Editorial Review

The Pixter is like a personal digital assistant (PDA) for kids. But instead of storing boring appointments and phone numbers, they get to draw, do puzzles, and learn a little, too. The Pixter is about the size of a small book, and has a pretty solid weight to it. It's made out of brightly colored and durable plastic. The main action of this toy is drawing with an attached stylus. The Color Pixter offers much better graphics then the black and white version, which comes in handy with activities like Paint-by-Numbers and Connect-the-Dots. You can draw a picture free form, or you can use one of the starter backgrounds. There are tool buttons, like on a PDA, that give you access to fun stamps, special effects, and the eraser button. You can also save your creation in the Pixter's memory. There are some boppy tunes playing along with all this creative activity, but luckily for parents, there's also a jack for headphones and a volume adjuster. An expansion slot on top of the Pixter accepts ROM-based expansion cards that contain additional software and games. Requires 4 "AA" batteries. (Not included.) --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Kids really love this toy
My daughter was 3 1/2 when she first played with her 10 year old sister's B&W Pixter, and she loved it. So I got her the color Pixter, and she plays with it every day, especially in the car. There are educational games available for it, as well as entertainment games. It also plays all the older black and white games for the older versions of Pixter.

Disappointed
We bought this for our 4 year old because he's not quite old enough for Game Boy. We have already had to return it twice due to it malfunctioning within a short period of time. The first one, the stylus didn't work and the second one the stylus worked on only half the screen after a couple of weeks. For as much money as we spent, I had great expectations. The kids, 4-9 years, enjoyed it while it worked, it just didn't hold up very long. I'd spend my money else where.

Take Care
My kids love this toy!! But do be careful because it is needs to be well taken care of. I would not reccommend this to any child who just throws things down where they may.

worth every penny
My 4 year old is one of those kids who can't play with anything for more than 5 minutes, except the Pixter. It is the best toy I've ever bought for her, and we've tried everything (thanks to used toys and bargains...). I bought her the Pixter recently because I was pregnant and too tired to keep her busy. It is well designed, challenging but not frustrating, is adaptable to her growth and needs, etc.

Pixter Easily Broken
I got my daughter the Pixter Color. Her little sister dropped it on my oak floor a few hours after we opened up the box. Now only half the screen works. I know it was dropped, but kids drop stuff. There must be a way to make these things more breakage-resistant. Spending 80 dollars on a toy that worked just one afternoon is bad enough. Listening to my daughter sob all evening was worse. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Pixter is like a personal digital assistant (PDA) for kids. But instead of storing boring appointments and phone numbers, they get to draw, do puzzles, and learn a little, too. The Pixter is about the size of a small book, and has a pretty solid weight to it. It's made out of brightly colored and durable plastic. The main action of this toy is drawing with an attached stylus. The Color Pixter offers much better graphics then the black and white version, which comes in handy with activities like Paint-by-Numbers and Connect-the-Dots. You can draw a picture free form, or you can use one of the starter backgrounds. There are tool buttons, like on a PDA, that give you access to fun stamps, special effects, and the eraser button. You can also save your creation in the Pixter's memory. There are some boppy tunes playing along with all this creative activity, but luckily for parents, there's also a jack for headphones and a volume adjuster. An expansion slot on top of the Pixter accepts ROM-based expansion cards that contain additional software and games. Requires 4 "AA" batteries. (Not included.) --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Has entertained my child for 3 years!
We first bought our pixter in 2001 while taking our 4 year old on a three week trip to Europe. It entertained her the ENTIRE time. We even had people coming up to us to take pictures of her playing it because she was so quiet for such a young child! Of course, the next year, we upgraded to the 2.0 version (giving her old one to her cousin). She still plays with it constantly. We have a large variety of software (which I buy on sale every so often) that she keeps attached to the carrying case (I do recommend, it keeps everything in one place and is handy to carry everywhere) in a small mess bag I had. She plays it with or without the sound depending on where we are. I asked her if she wanted a gameboy or a pixter 2.0 in color for Christmas and she immediately said Pixter! It's much more imaginative and allows her to be creative. It also is great for us to play games while trying to pass time like when we are waiting at a doctor's office. We can draw, play tic-tac-toe, bingo, etc... and she doesn't make a fuss. She loves it so much, that she shows every kid she sees how it works and lets them play. It does wear the more she plays, but what doesn't? Her current one has lasted for over two years with almost daily use. All ours have lasted through tons of train, plane and automobile rides, many of them over 10 hours in length. I would definitely buy it for the 3-7 year range. I'm sure the older children may not get as much entertainment out of it as they would other systems. We'll be buying her the color version for Christmas this year!

