Slap Happy…
Despite exponential tech advances in video gaming, Pong is still my favorite. My Dad and I spent hours in front of our 13” black & white TV trying to stop that pesky pixel from getting past our paddles. That is what drew my interest to Fat Brain Toy’s VolleyShot during the Toy Association‘s 2023 Toy Fair New York.
VolleyShot can best be described as a non-electronic version of Pong. If the ball gets past you – into the groove below your paddle – your opponent gains a point.
Hot Mash…
Super Impulse, famous for their line of impossibly small replicas of iconic toys, games and products, showed off a basket full of their Poptaters at the recent Toy Insider Sweet Suite Event.
Poptaters are a mash-up of Hasbro’s Mr. Potato Head and the world of pop culture personalities. A bit bigger than SI’s usual licensed collectibles, Poptaters feature characters from fandoms both obvious and surprisingly obscure. There are also generational leaps from Boomers to Gen A giving the product a wide appeal.
The Toy Insider’s (TI) Sweet Suite event was back in full swing this past week. The 2023 installment brought together media outlets from across the continent. National news agencies to social app influencers of all ages convened at Manhattan’s Chelsea Pier to alert the public to what will be the most sort after toys throughout the summer and into the year-end gifting season.
We’re a Happy Family…
You’ve heard about the monkey’s uncle I’m sure, but at the recent toy industry event The PlayDate (hosted by The Toy Association and The Toy Insider) I was introduced to the monkey’s cousins! Yes, returning to toy shelves soon are WowWee Toys’ beloved baby monkeys, the Fingerlings.
Diamond Select Toys celebrates the 20th anniversary of their Mini-Mates action figure line with a box set that pays tribute to the Marvel animated series What If… as seen on the Disney Plus streaming service.
Mini-Mates are two inch tall, articulated figures that have been designed under a multitude of licenses, from Universal Monsters and Nightmare Before Christmas to Kill Bill characters. I’m always astounded at how the simple body form can be transformed to so accurately convey a character.