June Hodgepodge

As I sit in my office chair, my muscles slightly aching from my exercise commitment (which you can follow at scottstoybox.blogspot.com), I’m looking around my cubical at the toys I have to review trying to find some way to connect them together. So after a couple of days of this, I figure I should just go again not try and force a connection, not when the word “Hodgepodge” exists. And that’s what this is a summer hodgepodge of some toys.

First we have a classic summer toy, the water gun. Specifically, the Super Soaker Shot Blast. The Shot Blast is part of a four-gun ensemble that makes up one team in the Soaker Wars. The Shot Blast can fire up to 25 ft. and holds 38 fl. oz. To fire the gun you slide the slide forward to load it and then slide it back to fire. It also has a shoulder brace that’s adjustable and a tactical rail for the N-Strike tactical scope that’s sold separately. I personally would prefer if the gun had a trigger but the Hydro Fury (another of the four guns) does have one so if you’re like me you’d probably want to consider that one. The Shot Blast can be found on Amazon.com for $21.

Now if you’d rather cool down indoors (or on a breezy porch) Run Wild is a great card game to play to pass the time. The object of the game is to get all the cards out of your hand first. To do this you have to play a set (three cards of the same number) or a run (three cards in numerical order & of the same color) on the table. If you don’t have the right cards (or you aren’t drawing the right ones from your draw pile) you can use the cards on the table but only if there is a least three cards in still in the set or run (and runs have to keep numerical order). At first I was concerned of how disorderly it could be because players don’t take turns. However when I played with my friends there was time to think and make decisions on your game play even with its high paced. I wish the draw three cards that are played actually had the words “draw three” on them. Our first game was really confusing because of that. You can play with 2-4 players and they can be found at www.otb-games.com for $10.

Find Them On-Line:

Super Soaker

Run Wild

Musical Christmas With Peanuts

In 1995 each of the members of my family got their own Christmas ornament. I know for some that’s tradition, but for us, it’s a rare occurrence. When time came for me to pick an ornament, I ran through the mall to Hallmark, and with the money my parents gave me, I picked out that year’s Charlie Brown. However, he was only one of a 5-ornament set. In 2000, I walked into Hallmark after Christmas, found that year’s Peanuts 5-ornament set for sale and snatched them all up in one swoop. Ever since then for me, Peanuts has always gone with Christmas and this Christmas is no exception. 2010 will be the 60th anniversary of Peanuts but you won’t have to wait until New Years to start celebrating. Running Press has put out A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Kit. It comes with the book A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz, which tells the story of the TV special with the same name. It also comes with a bendable replica of Charlie Brown’s tree that stands 9 inches tall (unbent), the big red ornament and Linus’s blanket. This toy is great for any Peanuts fan and makes a great decoration for the holidays. It sells for $10.76 on Amazon.com.

The book Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years will also be in stores for Christmas this year. This ultimate collection of Peanuts comics is sorted by decades and include many quotes from Charles Schulz that add flavor to the strips included. The book includes the strips that introduced Lucy, Schroeder, Franklin, and all the others from the most to least remembered. There are also some facts at the beginning of each section that expand on Peanuts’ history. If you love Peanuts but don’t own any Peanuts books, this is the book to buy. It’s well worth the $75 list price, but you can find it at Amazon.com for $40.50.

Ever heard of a Tri-Scoot? If not, it’s probably because I just made it up, but what I’m referring to is a three-wheeled scooter, much like Pulse’s Slither. It has two large fixed wheels in the front and a single wheel housed in a pivot-mounted swivel trunk in the back, much like the wheels of the Shred Sled I reviewed in October. Unlike the Shred Sled, the Slither is more for younger kids because of the stable front wheels and the low handle bar. Being 6 feet myself, I have to stoop over to ride on it. You’ll have to assemble it but it comes with all the tools you’ll need. Check for loose parts before you throw your box away. The handle bar pulls up and bends down for storing in smaller spaces. It runs for $69.99 on Pulse’s website, pulsescooters.com but can also be found in retail stores.

