Because trouble comes in all sizes.
At the 2013 NY Toy Fair, I had the opportunity to visit Innovation First International’s booth. I was treated to seeing the latest HEXBUG micro robot toys including the award winning HEXBUG Warriors Battling Robots Battle Station. Yet what really caught my attention was TAGAMOTO, a new series of interactive toy cars that respond to interchangeable codes placed on racetracks.
Thinkfun has a well deserved reputation for developing addictively fun games that build reasoning and creative thinking skills. I’ve had the opportunity to review several of their games over the years including Zingo: Sight Words, Roll & Play, Snack Attack! and Chocolate Fix. This year at the 2013 New York Toy Fair, I was introduced to ThinkFun’s latest game for toddlers called Hello Sunshine!
We spent countless hours this year at the 2013 New York Toy Fair walking from aisle to aisle scrutinizing hundreds of the latest and greatest toys. From the toy manufacturing giants such as Mattel to the tiniest independent toy makers, we focused in on the best combinations of innovation and fun. The following list represents what we feel to be the best of show at the 2013 New York Toy Fair.
In the past 3 years of attending the New York Toy Fair, I’ve found the experience to be informative about the industry’s direction. Without question, the integration of technology has become pervasive in almost every toy category. Yet there’s also been a considerable amount of stagnation in respect to big ideas. Instead, innovation seems to occur not from the larger well established companies but rather the small independent upstarts who have the hunger and flexibility to take huge risks.
Despite cold rain, slush, and an overcrowded Metro North commute into Manhattan, we gladly made our way to the Jacob Javits Center to attend a Disney Pixar “Monsters University” Press event at the 2013 NY Toy Fair. Although one of the featured attendees, Billy Crystal, was absent, John Goodman was on hand to discuss reprising his role of Sully. We also received a firsthand look at the latest “Monsters University” toy lineup to be released in conjunction with the movie.