January 2013 Notable Toys — Construction

SmartMax Set - BASIC 25 allows children ages three and up to experience the wonders of magnetism and the fascinating world of construction in a safe way. Towers, bridges, and houses are just a few building options that take advantage of the large pieces to engage even the youngest builder.
— Diane Gervais from Amato's Toy & Hobby in Middletown, Conn., told TDmonthly in a November 2014 survey that Smartmax sets are one of their store's best-selling educational toys. "Smartmax is pretty popular right now in preschool," she told us.

Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

The holiday season has arrived in Heartlake City. Head outside with Olivia, Christina and their dog Coco. Build a snowman or go skiing, then warm up by the fire with cookies and milk. Help Olivia and Christina writing a holiday card, delivering gifts on their snowmobile and decorate the Christmas tree. Set includes 24 individual gifts, including 2 mini dolls, a dog and accessories. Celebrate the holiday season with the LEGO Friends.

Set sail on an adventure to defeat the evil minions of Kaos with the buildable Crusher’s Pirate Quest by Mega Bloks Skylanders Giants. The colossal Crusher swings his stone hammer in a clash with the deadly Axecutioner. Meanwhile, Cynder leaps into action to take down the remaining Chompy. Rebuild the set into a dock inspired by the Cutthroat Carnival in Skylanders Giants and discover all of the action features in this 2-in-1 play set.

Through the mist, Jack McHammer catches sight of the zombie graveyard. He's on a mission to recover the zombie moonstone, but as he reaches for it, the zombies rise from their coffins and attack. Can he make it back to his car and battle the zombies with the giant hammer? Includes 4 minifigures: Jack McHammer and 3 zombies.

A buildable and fun twist on a memory game for 2 to 4 players. The game is all about finding the missing Dwarves who have gotten lost in Hobbiton, using hints left by Gandalf the Grey and some Hobbits to help players search. If players are up to the challenge they can transform the board during the game, testing their memory skills to the max. Once the board is built it is easy to store and quick to take out to play again.

The Mine is a busy place, full of miners digging for gold. Break up the rock with the big drilling machine and transport it out of the mine with the train. Then load it onto the conveyor belt with the crane and haul it away with the truck. There's even a safe to keep the gold inside. Help the miners find even more gold by blasting with the dynamite! Includes 4 minifigures: crew chief, crane driver, driller and truck driver.

Discover the all new Magneatos Better Builder Series. With super strong magnetic force, unique rod and ball configurations and myriad design possibilities, Magneatos Better Builders are a wonderfully inventive way to help children discover principles of science, construction, and engineering while developing their creativity skills. Includes handy storage bin and deluxe 22-page Activity Guide which explores magnet science and provides sample building models for all ages. Magnets are safely and securely embedded in the over sized rods. Metal balls ensure a quick and strong connection. Tested to ages 18 months plus. For ages 2+.
Awards: Oppeheim Platinum Best Toy Award Winner

The Classic set consists of 36 varieties of maple blocks. Painted with non-toxic water based acrylic paints and sealed with organic beewax.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

With Xyloba mezzo kids can create a great variety of melodic marble runs, using the 8 interchangeable sound modules to produce complex melodies. Made in Switzerland.

It's time for the final showdown with the Vampyre. He has gathered all 6 moonstones at his castle and is about to cloak the world in darkness forever so that his followers can roam free for the rest of eternity. Will our heroes Dr. Rodney Rathbone and Jack McHammer survive the castle's hidden spikes and traps to disable the moonstone device? Or will the Vampyre's bride and the manbats throw them into the castle dungeon? You decide. Includes 6 minifigures: Rodney Rathbone, Jack McHammer, the Vampyre, the Vampyre's bride and 2 manbats.
— As of 10/26/2012 this product has 4.5 out of 5 stars from 12 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Lots of pieces (949); detailed minifigures, including some that glow in the dark; lots of details. Cons: Some reviews said this set was not as sturdy as other LEGO building sets.