What all started with Lego Star War, has morphed into an unlikely combination: Lego Rockband. All the previous Lego video games have been based on movie franchises with familiar plotlines that you play with Lego people. So is this just a Lego-ized version of Rockband? Yes and No. The game play is still the same as Rockband 2. You watch the screen and sing the song karaoke-style or hit the notes on your guitar or drums. In Lego Rockband all the characters are customizable- not just your bandmates but your manager and entourage, too. The only problem I had with this was that their skintones weren’t changeable, so the face you want to use may end up being a different skintone on the hands of the shirt you wanted to wear, which is a minor complaint. The songs that you play reach a wide range of diversity so there are some songs that parents will know and difficulty ranges from super easy to expert. The game is rated E10+ (for everyone over 10) because of comic mischief, mild cartoon violence and mild lyrics, where most Rockband games are rated T (for teen) because of lyrics and suggestive themes, which is pretty much the difference between a movie being rated PG and PG-13. You can find Lego Rockband where video games are sold for about $50. Lego Rockband doesn’t come with the instruments, so make sure you have them and that they are compatible with the game.

Also out for Christmas, from the people that brought you Guitar Hero, is DJ Hero. DJ Hero is a different experience of gamplay set along the same lines drawn by Guitar Hero, the major different being you play a turntable instead of a guitar. The songs you play are mix-ups of two different tracks. They range from Bell Biv Devo’s “Poison” mixed with Cameo’s “Word Up” to Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” mixed with MC Hammer’s U Can’t Touch This. Play is similar to Guitar Hero, in that you press a button down at the right moment and on some songs you spin the turntable to scratch. There is a beginner mode that allows you to hit any button to get you into the hang of it and each level of difficulty adds challenge to the game. Two people can play which requires another turntable but there are some songs that you can play along with a guitar controller. The one minor complaint I have is that the DJs aren’t as customizable as they have been in the past. The DJ avitars are premade people with different options when it comes to clothing and equipment. I would have liked to create myself; however, this will probably change in other DJ Hero games down the line. DJ Hero is rated T (for teen) and goes for around $100 but the game comes with the turntable.

To round out this musical edition of the Toy Box, I bring you Disney’s Nintendo DS game Jonas. This game puts you in the shoes of the Jonas Brothers- you even get to pick which one you want to be. The game takes you through episodes of their television show, where you run through levels overcoming different obstacles by playing a guitar chord. Different chords do different things. One of the chords entitled Amped blasts a loud enough vibrations to wake up the other brothers or boost the power to closed doors. In each episode you also get to play along to one of the Jonas Brother’s songs using the directional pad and the stylus. The game is easy to play and will help kill time, but you won’t like it if you aren’t already a Jonas fan. It is rated E (for everyone) and sells for about $27.99 on Amazon.com.

Find it online:
A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Kit
Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years
Slither
Lego Rockband for the Wii
DJ Hero for the Wii
Jonas for the Nintendo DS

Christmas Thoughts

Even though it’s November, everyone is talking about Christmas. They were even talking about it back in October and frankly, I have my Christmas list ready all year round. Here are some toys that you may want to think about when picking out gifts for this year.

First we have the Smart Trike. I know you’re thinking, “A stroller isn’t a toy.” Although that might be true, the Smart Trike starts off being a stroller but turns into a tricycle, so it grows with your child and gets more use than a plain stroller. It has a sun visor to keep your child out of the sun and a bucket in the back to tote stuff around. You do have to assemble it from pictures, so if you’ve spent any time building Legos then this will be second nature. To get the Smart Trike, go to flaghouse.com and search for #38959.

Next we have Brik-A-Bloks. This will change the way your child builds a fort. Basically they are flat panels that lock together to build blocks. Creations can get pretty big so you may need to account for space when building; however, when deconstructed, the panels don’t take much space at all. When I first looked at the pictures, I thought that these were probably only good for the younger kids, because the pictures showed kids crawling through blocks that were one panel-sized. But, once I started playing with them I realized that if I had enough panels I could even make a fort for myself (and I’m 6 feet). The panels come in three colors (red, blue and yellow) and you can buy packs of 46 and 26 panels. You can find them at brikablok.com.

