Get Involved - Part 2

Hunger Games has legions taking up Archery

Heroine Katniss sports a bow and arrow, and does plenty of damage with her accuracy in the UK release of the blockbuster Hunger Games today. Since opening in the US kids (of all ages) have been signing up for lessons at Archery clubs, that's far too faddy for us, just pick up the finest toy bow/arrow kit around in the shape of the fine Z-Curve launcher and have yourself some grin inducing fun. A couple of round-nosed projectiles that easily reach 80 feet and a sucker dart that'll pretty much latch on to any flat surface (foreheads not included), we ...

Helium shortage is no laughing matter

We are, according to the Guardian, running low on Helium and one scientist in particular is putting the blame squarely on the party balloon industry and, that'll now include our favourite flyers the Air Swimmers. Pressure on stocks aren't likely to let up anytime soon from our end, we're eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Bass and Whale version of these surreal R/C's - Air Swimmers are the only brand that'll not have you trying to cancel your credit card transaction. Here's an Angry Bird version too (pictured) selling only in the US righ now, looking forward to a video ...

ARCHOS steps in to Kids Tablet market

ARCHOS have shown their hand in the Tablet market for kids this morning wading in with this, the Child Pad. It joins the MEEP and Kurio although it could well steal a lead as it is launching at the end of March, the others have a TBC date and late September. In the looks department all seems perfectly acceptable, it 'll run on the 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich software has 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM - And it'll be just £99. Kids friendly features include access to the Kids App Store powered by AppsLib which is filtered down to ...

Angry Birds getting Flash

Yup, the licensing wagon rolls out once more for the Angry Birds mob and this time we're treated to a quadruplet of the crew, red bird, yellow bird, king piggy and white bird as USB flash drives. They're each able to carry around 4GB of your precious data and we think hat wanting to fling them into a structure of Jenga bricks or LEGO will be overwhelming, so buy one (or more) and get on with it. £14.99 a piece from FIREBOX

Angry Birds evolution continues, moves outdoors…

When Mattel took on the board game last year it was met with shrieks of delight from bird lobbing fans, within just a couple of months version two was amongst us, we eagerly await the next installment. From iPod docks, PC speakers, noise producing plushes and a raft of other beak based accessories nothing new or very exciting to see here, it is with unbridled enthuisiasm that we bring you Angry Birds, The Outdoor Action game from Tactic. From May and for about £25 you get the main game, that's a playmat, blocks, pair of Angry Birds, a pig and ...

Jubilee must-have

Lets face it, until just now you'd never realised how much you wanted a solar powered waving minature figure of Her Maj, did you? Pick yours from either pink or blue or buy both - Head THIS way for your purchase and to pick up some interesting facts about this great lady, our favourite is that she has opened 15 bridges in the UK!

keeping one amused

We're unlikely to see the veritable amount of tat that surrounded the Royal wedding last year, we're hoping that celebratory and commemorative kit will all attempt to be as classy as this chess set (over optimistic perhaps). Each piece is handpainted, it truly is a glorious piece of kit that's certain to find favour with those who refer to parts of their abodes with terms such as East and West wing. It'll set you back almost £300 HERE for those interested parties.

Star Wars slot sets – At last

We've been treated to a fair few Scalextric licences over the years, James bond ones were pretty good, Toy Story didn;t float our slot-car racing boat, this pair of beauties has us grinning from ear to ear. Why we've had to wait for so long to get Star Wars and Scalexctric to tema up Darth only knows, and frankly we don;t give a Yoda because it's finally happening - Exactly when we're no sure. So, we have the Micro 1:64 scale Death Star Attack set with a Lord Vader Tie Fighter battling a Luke Skywalker X-Wing, the spaceships have working ...

LEGO Superhero range sighted – Kapow

On January 12, 2012, In Adults in mind, Boys Toys, Collectables, Family fun, Figures and Dolls, Film Fun, Get Involved, by peter jenkinson

You’ll be hearing and seeing plenty more about the LEGO(R) DC Universe Super Heroes range over the coming weeks as it hits the shelves, we’ve uncovered it on the virtual aisles on pre-order at Firebox and thought a heads-up was only fair so you could try and save some cash. Our favourite by far is the Batcave set, complete with Bane and his drilling machine trying to rescue Poison Ivy whilst Batman and Robin try and stop him – you decide who prevails. The set lets you transform Bruce into Batman as he travels down in the lift, it has a Batcycle included, the Drill Tank has flick missiles and there are a raft of other accessories to justoifyb the £70 price tag, but wait, what’s that, Holy Bargain Basement Batman, the range starts at about £10 with a Catwoman on a motorcycle….Can you resist her lure? We’re also keen to get our mitts on a Superman minifig, looks the business….

