December 2012 Notable Toys — Construction

The Heartlake City Pool is the hottest spot to spend a long summer day in the sun. Put on some swim shorts in the double-door changing room and rinse off in the shower before heading to the big blue pool to hang out with Andrea and her friend Isabella. Climb the ladder up to the spiral pink water slide or diving board to make a splash. Play basketball in the pool or go grab an ice cream cone at the snack bar with a cool umbrella table and chairs. Then wind down on the lounge chairs or soak in the bubbly hot tub. Lots of realistic accessories include: shady palm tree leaves, an ice cream cone, money, a cash register and drinks. End a perfect day at Heartlake City Pool by splashing around under the waterfall. Includes Andrea and Isabella mini-doll figures.

Fishface is out looking for trouble on his ooze-launching sewer skimmer. Chase him through the city sewers in Raphael's Stealth Shell. Outmaneuver his reverse flick missiles with the Stealth Shell's tri-wheel design and dual flame exhaust. Then fire the dual flick missiles at that menacing mutant before he launches ooze all over the city.

Dogpound is speeding through the city, making special deliveries of toxic ooze in his pizza delivery van. Hit the road with Leonardo and Michelangelo in the teched-out Shellraiser to stop that angry mutt. Turn the powerful LEGO® Technic shooting cannon 360 degrees and open fire. Unfold the Shellraiser’s side panels to reveal the computer workstation, weapons rack and skateboard. Take the pursuit off the streets and onto the railroad tracks by raising the rubber tires up to reveal track wheels. Once Dogpound has been stopped, battle on the rooftop against his minions: The Kraang and a Foot Soldier.

Kick up the turtle-powered action to take on Shredder. When Shredder speeds by on his Dragon Bike with dual flame exhausts and real rubber tires, Donatello spots a map to the Turtles' lair in his claws. Crank up Donatello's motorized skateboard to stop him before he finds the secret lair. Battle the Foot Soldier with Donatello's bo staff and chase the metal-faced menace through the city streets to get that map back.

Celebrate the grand opening of the Heartlake Pet Salon.! Everyone's excited to check it out. Help Emma to shampoo her friend Joanna's pretty white poodle in the bubble bath, then trim and clip her on the rotating grooming table. Use the blow dryer and brushes to make her perfect. While Joanna is waiting for her puppy to be groomed, help her to shop for new pet food and lots of accessories in the salon's shop. Then fill up the water dish at the tap for the poodle to drink. With all of these accessories and functions, kids can really pamper all of the pretty pets in Heartlake City. Includes Emma and Joanna mini-doll figures and a poodle.

High above Gotham City, Batman™ spots Bane in the armored Tumbler chasing Police Commissioner Gordon. Bust through the road barricades in the Bane Tumbler with hidden dual flick missiles and flame exhaust. Then swoop down from the skies in The Bat and winch the commissioner to safety with the rescue rope before Bane reaches him. Includes 3 minifigures: Batman, Bane and Police Commissioner Gordon with assorted weapons.
— In a May 2014 survey, four out of 11 retailers told TDmonthly that Lego was their best-selling line of licensed toys.

Mr. Freeze has trapped Aquaman in a block of ice and only BatmanTM can release him! Speed to the rescue in the powerful Batboat with exhaust flames, deploy the missiles and release the bombs to bust that block of ice. It's time to turn the heat up on Mr. Freeze! Includes 3 minifigures: white Arctic BatmanTM, Mr. Freeze and Aquaman, all with assorted weapons.
— Dalene Lockhart, owner of Toy Town in Casper, Wyo., told TDmonthly in a May 2014 survey that LEGO Superheroes and LEGO Friends were the best-selling construction toys in her store.

The Republic troopers are under attack! Fire their blasters as you battle the red and black Sith troopers and their hover speeder with dual flick missiles. Recreate epic battle scenes from the Knights of the Old Republic video game in your own living room. Collect the never-before-featured Republic trooper helmet. Includes 4 minifigures with assorted weapons: 2 Republic troopers and 2 Sith troopers.
— In a May 2014 survey Andrea from Hardware Center Toys in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly that LEGO Star Wars sets was the store's best-selling construction toys.

