February 2012 Notable Toys — Electronic Games

This follow up to last year's Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure features 8 Giant Skylanders, 4 Light Skylanders, 8 New Skylanders, and will also work with the 24 re-released Skylanders. Each Giant Skylanders is about twice as large as the originals. The toy can be used for Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, and Nintendo 3DS. Launch date: 2012.

This wireless game controller sports classic a D-Pad and button layout reminiscent of retro 8-bit game consoles from the 80's and 90's. The 8-Bitty works with the iPad and iPhone to play apps using a game controller with real tactile input. It also works with Android devices as well. 8-Bitty supports iCADE's growing list of hundreds of retro game apps, including Atari Classics collection, Pac-Man, Super Mega Worm, etc. The 8-Bitty uses a completely open interface system, so that any app developer can easily add game support. Launch date: 2012.

Collectible myth and monster cards can be played with on their own, but also added to an app for gameplay with 3-D figures. Each card has information about its subject, including unicorns, sea serpents and Cyclops based on the Ology book series. Tap the card to the screen of an iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone, and that monster appears in the game. Launch date: March 2012.

A line of collectible toys that interacts with free downloadable apps. Six choices include Foam Fighters, ZombieBurbz, Alien Jailbreak and more. Foam Fighters, for instance, comes with two planes the size of paper airplanes that can be flown by themselves or attached to a smartphone device by an arm with a suction cup. The smart device scans the chosen plane into the app's playing field for air battle. Launch date: April 2012.

Cars 2 AppMATes toy vehicles use patent-pending capacitive recognition technology to let children play interactively on your iPad. Simply place the AppMATes cars right on the iPad screen and start exploring the world of Radiator Springs. Kids can also race, customize their experience by collecting virtual items and much more. To get started, just download the free Cars 2 AppMATes App from the App Store in iTunes.

Using a free app, users mount their iPhones into a plastic laser shooter and can begin playing a game of laser tag with up to 24 other players. Each blaster has a range of up to 250 feet. Players can also play the game solo. Launch date: August 2012.

Hot Wheels Apptivity™ lets kids take a 1:64 scale Hot Wheels car and race through three exciting game modes. Launch date: May 2012.

Sleek high tech looking tablet with 21 smooth touch icons. Tablet has 4 activities to learn about Dinosaurs and 15 dinosaurs to discover – just like in the Smithsonian Museum. earn their names, hear their sounds, learn what their diet was and more fun information. Launch Date:  September 2012.

Users mount their smartphone in the steering wheel, then play racing games they've downloaded to the phone.

Battleship zAPPed is inspired by the Universal Pictures movie and uses the screen as the playing surface. Once ship pawns are placed on the screen, the iPad will automatically recognize which pawns are in play and when they are moved. Launch date: September 2012.

In this app-gameboard hybrid, the app handles all of the banking transactions. It also turns the Chance and Community Chest cards into mini games that affect the player’s progress. Launch date: June 2012.

Download a free app to begin playing this update of the classic game Life. The app syncs with each player’s turn on the game board and shows appropriate clips from Vin Di Bona’s America’s Funniest Videos and humorous animations as they travel around the game board. Additionally, players can create their own “Peg Person” avatar and use the app’s virtual spinner on their iPad. Includes game board, 4 car movers, 52 pegs, money pack, 4 rubber pads, Quick Start Guide. iPad not included but required to play the game. For 2 to 4 Players. Launch date: February 10, 2012.

With Monopoly Electronic Banking, players wheel and deal their way to a fortune even faster using debit cards instead of cash. All it takes is a card swipe for money to change hands. Now players can collect rent, buy properties and pay fines - with the touch of a button. It's a new way to play the family classic that's been brought up-to-date with modernized tokens (including a Segway personal transporter, an Altoids tin, space shuttle, flat-screen TV, baseball cap and a dog in handbag), higher property values and locations based on their favorite landmarks.
— As of 11/14/2011 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 58 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Updates make the game more realistic and relevant to younger players. Cons: Not as educational as players no longer have to count money.

This download card provides an access code to download learning games, e-Books, videos and more to Leapster Explorer or LeapPad Explorer systems.
— As of 11/14/2011 this product had 4.2 out of 5 stars from 9 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Nice gift idea; Lots of games available. Cons: Lots of packaging, but all it is, is a card with an access code on it.

The Laser Band is a laser-activated instrument from PlayAbility Toys that lets children and adults experience the joy of creating and playing beautiful music. The Laser Band allows everyone a world of musical opportunities with small arm and hand movements that break the plain of a laser beam. Launch date: October 2011.