TDmonthly's ToyFair 2006 Preview--General Games Product Category

Pack & Stack™ by MAYFAIR GAMES INC.

Pack & Stack is designed to be a fast and funny, wild and crazy game about moving stuff on all sorts of odd trucks. Every interactive turn is a new adventure, where all the players discover new loads, grab new trucks, and then gamble on their planning and packing skills. Launch date: June 4, 2009. 8/19/2009 (Price: $49.00) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Don't Know Beans About... Games by GALLOPADE INTERNATIONAL

Each of these question-and-answer games includes 60 question-and-answer cards. As each correct answer is given, players perform a fun task, such as giving the closest person a high-five or hitting an imaginary baseball and shouting, "Home Run!" There are 10 different games: America, American Revolution, Animals, Black History, Conservation, Solar System, U.S. Civil War, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Presidents and Weather. Launch date: January 2009. ( Watch Video) 8/19/2009 (Price: $12.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Octopi Games - Grippa by FUNHUB CREATIVE LLC

While Octopi may look like just another plush toy, but stored in its head is a family dice game and a distinctive treasure. Grippa’s game is Sink or Swim, for two to four players. During a turn, players roll dice and try to score points to collect seashells. Whoever has the most shells at the end of the game wins. "Each Octopi has a unique look, personality, dice game and treasure that support the collectibility value of the item," Steve Hart, co-founder of FunHub Creative, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010. 8/19/2009 (Price: $19.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Octopi Games - Dip by FUNHUB CREATIVE LLC

Each Octopi comes with an easy-to-learn dice game complete with a treasure (all stored in the Octopi head). Dip's game, Doubloon Dippidy, is a faced-paced game in which players try to win all the gold doubloons by being the last person with a doubloon. It is for two to 10 players. "Octopi Games deliver a social play experience along with the collectible value of a plush toy. It’s really the first collectible plush that promotes face-to-face social interaction," Steve Hart, co-founder of FunHub Creative, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010. 8/19/2009 (Price: $19.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Cross Cribb by MAYNARDS

CrossCribb® is the award winning, exciting strategy game that takes the traditional favorite, cribbage, and multiplies the fun times five. CrossCribb uses conventional cribbage scoring rules as you try to build five high scoring cribbage hands while simultaneously sabotaging your opponents' hands. It's easy to learn, but difficult to master. 8/18/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Bakugan Battle Brawlers: Bakuglow™ Series New Vestroia Starter Pack by SPIN MASTER TOYS

This starter pack includes three Bakugan, three ability cards for playing from the hand and three metal gate cards for play on the field. ( Watch Video) 8/7/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Glitz and Glamor by FIND IT GAMES

Little girls shake the tube and then try to find the objects listed on the tube's top. The Glitz and Glamour game contains objects such as a diary and tiara to make the search appeal to tween girls. Launch date: 2009.

Past videos: ASTRA 2009 ( Watch Video) 8/6/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Bakugan Battle Brawlers: Bakugan TRAP - Pythantus by SPIN MASTER TOYS

This New Vestroia Bakugan pack comes with a Bakugan Trap, an ability card and a metal gate card. The distinctively shaped trap is designed to be used alongside regular Bakugan for strategic and powerful battles. Rules for Bakugan Trap are available online at the Bakugan website. 8/5/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

SphereXYZ Kit by LA1PRODUCTS

This kit is designed for children and adults who wish to build and solve the SphereXYZ. The pieces can be assembled in any way, and once snapped in, the puzzle is ready to be solved, which is done by rotating the hemispheres and moving the scrambled tiles along the canals until each hemisphere hosts the complete collection of one of the tile colors and the two white tiles are positioned at either pole. SphereXYZ takes about 10 minutes to snap together. "It's the first-ever 'build it, solve it' puzzle," Lori Powers, co-founder of LA1Products, told TDmonthly.  Launch date: November 2009. 7/30/2009 (Price: $17.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Tic Attack Toe by PB&J TOY COMPANY, INC.