Pixter-Color
Great toy better that the monochrome version. However, it lacks durability. My 5 year old son got one as a christmas present in 03'. We have had to exchanged it 3 times in 8 months. The primary problem been accuracy of the touch pad. Even after recaliburation the accuracy slightly improves if at all. There is no place for light as in the previous version. My son loves it when it works but gets very frustrated when it doesn't.

Broken on the second day....
We used to own the pixter but it quit working after just a few months (I was disappointed but assumed that it was just my child's overuse/rough handling) so we thought we would upgrade to the color pixter as they had since been released. We should have learned from our mistakes about the durability of this product. My daughter had it out of the box for not even 24 hours, it slipped out of her hands onto the floor, and the screen cracked and the product no longer works. This drop was only 12 inches to the floor. This is quite an expensive toy to not be able to withstand more. My children own gameboys and have dropped them numerous times and even left them in the car on a hot day, and they still work. In fact, my friend's child left his out in the rain and after drying it out, it continued to work! I am truly disappointed with the inability of the Pixter to stand up to a child's environment. I would think twice before buying this toy.

Not a satisfied customer!!!
I purchased a Color Pixter for my neice's 5th Birthday. She already owns and loves her Leapster so I figured she'd really enjoy the Pixter.Before I gave it to her I myself tried it out and honestly thought it was kind of neat but a bit limited. I know the Leapster talks to you and the Pixter doesn't. For over $80 this thing should talk. Anyway, I give it to her and she literally had it out of the box for 5 minutes and I look over and the screen has been scratched beyond belief!! I know for a fact she used nothing but the stylus on the screen. Obviously she pressed too hard which they do warn you about in the owner's manual but lets be reasonable! She did exactly what she usually does to the Leapster and the Pixter can't withstand anything but a very gentle touch which is not what you're going to get from 4 and 5 yr olds. This is not the quality that I expected. She's not a destructive child with her toys. She's had the Leapster since Christmas, has no problems with it and loves it. I had read the reviews that these Pixters don't seem to hold up very well but for heavens sake...I paid well over $100 for this thing along with another software cartridge to use with it and it's in her posession for literally 5 minutes and this is how it holds up?? Fischer Price states that this toy is for ages 4 or 5 and up but take heed!! Unless you're buying this unit for a child who's older, I would not recommend it. In fact, I don't recommend buying it at all. I do highly recomment buying a Leapster and then buying the "Draw and Learn" software cartridge for about $25. It's very nice, and the Leapster is extremely durable. If I'd known they even made such a cartridge for the Leapster, I wouldn't have even bought the Color Pixter in the first place. Anyway, I returned the merchandise and recieved a full refund so no harm done but just a warning to all. When they say the screens will scratch, they're not kidding and it doesn't take much to scratch them. The Leapsters the way to go....hands down.

A nother *GREAT* toy,
Hey ya people. I bought one of these things and I say it is the best toy ever! O.K. here is the detales about this toy: 1:There is tons of other feachers on this than the first one. So don't go out and buy the older one. (It will bored to death!) 2: It is color. (duh,I don't know why I put that.) And the old one is, well, black and white. Witch can sometimes stran your eyes. 3: There is better games included with the color. For instince, pick a seane and draw and put stamps and stuff. create words and put them as stamps. (witch is cool.) color the number. Draw by yourself. And conect the dots. wonce you conect the dots a mini show like-thingie will have to do some thing about the picture. 4: Now this is about the batteries. Well, I played it A LOT and I repeat A LOT and STILL HAVEN'T HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERIES! And to tell you it takes four of those batteries. 5: Here is a kind of cool feature. It tures off when you don't play with it after a while. 6: It can take both black and white softwere and color softwere. So make sure you have the adapter. And wene you want a color softwere make shure you pick up a color one beacause I picked up a black and white one on accident. That's all about the stuff about it! About the learning,well what I think is educational is if you don't have paper at home you can use it whoa, I was talking about education, It teaches you to be a good artest. Durability, you know you wouldn't want to damage a PDA for kids. I don't know what will happen but DON'T TRY IT! It also makes a prefect gift for Chistmas! So go out and buy it! You will be satisfied and so will your kids. Oh goodie! I got more things about this toy! You can save one, I repeat ONE piture or something you can save in a file. Which is a drag beacause you want to save more than ONE. And I tried to set the volum because it was noisey and it got scrachey. Eventually, it didn't scratch no more. And if you look on the bottom, you can put headphones. Which to me is nice. And once you get your pixter color, just follow the dierections you ain't going to be confusied. There are SIMPLE! Later dudes and evreybody else! P.S. Hope this review helped you! A LOT! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Pixter is like a personal digital assistant (PDA) for kids. But instead of storing boring appointments and phone numbers, they get to draw, do puzzles, and learn a little, too. The Pixter is about the size of a small book, and has a pretty solid weight to it. It's made out of brightly colored and durable plastic. The main action of this toy is drawing with an attached stylus. The Color Pixter offers much better graphics then the black and white version, which comes in handy with activities like Paint-by-Numbers and Connect-the-Dots. You can draw a picture free form, or you can use one of the starter backgrounds. There are tool buttons, like on a PDA, that give you access to fun stamps, special effects, and the eraser button. You can also save your creation in the Pixter's memory. There are some boppy tunes playing along with all this creative activity, but luckily for parents, there's also a jack for headphones and a volume adjuster. An expansion slot on top of the Pixter accepts ROM-based expansion cards that contain additional software and games. Requires 4 "AA" batteries. (Not included.) --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (9)