Lastly, there is the Matchbox Croc Escape Pop Up Adventure. This playset is just one of many Pop Up Adventure playsets you can find from Matchbox. With Croc Escape, you get one Matchbox car to venture through the swamp to find the treasure. However, your car can get snagged by the giant crocodile head that is waiting in the middle of the playset. I love the crocodile part of this playset. Placing the car at the top of the ramp to have it shoot down into the crocodile’s mouth is fun to watch. It takes me back to when my parents got me a track that hooked onto the back of a chair and had a loop and ramp that the car would (for the most part) maneuver through. The drawback to the playset is that the set track isn’t as smooth as others. I guess it’s a part of the setting (there aren’t many smooth roads in the swamp), but I wish it were a little easier to guide the car around. The playset does fold into a box and the car and accessories stow nicely in it. You can find it in your local toy stores.

Find it online:
Smart Trike
Brik-A-Bloks
Croc Escape Pop Up Adventure

If you’re looking for some unique gifts this Christmas, here are some websites to check out:

Olivekids.com
This website has home décor for children, from bedding and shower curtains to wall clocks and placemats. With all their products, you choose the design theme and in some cases, have the item personalized.

2cheekymonkeys.etsy.com
This storefront offers gifts created from recycled board games, VHS movie cases, record covers and books. Each product is handmade and unique. They mostly sell journals, but they also have a few wall clocks and purses.

Kamibashi.com
This website has many products, but the most interesting is their homemade key chains. My favorite is The String Doll Gang line. Each doll helps you do something- for example, Finnegan makes sure that your luck is always Irish.

Thinkgeek.com
This website is for the geeks. From shirts that locate the best WiFi signal to shower heads that light up red or blue depending on the temperature, they have it. They also have a section for geek kids from 1 to 13 years old.

Move and Groove

What happens when you take snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding and throw them in a blender? You get the Shred Sled. It’s basically two footpads, each with two in-line wheels pieced together with a flexible connector. Instead of pushing off the Shred Sled like a skateboard, you propel yourself using your hips, legs and arms much like when you use a surfboard or snowboard. The hardest part about using the Shred Sled that I’ve found is getting on it. When I tried, one of the footpads would tilt one way or another and I found the only way I could fully get on was with the support of a wall or column. However, once on, it was fun to ride around on. I don’t recommend this for beginners but I’m sure those experienced in the ways of the three above sports will enjoy this much more than I did. Also make sure to wear a helmet and other protective gear if you want to try this out. To see more about it check out www.theshredsled.com where you can see videos and pictures or even purchase one.

There are some toys that are physically impossible for me to test out, Giraffalaff Limbo is one if these games. The poles for Giraffalaff Limbo stand a little higher than three feet and with every limbo game the height just becomes lower. Then again, I don’t believe the company had adults in mind when they were cooking this toy up. No this is geared towards preschoolers who will enjoy the moving to the beat while avoiding Giraffalaff hanging from the bar. The game comes with a dial with six different ways to go under the bar from a bird walk to the crawl. It took me a moment to figure out the difference between the limbo and what the dial calls “backwards bend”, which means you bend over and walk backwards, not bending backwards (or the limbo). One thing I learned the hard way is that once you assemble the game you can’t completely disassemble it, so don’t prepare to store it in the box it comes in (Note to self: read directions first).

Also from Hasbro is Scatterpillar Scramble. Scatterpillar is a caterpillar with four rows of seven hands. Four players have to place their own color marbles on each hand of their row. However Scatterpillar is grooving to his own beat and may drop one of your marbles while you’re playing. Whoever is the first to have all seven marbles in his hands wins. This, like Giraffalaff Limbo, is geared toward preschoolers but with this game there is a chocking hazard with the marbles. Both games require three AAA batteries and are about $25 over at Amazon.com but can also be found in the usual toy departments.