Tic-Attack-Toe adds a battling twist to the classic game of tic-tac-toe. Kids can challenge friends and family to claim three-in-a-row using numbered X and O cards. Players knock-out their opponent's spot with a higher value card or use their "Wild" card to take any spot. The goal is to be the first to get three-in-a-row five times. As an added bonus, the playing board doubles as a carrying case. "Tic-Attack-Toe takes the simple premise of a game everyone knows and gives it a twist to provide a game that is easy to learn and provides multi-generational fun," Nathan Jones, president of PB&J Toy Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2009.
 7/30/2009 (Price: $7.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Bakubowl Arena by SPIN MASTER TOYS

The Bakubowl Arena from Spin Master brings together kids and their Bakugan Battle Brawlers together for a fast-paced game. Stored in stations behind the Bakuramps around the edges of the circular arena, Bakugan wait to be launched into battle by the ramps where they will strive to win against their opponents' team. The arena accommodates up to four players.
— “Bakugan Battle Brawlers is flying off the shelves,” Katherine L. King, manager of Giggles Toys & More in Bozeman, Mont., told TDmonthly about her best-selling gifts for boys in June 2009. ( Watch Video) 7/21/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Da Vinci MACHINE™ by GENIO TOYS LLC

Inspired by the legendary genius Da Vinci, the product is a Code Machine that stretches players' imaginative and logical mind. It is a beautiful fusion of a Word game and a Logic game. Its interactive game-play makes it a great piece for friends and family pastimes. The difficulty levels are controlled by players so it is also a nice adult-child educational toy. ( Watch Video) 7/21/2009 (Price: $14.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Shut-the-Box by MELISSA & DOUG

Young children will enjoy this as a counting game, while two to four older players will enjoy it for the strategy. Our heirloom quality version of this classic seafaring game has a latching wooden box that features a transparent, shatterproof top and flipping wooden number tiles. It includes two dice, a convenient storage pouch and a detailed instruction booklet. ( Watch Video) 7/15/2009 (Price: $24.99)

Early Learning Center Colors & Shapes by PATCH PRODUCTS INC.

The Early Learning Center Colors & Shapes kit is made to challenge kids in a fun and colorful format. Kids can learn to identify shapes and colors by completing tasks, to sort using more than one attribute, to recognize shapes and colors of objects in their environment, and to develop grouping and classifying skills through game play. "Children especially love the color and shape bingo, combining shapes and colors and the picture search activity mats," Jessica Wineke, PR coordinator for Patch Products, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009. 6/29/2009 (Price: $30.00)

I Cherish Planet Earth by CHALLENGE & FUN INC.

Parents and children can enjoy this classic memory game together while learning new ways to be an earth-friendly inhabitant of Mother Earth. I Cherish Planet Earth is all about appreciating and preserving nature and our planet. It is a celebration of Earth's life and beauty and a call to be active in creating a sustainable future for all. It includes a 32-page, full-color story book, 48 game pieces, and a cotton storage pouch. The game is made in the USA with recycled paper and vegetable inks. Launch date: 2009.

— “I Cherish Planet Earth” earned praise from Slee of Paisley and Pretties for presenting its eco-friendly message in an affirmative way as opposed to the scar-tactics used by other environmental products. Of the messages in the book and game, not only do they help children to internalize a deeper sense of connectedness to the planet, but they also encourage meaningful thought and positive ecological action.
— Jeralee of Babes and Kids Review found the product to be even greener than advertised because it includes not only a memory game, but suggestions for several other games that can be played with the kit. Her daughters eagerly embraced these alternate games, even more so than the basic memory game. Jeralee also loved the watercolor illustrations, although their complexity and muted colors made the matching game difficult for her young daughter. 6/29/2009 (Price: $16.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

What's in Your Book! by SI MANUFACTURING

Designed to engage engage students in purposeful talk about books, What's in Your Book! lets students explore story elements (character, setting, plot, solution) and challenges them to demonstrate their understanding by making connections and asking questions. It can be played by two players or teams. Launch date: 2009. 6/29/2009 (Price: $26.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Professor Noggin's History of Art by OUTSET MEDIA