We LOVE It !!!!
My 2 year old was given the Pixter from her aunt right before we moved out of state,We love it!Shes 2 and can find her way around websites better than most 20 year olds but I thought this might be a little harder,well I was wrong,she taught me how to use and shes 2! I recommend this for all toddlers b/c they will want to learn how to use it and when they do its worth it when they come to you with a big smile and show you what they did!!!!

The best everything toy
My son recieved this for christmas and he has not put it down since. He is 3 years old and just loves everything about it. He counts and recognizes numbers and just loves it. I highly recommend this toy for children. We haven't left the house without it since we got it.

Great Toy
I bought the Color Pixter for my 6 year old at Christmas and she loves it. I am glad I paid the extra and got color. My only complaint is the lack of additional software. I talked to Mattel/Fisher Price and was told that they sold so much of these products at Christmas they are behind in getting the stores stocked with the software (I was afraid they had quit making them). We did get one of the black & white software cartridges and it wasn't worth the time or money, I'll hold out for the color. Hard to tell how educational without additional software. As for durability, so far so good. Great entertainment!

Great toy!
I purchased the Pixter Color for my daughter. She just loves it! The color cartidges are hard to find. I was able to purchase the Dinodraw, Barbie & SpongeBob for Christmas. They are typically sold out so you have to keep checking. Fisher Price does make a carrying case for the pixter color and all of your cartidges. It is a MUST HAVE because this is an expensive toy but a wonderful one. The case keeps the pixter and the cartidges safe and clean. (I bought it [online]) My daughter brought her pixter on a long car trip and really enjoyed it. She also brings it to her brother's wrestling tournaments which can be very long and boring for a little girl. It is a great toy. I will purchase additional color cartidges when available! Enjoy!!

The favorite toy under the tree!
I bought this for my 4 year daughter for Christmas this year. She is really into coloring and drawing, so this appeared to be the perfect gift for her.

This is definitely for the 'under 8' crowd. As a matter of fact my FOUR YEAR OLD has mastered this in two days! When I say mastered, I'm referring to the ability to use Pixter unsupervised. She will ask questions here and there, but it surely didn't take long for her to figure out what each of the icons do. So I will even go further and say that I can see the 4-6 age group reaping the most benefits from this without getting bored.

There was mention in a previous review about no "undo" feature....it DOES have this feature, but you may only undo once. Still, it has the feature so you may 'erase' what you just did without erasing the entire picture.

For each of my nieces I purchased the Pixter 2.0 for Christmas, the black and white Pixter. I must say that I'm glad I spent the extra money and purchased the color version for my daughter. The pixels appear to be greater which makes the quality of the pictures so much better. The color choices when coloring is probably the best feature. My daughter likes the built in coloring-by-number feature the best. She also love the ability to use all the built in stamps to add to her pictures. To me it's like a elementary computer Paint program....

Now...educational? Not necessarily, but it has potential depending on the cartridges you buy. For example, I purchased the Barbie Color, the Spongebob Color, and on clearance I bought a b&w "learning fun" cartridge. The Barbie and Spongebob are games, plain and simple. My daughter enjoys them, especially the Barbie one, but aside from a matching game I don't see these as educational. The 'learning fun' cartridge lets your child practice writing upper and lower case letters and numbers. There is more to this cartridge, but we haven't delved into the entire cartridge yet as it IS in black and white and doesn't hold my daughter's interest as well. Based on this cartridge I WILL be buying the new COLOR Smart Start cartridge, which appears to be an updated version of this b&w one.