Build a famous scene from Star Wars™: Episode VI Return of the Jedi™ with this stackable set. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is trapped in the Rancor™ Pit beneath Jabba the Hutt’s Palace and must escape. Look for a way out before the gate lifts and the mighty rancor makes an entrance. Battle the rancor with the bone before he eats the Gammorrean guard. Then, find the hidden compartment with a secret key or drop the gate on the space beast before it’s too late. Combine with LEGO® Star Wars 9516 Jabba’s Palace for a stackable scene with a trapdoor into the Rancor Pit! Includes rancor, skeleton and 3 minifigures: Luke Skywalker, Malakili and Gammorrean Guard.
— In a May 2014 survey, four out of 11 retailers told TDmonthly that Lego was their best-selling line of licensed toys.

An armed and dangerous alien mosquitoid is speeding this way on a space flyer. Stop that creepy crawler with blue team leader Solomon Blaze and the split function Swarm Interceptor. When the action gets too hot for one Galaxy Squad ship, split the Swarm Interceptor into 2 fierce fighting machines: an agile flyer with detachable guns and a powerful turret with hidden flick missiles! That pest doesn't stand a chance against the split-function Swarm Interceptor with Solomon Blaze at the wheel. Includes 2 minifigures with assorted weapons: Solomon Blaze and alien mosquitoid.

The 501st Clone Trooper is on patrol with Star Wars™: The Clone Wars™ edition Yoda and the powerful AT-RT walker when he spots a Commando Droid captain and Sniper Droid. Use the AT-RT’s swiveling laser cannon to attack the Droid. Take the blasters out of the AT-RT’s weapon storage compartment and open fire. Recreate scenes from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated TV series. Includes 3 minifigures with assorted weapons: Clone Wars edition Yoda, 501st Clone Trooper and Commando Droid captain.

SmartMax Flower Palace provides your child with four colorful flower-shaped pieces, along with 19 magnetic medium bars, 16 large ball-shaped magnetic connectors, and two peaked rooftops so she can use their imagination to build a multitude of creations. These extra-large pieces make it easy to use creative-thinking skills to mix-and-match the pieces and create new combinations. Unique houses and large-scale castles are among just a few of the many options. Children can use the four panels to strengthen the structure of their construction and build walls, floors, or forts. Flower Palace is one of several new 2012 sets in the award-winning SmartMax® magnetic construction toy line. It can also be combined with all existing Smart Max ® sets for unending play opportunities.
Awards: 2012 Dr.Toy Best Picks

Simplistic shape. Endless possibility. The only tools required are the children's imagination. Plus Plus bricks is made in Denmark of PE (polyethylene). Free of phthalates and PVC.

With 650 elements in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes, the LEGO Creative Building Kit is the perfect supplement to any LEGO collection - includes building instructions.

This is the first book & construction toy in the GoldieBlox series. Meet Goldie, her beloved dog, Nacho, Benjamin Cranklin (the cat with an attitude), Katinka (the dolphin ballerina), Phil (the sloth) and Flavio (the bear from Brazil). Help Goldie figure out how to build a belt drive to spin everybody. Includes: (1) storybook, (1) pegboard, (5) wheels, (10) axles, (5) blocks, (1) crank, (1) ribbon, (5) washers. Launch date: April 2013.
— In a May 2014 survey Suzi McMullen, manager of Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Falls Church, Va., told TDmonthly that Goldieblox was a best-selling construction toy in their store. "When we had it, we sold out all 24," she said.
— In a September 2014 survey, LyndaBlankenship from Smart Toys & Books in Knoxville, Tenn., told TDmonthly that Goldie Blox are one of the store's best-selling science & nature toys.