Kids can learn to appreciate the highest achievements of civilization in painting, sculpture and architecture. This product is designed to cover the world of art across time and culture, introducing children to basic terminology and famous artists. The Professor Noggin series has won more than 12 awards. Launch date: July 30, 2009. ( Watch Video) 6/29/2009 (Price: $9.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Hookum by 5MISSISSIPPI

The goal of this patent-pending, fast-paced game is for players to swing their ring onto their hook. One to four competitors frantically try to out-duel one another while tuning out the screams to focus on the perfect release. "Hookum is the first collapsible, multi-player Bimini Ring game," Joe Parrish, chief creative officer of 5mississippi, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2009. Watch Hookum: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010 ( Watch Video) 6/29/2009 (Price: $39.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Silly Socks by PRESSMAN TOY CORP.

Ever wash a pair of socks and end up with one lone sock and wonder where all those lost socks go? Silly Socksplays on this question while teaching young children skills such as turn-taking, matching and counting. Each player receives three different silly socks to start the game. Players take turns picking an item from the washing machine. If it’s a sock that matches one of the socks the player is holding, the player places the pair in the laundry basket. But, if a player pulls out a pair of pants, he or she will lose one turn until they can try for silly socks again. The first player to collect three matching pairs wins. Launch date: August 2009. ( Watch Video) 6/26/2009 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Double Ladderball by MARANDA ENTERPRISES LLC.

Double Ladderball consists of placing each ladder 25 feet apart, and each team consisting of one or more players stands at one ladder and  tosses their colored bolas (either red or blue) at the other ladder. Bolas that hang onto any of the crossbars scores points for the tosser. Top bar is 3 points, middle bar is 2 points, and the bottom bar is worth 1 point. 6/17/2009 (Price: $29.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Metal Ladderball by MARANDA ENTERPRISES LLC.

Metal Ladderball is exactly like Ladderball, but built tough for durability against wear and tear. Similar to the rules of Double Ladderball, Metal Ladderball consists of placing each ladder 25 feet apart, and each team consisting of one or more players stands at one ladder and tosses their colored bolas (either red or blue) at the other ladder. 6/17/2009 (Price: $59.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

2-Player Perpetual Commotion® by GOLDBRICK GAMES

2-Player Perpetual Commotion is the original Perpetual Commotion specially designed for two-player speed and excitement. Play as many cards as you can into a center Arena to earn points. Gain extra points by being the first to empty your Feeders pile—but watch out! A single roll of the eight-sided die can change your score. ( Watch Video) 6/17/2009 (Price: $8.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Can You See What I See? Finders Keepers Game by GAMEWRIGHT

For 2 to 6 players, this hide-and-seek game challenges players to find featured objects (revealed from a Find Me tile) within their set of Keep Me cards. The featured object may be hidden in the card so players have to have a sharp eye. First player to collect all matching cards win. Game includes 40 Find Me tiles, 60 Keep Me cards and instructions. 6/16/2009 (Price: $14.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Ring-O Flamingo™ by GAMEWRIGHT

This Fling-a-Ring game involves flinging lifesaver rings at flamingoes to save them from being eaten by alligators. The player with the highest score wins. Though time is of the essence, accuracy means much more than speed. Game includes 7 flamingoes, 48 lifesavers, 4 lifeboats, 2 alligators, game board and instructions. 6/16/2009 (Price: $25.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Perpetual Commotion® Expansion Pack: Black & White Edition by GOLDBRICK GAMES

One of two Perpetual Commotion Expansion Packs, this set allows players of Perptetual Commotion to make room for four more players. If players thought Perpetual Commotion was total chaos with six players, they'll need to brace themselves to now be able to include up to 10. Not for use with 2-Player Perpetual Commotion. 6/12/2009 (Price: $7.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]