I realize that since this product is fairly new that the accessories are probably still in the works, but I would love to see a carrying case for the Color Pixter. I am hesitant to allow my daughter to carry this around outside of the house for fear of dropping it. At $80 it's a chance I don't want to take. I also would love to see a bigger selection in software....dinosaurs and Rescue Heroes holds no appeal to my daughter and that leaves a VERY limited selection for girls in my opinion.

All in all, if your child is a budding artist this is a great tool for them and it will hold their attention. I have to be honest in saying that my daughter's number one request for Christmas was "go go my walking pup" and didn't even know what Pixter was......Go-Go is sitting still under the tree all alone and Pixter Color is the favorite. It's the toy she picked to take to her cousin's house...(she gets to pick ONE toy to take)

I'm glad I purchased this and I would do it again...... ... Read more

Editorial Review

Ever wish you could see into the future? If you answered"without a doubt" or "signs point to yes," you are in luck. It is easyto get a sneak preview into the future with Mattel's Magic 8 Ball. Takeall the guesswork out of finding the answers to life's more perplexingquestions. Yes, this is the same Magic 8 Ball you remember from thepast, and it is just as reliable as ever. If you don't get the resultsyou are after, you can always "ask again later!" --Alison Golder ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A toy that uses the imagination
The Magic 8 Ball is a great toy for kids who have a good imagination. Sometimes when I'd see one of them in a store when I was a kid, I'd pick it up for a minute and asks questions and shake it up to see what it would say. Now my little sister got one and plays with it all the time. She'll ask something like "Is it going to rain today?" or "Is my brother stupid?" and then she'll shake it up and laugh at the answers that come up. All you do is ask a question out loud or in your mind, then shake the Magic 8 Ball and a prism shaped object will float to the top of the water inside it, revealing an answer such as "My guess is no" or "Can't decide, ask me later."

So pretty much, the Magic 8 Ball isn't a game you play or anything like that, it's just something that kids can use their wild imaginations with and actually have a little fun while they're doing it. The Magic 8 Ball doesn't really have much educational value, but it is durable. You don't have to worry about it tearing up after somebody drops it or if it falls on the floor or anything. I recommend the Magic 8 Ball to anyone who has any kids in their family that have good imaginations.

A way better friend than miss cleo! Especially for singles!
I have never seen an oracle more accurate than this toy! I mean I trust this toy with all my intimate questions I would never ask or tell anyone else. For example when I was 12 I would ask if so & so liked me as a friend or more only to find out the accuracy of this ball is 93% true, (for me at least) sometimes I would ask the same question twice if I got an undesired answer, to me, this means a maybe or it could go either way type of thing. But still trust us reviewers on the accuracy. I recommend this ball for personal questions, everyday questions, etc. But as for business which I rarely used it for, I hope your a careful desicion maker. You know, don't gamble your stocks or anything on this ball! If you want, I hear there is a financial 8-ball from the reviewer below.

A great & honest companion recommended for people Age 12 and up!!

The best of the best!
I love magic 8 balls! I can sit for hours asking ridiculous questions! I'm telling you, this is definitely something you want to look into! Also, it's not tiny,like most. 4 inches is huge for an 8 ball!

Withstood the Test of Time!
I loved this toy as a kid back in the 60's and my daughter loves it just as fondly in the new millenium.Great toys never go out of style.Ask questions and find out what's on the mind of someone close to you.Use it as a mediator when you can't all decide what to eat for dinner.Just don't shake it before you ask it!

So Much Fun
Hi, I am 11 years old. My friend has one of these, and he let me try it and i asked some questions on it and they were true! I would say that the magic 8 ball is 90% correct! ... Read more

Editorial Review

If you've seen "The Exorcist" lately, the folks at Parker Brotherswould like to extend a heartfelt "Captain Howdy-Ya-Do?" courtesy of theirnewly luminescent classic Ouija Board equipment. It's the same traditionalsetup as it was decades ago: the alphabet-and-numbers board with "Yes," "No,"and "Good Bye" spelled out in turn-of-the-century mysterious script; theheart-shaped "Message Indicator Oracle" with the readout window; the numerouscoy references to Ouija being "only a game--isn't it?" So if this editionseems to comprise a bit more plastic than we remember, the promise of theboard and indicator glowing in the dark for half-an-hour (after exposure tolamplight for 10 minutes) more than makes up for it. Of course, in the darkyou'll never know for sure whether the person across the board is the onepushing the indicator, now will you? --Tony Mason ... Read more

Reviews (124)

It really works.
This is very real it, and it is NOT a toy. It may seem like fun, but many people who use this thing often eventually get involved in the occult (not everyone, but you run that risk if you use it enough). I would really not recomend using it. Even though it is not a "devil communicator," you are communicating with demons, not spirits. Ouija Board users: If you don't believe me, ask your "spirits", in the name of Jesus Christ, if they're demons. Don't doubt me until you ask. These boards are very real and very dangerous. Demons are not something to mess around with, and there is only one way to get rid of them.

