (big, big ego), Tony Stark, is one cool dude-especially when he’s in motion. And that’s exactly where the Iron Man Action Cycle puts him. Given how high-tech Iron Man is, this toy is remarkably low-tech-not even a battery. Kids stomp or punch an air bladder which propels Iron Man across the room. Best on hard, flat surfaces-carpet will just slow him down. Since it requires stomping and punching, a little parental supervision is advised to ensure that no one’s toes or fingers get smashed. There are also Captain America, Spider Man, and other superhero Action Cycles. All are $19.99. Available at playhut.com and toysrus.com.

iron man battle vehicleMarvel Iron Man 3 Avengers Initiative Assemblers Battle Vehicle (Hasbro)
This cool toy includes Iron Man himself and a race car, which converts to power-enhanced exo-armor when Iron Man needs a little extra protection. The car also has the ability to launch Iron Man into the battle with a simple push on the spoiler. $19.99. Hasbro.com

iron man figureMarvel Iron Man 3 Avengers Initiative Arc Strike Iron Man Figure (Hasbro)
Sporting a lot of interactive features, this large Iron Man’s hands, chest, and eyes light up with a blue electronic glow. When “powering up” the lights glow brighter and you get that cool powering-up sound. And when firing, the lights pulse. While not as poseable as some might like, the lights and other effects will engage most kids. $19.99. Hasbro.com

ninja turtles flingersTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Flingers (Playmates Toys)
And now onto those heroes-in-a-half-shell. The Ninja Turtles are back with a new line called Flingers. Each Ninja (sold separately) has a built-in mechanism that allows him to throw things at the evil Foot Clan. Leonardo has 10 sewer lids, Raphael 4 sais, Donatello 3 bo’s, and Michelangelo has 10 pizzas. The figures themselves are dressed in some pretty funky (in a good way) junkyard armor. The flinging mechanism works well, but performs best on a hard surface and in the weapons need to be fired off in a certain order, especially with Raphael. But done correctly, it’s fun to see each Turtle grab his weapon and throw it. $12.99 each. Playmatestoys.com.

man of steelMan of Steel Quick Shots Battle for Metropolis Play Set (Mattel)
In case you haven’t seen it, Man of Steel is a re-imagining of Superman with a darker, mysterious, and more-alien feel to it. But it’s still epic and no matter where he is, Superman is always fun. What’s not to like about a guy who’s strong, can fly, always does the right thing, and is pretty good looking to boot? With the release of the new movie-and with plenty of sequels sure to follow-there’s going to be a plethora of new toys. Mattel’s Quick Shots line revives a low-tech-yet-effective mode of superhero transportation: Make a V with your fingers, pull back on the stretchy figure’s body, release, and let him soar around your living room. Quick Shots come in single flinger packs as well as in larger play sets like Battle for Metropolis. $30.99 for the set. Mattel.com