Tagged with: bane • batman • cow • drill • firebox • holy • ivy • lego • new • play • poison • robin • toys

Slice of the App Pie for Wowwee

On January 11, 2012, In Adults in mind, Boys Toys, Family fun, Figures and Dolls, Film Fun, Get Involved, Outdoor Escapades, Pit Stop, Pocket Money, by peter jenkinson

Launched in Vegas this week into what is likely to be the biggest toy genre for 2012 the AppGear range is an evolution from the iOS “appcessories” we saw last year from AppToyz with the unputdownable AppBlaster. These Augmented Reality toys herald the beginning of a raft of toy launches in this area over the coming weeks but Wowwee are first out of the blocks with theirs, and mighty impressive they look too. A range of six is set to be unleashed in the next month, each game requires a physical purchase and then a download of the free app, and happily they all support iOS and Android.

The titles are Alien Jailbreak, Zombie Burb, Elite Commander, Foam Fighter, Akodomon and Mysterious Ray Gun – Look through your smart device and virtual worlds appear in your room, there is little doubt these will, at between £10 and £20, be a sensation. Beware people walking around with toys attached to their mobiles, an increase in lamp post related incidenets is certain to ensue the release of these games. A question to Wowwee if we may though, is the Mysterious Ray Gun so named as it is a mystery to what this particular product is actually about? More Videos of the range in action this way please….

Record all the action

On January 10, 2012, In Adults in mind, Boys Toys, Collectables, Figures and Dolls, Get Involved, by peter jenkinson

Whether you are or are not fans of Mattels Hot Wheels range we would challenge you not to have a desire for this racer after we tell you a little. It has been around for a few weeks and we admit being slow off the mark getting our opinions online but, after seeing it on BBC Friday Download last week gave us the powerful nudge needed to offer our opinion. On-board, up at the front is a VGA camera, underneath a LCD diplay for playback and USB connection for PC, it’s able to hold onto 12 minutes of footage and has USB connection for easy PC transfer. The car can also be attached about your person or to a skatboard helmet to record non-track based action, so even though the £60 price tag appears a tad steep at first you are getting an action cam too. It was a shame on Fridays show as they managed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the Video Racer, as it is longer than other cars in the range, struggles a bit on some track sets but no matter, we’re on the hunt for a definitive list of where it performs perfectly.

Airfix unveil kits for 2012

On January 6, 2012, In Adults in mind, Boys Toys, Collectables, Family fun, Get Involved, by peter jenkinson

Our memories of Airfix are of getting our fingers stuck together and using as much paint on ourselves as on the models, the most enduring recollection however was the utter satisfaction of placing our completed creation in its pride of place. This year Airfix are releasing over 60 new models, we struggled to select a favourite but decided the Cutty Sark tall ship would be our re-introduction to model construction. Check out the line up HERE

Cherry picker is a sweet build

On December 21, 2011, In Adults in mind, Boys Toys, Collectables, Edutainment, Featured, Figures and Dolls, Get Involved, Girls Allowed, Pit Stop, Reviews, by peter jenkinson

It took us a while getting around to building our LEGO Technic Bucket Truck, that’s cherry picker to most of us or elevated platform to those perhaps allergic to cherries or very posh indeed. It’s the machine used to rig up local Christmas lights or fix street lights, very clever vehicles they are too. Just like its real life ride this Bucket Truck has a set of gears to raise and rotate the platform on the back, two more gears let you deploy the outriggers at the side of the vehicle to keep it stable when the platform is fully extended; and a large gear knob on the rear even lets you steer it. With all of these functions in mind, and of course the nifty looking design, this rig is as much fun to build as it is to assemble and so we pay homage with our 10^th, and final Toyology Gold of the year. Around £40 at John Lewis

Deck the walls

On December 15, 2011, In Adults in mind, Figures and Dolls, Get Involved, by peter jenkinson

Just in time to stick on your Santa list, all new Mario gaming decals, 24 supersized stickers for your wall. Time to dig out a comedy moustache, boiler suit, appropriate headwear and start sticking a classic scene from on-screen or somehting altogether more random, it don’t matter because to can re-use/re-stick them as much as you want – There’s little work getting done for a while today me thinks. Not cheap at £59.99 But a better decal set we challenge you to find (doesn’t stick so good on flock wallpaper).

