Monday, October 25, 1999
This year's toys: Playing for keepers
Shopping in October can help ease standing-in-line Christmas blues
BY REON CARTER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ready, set, go!
The race is officially on for the hottest toys this Christmas, though the Halloween pumpkin and Thanksgiving turkey have yet to be carved. Each year, Christmas buzz seems to start earlier.
Jim Silver, publisher of the slick new consumer magazine Toy Wishes: The Ultimate Toy Buying Guide says parents are more eager than ever to get a jump on the hottest toys to avoid the Christmas rush.
“There's so much out there,” says Mr. Silver. “It's really easy for people to get overwhelmed. It's not only about what to buy, but how to buy it and where to shop.”
Chris Byrne, editor of The Toy Report, a trade publication adds, “Parents are wising up. They don't want to end up waiting in line four or five hours for Furby. Why not shop in October when supplies are more plentiful. They can buy now without the hassle and just hide them away.”
This year's most popular licenses include Pokemon, Star Wars Episode I-The Phantom Menace, Toy Story 2, Teletubbies, the World Wrestling Federation, Blue's Clue, World Championship Wrestling and NASCAR.
Will shoppers have to brace for toy shortages similar the Tickle Me Elmo or Furby craze?
“There might be some problems with the electronic stuff because of the Taiwan earthquake,” Mr. Silver says. “There could be chip shortages and as a result the quantities may not be there for several toys.”
Each year we poll industry insiders, retailers, and check the toy picks lists from Duracell Ultra Kids' Choice Survey and such magazines as Toy Wishes, Family Fun and Sesame Street Parents to provide a tip sheet of new and noteworthy toys. Toys are available at most major toy retailers unless otherwise noted.
• My First Fish Bowl (Lamaze/Learning Curve, $19.99) - A see-through, soft fabric fish bowl with four brightly-colored soft sea creatures (a fish, clam, starfish and crab) which help babies to learn how to play “put in and take out.” Each sea pal makes a rattling sound. Ages 6 months to 2 years. At the Channel 48 Store of Knowledge, Kenwood Towne Centre.
• Pokemon I Choose You Pikachu (Hasbro, $24.99) — An electronic version of the most popular Pokemon character. This eight-inch plush wiggles its mouth and says “Pi,” “Pi-ka,” and then “Pikachu” when its hand is squeezed. Its ears wiggle and its cheeks glow bright red. Ages 4 and up. Due in stores by in November.
• Pokemon Challenge (Tiger, $11.99) — A spinning top game in which players choose from 24 characters disks to be placed in tops. The turbo launch starts the action. Player-controlled flippers let the kids direct their spinning tops. Ages 5 and up.
• Millennium Princess Barbie (Mattel, $40) — Barbie has never looked more regal, wearing a blue velvet gown featuring silver colors, fitted blue velvet bodice overlaid with sparkling lace detail. She comes with a faux crystal ball keepsake.
• Darth Maul Electronic Action Figure (Hasbro, $29.99) — Villainous Darth Maul was a standout in the hit movie Stars Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace. This 12-inch action figure in his likeness comes with a light saber and spews three lines from the movie. Ages 5 and up.
• Funtivity Foil Jewelry Maker (Little Kids, $12.99) — A kit that includes everything to make one-of-a-kind jewelry using ordinary household foil. Beads, medallions and pendants for necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Ages 8 and up.
• GeoSafari World (ExploraToy, $29.99 ) — A smaller, less expensive version of the GeoSafari Talking Globe. This interactive talking quiz game is enclosed within a plastic globe. It contains an interactive microchip, programmed to fire out 5,000 random questions. (Ages 8 and older.)
• Sega Dreamcast (Sega, $199) — Some believe this network-ready console with its 56K modem will give the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64 some tough competition. All ages.
• Laser Tennis (Tiger Electronics, $39,99) — Instead of a real ball a laser-like light is used to project a ball on the playing surface. Players use a racquet with a reflector to hit it back and forth. There are four skill levels of play. Ages 7 and up.
• WCW Tuff Talkin' Wrestlers (Toy Biz, $39.99) — A series of action figures with built-in sound chips with the recorded voices of real wrestlers. Each wrestler spouts more than
100 phrases and sounds as they pile drive and immobilize each other in head locks. Wrestlers include Goldberg, Hollywood Hogan, Sting and Diamond Dallas. There are two wrestlers per pack. Ages 4 and up.
• Rock & Roll Elmo (Fisher Price, $29.99) — He's back, but instead of giggling he's singing rock oldies and strumming a guitar. He's decked in a faux leather jacket and denim jeans. His guitar has flashing lights. Ages 18 months and up.
• Hairy Hairball (Rumpus, $26.99) — This kitty plush gives new meaning to the term “stuffed” animal. Reach inside his mouth to his stomach and pull out palm-sized bean bag pieces (a parakeet, mouse, goldfish, fishbone, ball of yarn and three hairballs). At specialty stores or ordered through the company's Web site at www.rumpustoys.com or call 888-786-7871.
• Furby Babies (Tiger, $29.99) — Last year's must-have toy returns. Furby Babies are petite, pastel-colored versions of their predecessors
They interact with their environment through sight, touch and sound like the adult Furbies, but come in a variety of soft pastel colors. Ages 6 and up.
• Sesame Street Cookie Crunch Game (Mattel, $24) — A counting and coordinating game. Cookie Monster demands cookies, players try to flick a predetermined number of cookie disks into his greedy mouth.
• Zip the Robot (Oregon Scientific, $49.95) — A laptop game in which kids can choose from 50 learning activities such as spelling, word vocabulary, math as well as standard games. It features an adult style keyboard and a high-resolution screen. Ages 5 to 8.
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