Get Christmas off to a galactic start with the LEGO® Star Wars™ Advent Calendar. Featuring 24 gifts, including iconic starships, minifigures, and accessories, this great advent calendar is the perfect gift for Star Wars fans of any age. 234 pieces total.

This set consists of 6 blocks Goodwood deconstruction blocks are a new system of innovative wooden blocks, designed to invite real creative play. The beautiful, precisely crafted blocks are intentionally packaged without instructions or other prescriptive guidelines, in order to cultivate open-ended exploration. Unlike most modern toys, this puts the child in complete control of the child-toy relationship, and encourages them to come up with their own ways to play. The different shapes allow for building outwards in every dimension, and the creation of structures which are both architecturally and geometrically interesting, as well as visually pleasing. They are suitable as a construction toy for children, and increasingly popular as a desk toy for design-minded adults as well. The ever-growing goodwood system currently includes seven original designs. Each set is designed to be fun and interesting on its own, and to provide new features when combined with the other sets as well. All sets come with pieces in six vibrant colors (water-based acrylic paint), made from forest-friendly rubber wood, and CPSIA tested. Care has been taken to ensure that the product reflects responsible social and environmental decision-making, and the developer's website provides a mechanism for purchasing discounted sets for donation into orphanages and kindergartens in the developing world.

Goodwood deconstruction blocks are a new system of innovative wooden blocks, designed to invite real creative play. The beautiful, precisely crafted blocks are intentionally packaged without instructions or other prescriptive guidelines, in order to cultivate open-ended exploration. Unlike most modern toys, this puts the child in complete control of the child-toy relationship, and encourages them to come up with their own ways to play. The different shapes allow for building outwards in every dimension, and the creation of structures which are both architecturally and geometrically interesting, as well as visually pleasing. They are suitable as a construction toy for children, and increasingly popular as a desk toy for design-minded adults as well. The ever-growing goodwood system currently includes seven original designs. Each set is designed to be fun and interesting on its own, and to provide new features when combined with the other sets as well. All sets come with pieces in six vibrant colors (water-based acrylic paint), made from forest-friendly rubber wood, and CPSIA tested. Care has been taken to ensure that the product reflects responsible social and environmental decision-making, and the developer's website provides a mechanism for purchasing discounted sets for donation into orphanages and kindergartens in the developing world.

Using colorful strings as tracks, players will aim to outwit their opponents by taking control of the playing area by strategically placing stations throughout, collect points and build the most profitable railway network to win the game. Launch date: 2012.

Space Adventure Mini includes over 45 block pieces to create one space vehicle and one Cube Figure. The same blocks can also be reused to transform the space vehicle into another robot or vehicle. Launch date: April 2012.

The epic struggle between Batman and The Joker continues with LEGO's Batwing Battle Over Gotham City set. Easy-to-follow instructions and 278 building elements help kids create models of 2 cool vehicles: The Jokers helicopter and the Batwing, armed 2 flick missiles and bomb release function. Comes with lots of great extras, plus a comic book.

Little horse lovers will have a great time helping prepare for a horse show with a LEGO horse trailer set. Children can put mini doll Emma in her horse Robin's saddle to practice jumping. Or they can groom Robin for the big show with her brushes. Then, they'll transport the pair to the big competition in the realistic trailer. Kids will have a blast at playtime, helping Emma and Robin prepare for their big day.

Bring the dead to life with ZOMBIE Mods. Mod are removable and repositionable stickers designed to fit plastic bricks like LEGO® and MEGA BLOKS®. They go on easy and can be removed just as quick. No sticky mess...Mods won't leave ick on your brick. Create a zombie apocalypse, WWII missions, a Medieval castle and more. Includes 44 removable/repositionable stickers. Made in the USA.
Awards: 2012 Creative Child Magazine Product of the Year Award