Find it online:
Shred Sled
Giraffalaff Limbo
Scatterpillar Scramble

When Summer Starts Heating Up

Ghostbuster: The Video Game (Wii)

I was too young when the movie Ghostbusters came out in theatres. In fact I was still too young when the sequel came out five years later. But I do remember watching the cartoon series and I loved it as well as the movies when I eventually watched them. Now Atari is releasing Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the 25th anniversary of the first film. It’s a pretty neat adaptation of the story line to include you, the “intern” who joins the team to conquer some of New York’s infamous apparitions.

In the game, you play an experimental equipment technician who busts ghosts along with the original team, Ray, Peter, Egon and Winston. At the beginning of the game, there is an animation about some supernatural events happening at a museum, where we see a bright blue light and a mysterious woman. When the team heads out to recapture Slimer and bring down the return of the giant “Stay Puft” marshmallow man, they run into the mysterious woman, who we learn is Dr. Ilyssa Selwyn, who is researching paranormal happenings.

The game is a third person shooter where you use the Wiimote to look around and aim, while the nunchuk is used to move your character through the levels and to shake when you’re drenched in slime. The characters for the Wii look like caricatures of the actors, which is different from the more realistic look of the Xbox and PS3 versions of this game, but the Wii version is still fun to play. There are also three different difficulty settings. The easy setting is more for kids and people who just want to play it casually where the hardest setting is for more hardcore gamers who want a challenge.

One positive feature for the less experienced players using the easy setting, is that it’s very difficult to get so seriously slimed or killed that your character is put out of action.

If you enjoyed the Ghostbusters franchise and like well executed story games then this is the game for you.

Fisher Price TurboFill Blasters

For the hot days of summer, water gun fights are a great way to cool off. But some water guns aren’t easy for younger kids to use. Fisher Price has come out with the TurboFill Blaster, which is perfect for kids three and up.

It comes with a base that you hook up to your water hose. You insert the gun into the base, which fills up the gun’s tank and pressurizes it. Once it’s filled, just press the release button down and lift the gun off. Then all your child has to do is pull the trigger.

I do have to say that when I first started playing with it, I couldn’t get the gun off of the base, which caused much frustration. Then I found out it was because I was holding down the release button, instead of pressing it down, letting go, and then pulling the gun off. The only thing that could improve this is if the base shot water out when the gun wasn’t attached.

If you have a youngster who wants to join the older kids in a water gun match you should try this one out. It’s sure to provide active fun, cool the kids off and water your lawn all at the same time.

ItzaBitza

When I was in first grade, I wrote in my classroom journal about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote that I was going to be an artist, live on the street (I was very realistic), sell my paintings and give my money to my first grade teachers. Years later, I have become a graphic artist (thankfully with an apartment) and art has always been something I’ve loved. That’s one reason why I was intrigued by ItzaBitza.

ItzaBitza is a web-based computer game for kids where users draw on the computer screen and animated characters interact with whatever is drawn.

Now you don’t get free range to draw whatever you please; the character will ask you to draw something like a house. Then a transparent sheet of paper covers the screen for you to draw your house where you want it in the picture. You add doors and windows and then once you are happy with it, the house comes to life and the character enters and exits from it. From there you draw all sorts of other things, the sun, a tree and even a friend.

This game is simple enough for preschoolers to play with it, but it’s not too boring for those a little bit older. There are stars that appear while you draw that indicate objectives to complete. When you get enough stars you unlock one of the other pictures to draw on.

The only thing I didn’t like was that you don’t get to choose the color of what you are drawing. Sure the sun is yellow and the tree trunk is brown, but I’d like to pick the color of my house. Even when you draw a paintbrush for your friend to paint the house you don’t get a choice in what it looks like. However that is just a minor personal preference and kids probably won’t care.

This is an easy, fun way to let your kids play at a computer, hone hand-eye coordination and experiment with both drawing and simple animations. It’s an enjoyable game that your kids can use to explore their inner Picasso and you may even find yourself discovering yours. Just don’t be alarmed if your child start saying he wants to be an artist who lives on the street.

You can find it at www.itzabitza.com for $19.99.

Find it online:
Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the Wii
TurboFill Blaster
ItzaBitza