Because trouble comes in all sizes.
Let’s just put it out there. We love Star Wars and can’t wait to see the new sequel, The Force Awakens, next month on opening day. But watching a video of Harrison Ford surprising a series of unsuspecting Star Wars fans who’ve donated to the previous Star Wars/Omaze charity campaign really delights and inspires.
If you take a hard look at the toy industry in 2015, there’s an abundance of battery powered gizmos. Without question a lot of these technological wonders can provide fun experiences for kids of all ages. Still, given that most of these toys are operated remotely, there’s a tangible level of disconnect between the toys and the human beings operating it — a disheartening reality attributed to the digital era. Thankfully, all is not lost. At a recent Time To Play Magazine toy industry event, I had the good fortune of discovering SkaZooms — an innovative collectable toy line that reignites kid powered gaming fun.
If you’ve been a parent on this planet for the past 5 years you may have noticed the craze in the toy-to-life video games genre. Skylanders has made a huge impact and has prompted competition in the form of Disney Infinity and now the recently released LEGO Dimensions. In what arguably could be characterized as an over saturated market, the need to innovate takes on a heightened sense of urgency. Given that these play sets can be quite costly by design with the myriad of add-ons why can buy including additional characters, vehicles, and levels, the choice becomes more of an investment rather than an impulse purchase. The good folks from Activision and Disney sent CuteMonster starter packs to test out Skylanders Superchargers and Disney Infinity 3.0 respectively. As a longtime gamer now with kids of my own, I couldn’t wait to see who came out on top.
From the moment my youngest entered the world it began. My then two year old son instantly recognized there was a challenger to his throne. Sure his newborn sister was tiny and cute yet in his mind she represented a formidable opponent. “She can’t play with any of my toys!” he exclaimed. And for her part, she didn’t. At least not for a few months anyway.
In recent years the New York Comic Con has been built around hype. What was once the playing field of comic book geeks became a mainstream event. The television and film industry hitched their collective wagons to the Comic Con phenomenon choosing to premiere big budget movie trailers and trotting out movie stars to meet their adoring fans. The media flocked to the events further escalating expectations and prompting ticket sales to Comic Cons, specifically in San Diego and New York City. For true fans, Comic Cons became lost in the excess. Yet despite it all, 2015 will be known as the year Cosplayers took back New York Comic Con.
It’s hard to believe the 2015 Holiday season is fast approaching. Most of us still have sand in our sandals from summertime fun. This week I had the opportunity to attend the 2015 TTPM Holiday Showcase which provides a preview of the latest and greatest toys and gadgets for the upcoming holiday shopping season. If you’re a tech toy aficionado, a treasure trove of delights awaits.
The start of Autumn does not mean the end of play outside. Children of all ages charge the air with palpable excitement. In many respects, Fall represents the best season of the year in the Northeastern part of the United States.
It’s been a busy week for tech toys and gadgets enthusiasts. The new Star Wars movie marketing push has begun in earnest and that includes merchandise and gizmos, namely the Sphero BB-8, beloved new droid in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Also announced were the latest and greatest from tech giant Apple. The timing of these notifications also signals the start of the holiday shopping season. Yes, it’s true, only 16 more weekends until Christmas [insert internal primal scream here].
The build up to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens has already begun. That now includes the tidal wave of movie related toys. Today marks “Force Friday”,an ingenious marketing ploy which counted down the official release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens toy merchandise on September 4, 2015. Unboxing events were held for the media throughout the country starting on the Thursday September 3rd but for the general public, the true fans, the fun began at midnight September 4th. I’m personally a lifelong fan of Star Wars so when a buddy of mine from the 501st legion tipped me off to a special local event at a Toys R Us in White Plains NY, I couldn’t resist.