The USS Enterprise is the longest aircraft carrier in the US and the oldest. It has recently taken its final voyage after more than 50 years. With over 900+ assorted size and colored pieces kids can create a 3D image of the USS Enterprise down to the tiniest detail. It is the end of an era for the US Navy, making it the perfect gift for any Navy buff or construction enthusiast. With a finished size of 3.25” x 15.25” d x 3.25” h , it would make a nice addition to any den.

Save The Company of Dwarves. The goblins have captured the heroic Dwarves and imprisoned them deep inside their filthy caves. Help Gandalf the Grey sneak past The Goblin King and set them free. Discover the cave's functions, secrets and hidden treasures as you fight your way to freedom by firing the catapult, collapsing the rope bridge, lifting the bucket crane, tipping the ladder and finding the map. Defeat The Goblin King in an epic underworld battle! And beware The Goblin King throne's trapping function. Includes Gandalf the Grey and 7 minifigures exclusive to this building set: Dori the Dwarf, Nori the Dwarf, Ori the Dwarf, Goblin Scribe, 2 Goblin Soldiers and The Goblin King. Launch date: 2012.

Follow Fili the Dwarf and Kili the Dwarf deep into the dark and scary Mirkwood Forest on The Quest for The Lonely Mountain. Attack the heroes with 3 small spiders and 2 giant spiders with glow-in-the-dark eyes and trap them inside cocoon elements high up in the buildable tree. Use Legolas Greenleaf and Tauriel to save the day by battling the spiders and freeing the Dwarves with the tipping function before it's too late. Includes 4 minifigures: Fili the Dwarf, Kili the Dwarf, Legolas Greenleaf and Tauriel, all with assorted weapons. Launch date: 2012.

Gandalf the Grey has invited the Dwarves to Bag End - the Hobbit home of Bilbo Baggins. Uncover the Hobbit hole to entertain the Dwarves with food and drink accessories. Then invite Bilbo Baggins on a great journey to The Lonely Mountain and begin the epic LEGO The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey adventure. Includes Gandalf the Grey and 5 exclusive minifigures featured only in this set: Bilbo Baggins in his Shire outfit, Balin the Dwarf, Dwalin the Dwarf, Bombur the Dwarf and Bofur the Dwarf, all with assorted weapons. Launch date: 2012.

On the shores of an underground lake beneath the Misty Mountains, Bilbo Baggins, armed with Sting, discovers a magic ring that was recently lost by the creature Gollum. Use the reveal function to take the golden Ring! But beware - only Gollum, aboard his boat of Goblin skin and bones, knows the way out. Can our Hobbit hero solve the riddles asked by Gollum and escape to freedom with the Ring before Gollum realizes it's gone? Kids decide as they build and recreate this famous scene from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Includes 2 minifigures: Bilbo Baggins and Gollum. Launch date: 2012.

This kit provides hours of fun creating amazing innovations ranging from the ridiculous to the very practical. This system is designed to teach the power of interactive innovation, creative problem solving and social innovation. Compete online with other kids or post your idea and have it rated by the Hänz innovation community. This is a very fun construction set that is simply addictive. Made in the USA with fair trade and the environment in mind.

This smaller kit is an affordable way to get started with Hänz construction sets. You can create gravity race cars, interesting structures and even practical items such as smart phone holders and picture frames. This kit can create dozen of unique innovative structures and provides hours of fun and learning. Made in the USA with fair trade and the environment in mind.

Samurai X is on board the mighty Samurai Mech when she locates the Constrictai fang blade and closes in to claim it. Can scout Snike and warrior Bytar stop it with a catapult ambush? Or will the Samurai Mech's massive blade, shoulder cannon shooter and bladed grabbers overcome the Constrictai snakes? Includes 3 minifigures: Samurai X, Snike and Bytar, Samurai Mech, catapult, Constrictai fang blade with orange anti-venom capsule and weapon.

This gigantic marble run features 103 pieces with 12 marbles. Kids can build their structure any way they like, then drop the marbles and watch them race through the run.
— In a May 2013 survey, two out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that marble runs were one of their best-selling construction toys.