August 2010 Notable Toys — Action Games

This hard plastic set features 30 1:56 scale Zulu warriors. Included are six sprues of warrior bodies and arms, totalling five unique body poses and 18 arm options, and five sprues of weapons and shields.

This box set from the Wars of Empire range provides four sprues for creating 20 multi-part 1:56 scale British soldiers suitable for the Zulu War of 1879 and other late 19th century conflicts. Possible poses include firing, loading, advancing and at-ready. Separate arms, heads, and helmets allow for maximum customization. "Being multi-part plastic means the kit is highly customizable and no two kits need to turn out the same," Wargames Factory sales director Lonnie Mullins told TDmonthly.

This model kit contains 24 multi-part and multi-pose hard plastic zombies in 1:56 scale. The figures are suitable for war gaming, collecting and painting. Assembly is required and painting is recommended. The set includes 28 unique parts per sprue for over 900 unique combinations. "There are over 900 different Zombies that can be created with this kit," Wargames Factory sales director Lonnie Mullins told TDmonthly.

The Shock Troops are the first release in the Alien Suns series. This multi-part, multi-pose hard plastic set features six full sprues, each containing 38 parts.

In Dust, 2 to 6 players command vast armies of technologically advanced tanks, submarines, aircraft and “mechs” (massive piloted robots), all produced at factories which can be purchased and placed. To win, players must take territory through dice-based combat, controlling the most “power centers” in order to finance the expansion of their forces. By controlling the most of these power centers, along with the most capitals, players score victory points. The first player to score a set number of victory points claims the win. The game includes two variant rulebooks (quick-playing “Premium” rules and grand “Epic” rules), a puzzle-cut game board, more than 800 plastic figures, 45 lavishly-illustrated cards, 10 custom battle dice, 25 game tokens and three player reference sheets. Fantasy Flight Games Sales Associate Rick Nauertz told TDmonthly, "A few unique mechanics keep Dust somewhat shorter than other epic games of global conquest. In each player’s turn, for example, there is a cap on the amount of building, moving, and attacking allowed."

Players use swiveling ramps to launch chips onto the play board. With careful aim, the chips will fall into the desired hole. As players take turns, the stack of chips in each hole gets higher. The goal is to try and get three matching color chips in a row, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally. This game is for two to four players.

GeoPalz is the first decorative activity tracker and online game that allows users to earn points through physical activity. With a simple message of  “Walk to Win,” every mile walked counts as one pedpoint and once the points add up, the child can use the points to redeem fun, activity-focused prizes - including basketballs, jump ropes and frisbees. The site also displays a map of the distance the child has walked – showing the specific destinations he/she has reached with their steps.
Awards: Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products - 2010, 2011. Launch date: August 2010