Tagged with: decal • fireboix • goomba • mario • mushrooms • news • nintendo • toys

Fancy flinger

On December 14, 2011, In Adults in mind, Boys Toys, Family fun, Get Involved, by peter jenkinson

One hundred years ago today, on December 14th, 1911, the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and four companions trudged through fog, bitter cold and lacerating winds and stood at the absolute bottom of the world, the South Pole. We don’t even fancy getting our hands too cold, and with snow set to start falling in northern parts of our fair Isle today we’re thinking it best to get loaded up with kit.We gave our highest accolade to a snowball blaster the other week, the same outfit also have this slightly more manual snowbvall launcher, which is ideal for the flanks if you’ve built up a small snowball attack unit. The Arctic Launcher TracBall has a snow scoop which you then use to compact ypour ammo into the ideal sphere so it goes further/faster and hopefully on target too.

Tagged with: fun • outdoors • pole • snow • south • toys

Monstro City double decker

On December 12, 2011, In Adults in mind, Current Affairs, Get Involved, Girls Allowed, Outdoor Escapades, by peter jenkinson

Presenting the most magnificent, magical and Mosterrific MoshiBus! – It’s going on tour this Christmas to Bluewater shopping centre and at The Trafford Centre. Climb on board and the kids can draw and colour monsters at the art and craft sessions, enjoy clay buddy modelling and trade Moshling cards, There will also be Moshi giveaways, quizzes and competitions to win Moshi merchandise, including a special “Busling” Topps trading card. And of course you’ll be able to buy your favourite Moshi merchandise in the Mobile Moshi Monsters Store on the top deck. When it’s time to leave jump on the slide that’ll take you back to the ground floor! Check out www.moshibus.com for the latest Moshi bus news.

Tagged with: bus • decker • monsters • moshi • news • tour • toys • trafford

Drum kit for the spatially challenged

On December 12, 2011, In Adults in mind, Boys Toys, Get Involved, Music Makers, by peter jenkinson

Hardly a person among us would turn down the offer of a drum kit, its one of those instruments that you can feel like you’re having a fair crack at a tune even if it sounds like someone has just thrown a set out of a window. Trouble is with this kit, is the space it all takes up, and so we’ve found one being shipped from Lilliput, a desktop drum kit deswcribed as “badumn tish”. None of that hight tech trickery or touch pad nonsense, this is an old-school drum set one tom-tom, couple of snare drums and a splash crash cymbal all finsihed in chrome – £14.95. Whilst we have you, why not nab a couple of these drumstick pencils to play your new acquisition with, let the annoying begin.

Tagged with: desk • fun • news • play • reviews • santa • secret • toys

Collection of Crackers

On December 8, 2011, In Adults in mind, Board Games, Boys Toys, Figures and Dolls, Get Involved, by peter jenkinson

There can be little worse than the dissatisfaction associated with pulling a sub-standard Xmas cracker. Most of the time the banging bit has to be pulled seperately as it slipped out of your cheap crepe paper number during the tug-of-war process and then, whoever is victorious, wishes they weren’t – spyglass, plastic charms, dic good-for-nothing apart from top prize at a choking hazard competition. Now this selection is different altogether, “now this collection is…..” no stop that. From the Jumbo 4-in-1 cracker featuring classic Hasbro games and six legally required hats it’ll need those lower branches if you put it on the tree, then there are the single game crackers including Scrabble,Twister, Cluedo and Monopoly which each contain surprises (and of course hats) and when all are opened you can play variants on the original classic board games. All of them are available this way – Happy cracking and good luck with the Twister version if you play post xmas-lunch!

Tagged with: board • christmas • cluedo • crackers • family • fun • games • monopoly • play • toys • twister

Previous Entries Next Entries

Hunger Games has legions taking up Archery

Helium shortage is no laughing matter

ARCHOS steps in to Kids Tablet market

Angry Birds getting Flash

Angry Birds evolution continues, moves outdoors…

Jubilee must-have

keeping one amused

Star Wars slot sets – At last

LEGO Superhero range sighted – Kapow

Slice of the App Pie for Wowwee

Record all the action

Airfix unveil kits for 2012

Cherry picker is a sweet build

Deck the walls

Fancy flinger

Monstro City double decker

Drum kit for the spatially challenged

Collection of Crackers

Toughest reviews from the

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Hunger Games has legions taking up Archery

Helium shortage is no laughing matter

ARCHOS steps in to Kids Tablet market

Angry Birds getting Flash

Angry Birds evolution continues, moves outdoors…

Jubilee must-have

keeping one amused

Star Wars slot sets – At last

Toughest reviews from the

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