New Toys This Week: Rio Grande Games, Starlux, Looney Labs, Didax, Teacher Created, MasterPieces

A strategy game, a UV maze, Cat Fluxx, math cards, flash cards and a puzzle, with pros and cons

By TDmonthly Staff
October 2026

This week's New Toys picks come from six game, puzzle and learning publishers whose products were recently added to TDmonthly's New Toys listings: a Cold War strategy game from Rio Grande Games, a light-up maze game from Starlux Games, a cat-themed Fluxx from Looney Labs, classroom math cards from Didax, Pete the Cat flash cards from Teacher Created Resources and a 1,000-piece puzzle from MasterPieces. Each is judged on the same points: who it's for, how it plays, price and what to watch for.

1. Wir Sind das Volk! Combined Edition (Rio Grande Games): Strategy for Teens and Adults

Players take East or West Germany and guide their nation through the Cold War, using action cards to grow the economy and raise living standards while historical events such as the Oil Crisis and mass protests upset their plans. Players must balance military buildup and influence without triggering a catastrophe that ends the game for everyone. This edition includes the 2+2 expansion, which adds the USA and USSR for four-player alliance play with only one winner. The listing says it's for 2 to 4 players, ages 14 and up.

Price: $41.81 on Amazon on Oct. 24 (the listing showed "Only 3 left in stock").

Pros: A history lesson built into the rules; the included expansion lets four play.
Cons: Aimed at ages 14 and up, so it's not a family-with-young-kids game; low stock on Amazon; the most expensive pick here.

More on our product page: Wir Sind das Volk - Combined Edition

2. Enchanted Maze (Starlux Games): A UV-Light Maze for Ages 5+

Players roll to move a woodland adventurer through a maze, rescue one critter of each color and escape. When the Hag enters your area, her UV eye reveals what was invisible: new routes open, others close and hidden traps appear. The tiles can be rearranged for a new maze every game, and it can be played competitively, cooperatively or solo. The listing says it's for ages 5 and up, 1 to 6 players, in 20 to 40 minutes.

Price: $39.90 on Amazon on Oct. 24.

Pros: Three ways to play, including solo; a fresh maze each game; young kids can play with older siblings and adults.
Cons: Dice movement adds luck; about $40 is a lot for a game aimed at ages 5 and up.

More on our product page: Enchanted Maze

3. Cat Fluxx (Looney Labs): Quick Card Chaos for Cat Lovers

Cat Fluxx follows the classic Fluxx formula: turns start as "Draw 1, Play 1," and New Rule and Action cards, such as "The Zoomies," keep changing how the game works. Players try to collect Keepers, nine different cats plus The Human, while Creepers like the Totally Empty Food Bowl and the Vacuum Cleaner get in the way. The listing says it plays 1 to 6 in 10 to 30 minutes.

Price: $19.95 on Amazon on Oct. 24.

Pros: Short games and a stocking-stuffer price; the cat theme is an easy gift for cat-loving families.
Cons: Constantly changing rules can feel random to players who like planning; the age grade isn't shown in the listing data we checked.