DANGEROUS
Ouija boards are dangerous if not used with caution! Here are some things you should know before using your Ouija...

1. NO NEGATIVITY! Dont be angry, depressed, or feel or think any negative thoughts when attempting to communicate. This could attract a negative spirit. Keep your thoughts and emotions positive.

2. LIGHTING- Don't dim the lights, use candle light, or at night, or in a thunderstorm, or anything like that to try to set the 'mood'. That will likely just frighten you. Fright is in this case a NEGATIVE feeling. Avoid it as best you can! Use with plenty of light in conditions you feel most comfortable in.

There are three types of spirits. The Good, the Mischevious, and the Bad. The Good are friendly. The mischevious may lie, or play around, perhaps in ways that may frighten you. The Bad are the dangerous ones.

3. If at any time while using the Ouija board you suddently become very afraid or cold, discontinue use immediately! These are signs of a negative spirit.

4. Treat spirits with respect! Be kind, polite and considerate. Most spirits find it rude to dig too deeply into their death. It may be wise to ask permission.

5. When talking to them, remember that spirits were once living people too. They have personalities, interests, friends, and opinions too.

6. ALWAYS say good-bye before you leave! After saying good-bye, let the spirit move the planchette (the pointer) over to the Goodbye also.

7. Dont go CRAZY. Watch for signs of obsession. If you notice that your becoming obsessed with the Ouija, don't use your Ouija for awhile. Take a break for a few weeks. The reason being, you run the risk of going insane. No joke. Susy Smith in "Confessions of a Psychic" (1971) claims that using a Ouija board caused her to become mentally disturbed. In "Thirty Years Among the Dead" (1924), American psychiatrist Dr. Carl Wickland claims that using the Ouija board "resulted in such wild insanity that commitment to asylums was necessitated." I started to experience some wild mood swings and unstability after constant use in a very short span of time.

8. I believe that houses can become haunted through the use of using the Ouija. If you dont want to run the risk of that, just dont use it in ur house! Use it in some other building where there will be litle destractions and you can concentrate.

THIS IS AWESOME!
My cousin and I just got this game and we opened it up only to find......
That it was spooky, creepy, and fun all at the same time! We talked to a spirit that was pretty smart. I asked it what my name was and it spelled out my name! We asked it what its name was and it replied "DVD Player". This was a little odd considering that I thought that my cousin was moving the seer, and she thought that I was moving the seer. After the responses turned out clear, we thought about the "most likely reason", and turned to each other. It ended up that something was dragging both of our fingers. This game is so neat and if you are just sitting here reading this review than you need to take action and buy this great one of a kind game! I hope that this helped. Have a great day. :)

Fun,Creepy Definitley Not For The Faint Of Heart
The ouija board is great and is not for people who get scared really easy. and the people who say it is the devils tool or a devil communitcator dont (...) listen to them because they are just to religious and probably christian.

Extremely Creepy!
If you get scared easily than DO NOT get this game. I only used this game for less than a week because I was so creeped out by it. I haven't touched it since. I cringe every time I hear its name. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Why chase bugs when you can cook up your own? Budding (orshould that be bugging?) entomologists will enjoy creating their ownleggy marvels in the special bug oven--actually a heater tray that'spowered by a light bulb. Two tubes of "Plasti-goop" and one of "GoopFX" (for detailing) are included. You need to buy one 60-watt smallbase candelabra bulb. The two included metal molding trays enable youto make eight different bugs, each 1 to 2 inches long. Adultinstallation and supervision required. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Great toy Hard to find refills
I bought one of these for my sons bithday from a local Toys R Us store and we love it. we found that the bugs will stick to windows and mirrors well if left just a little tacky.

The problem of finding GoopFX is driving me crazy. I can't find the GoopFX anywere so I called the manufacture who says they have plenty of it but the stores aren't stocking it along with new molds and they don't have an online store to sell it. The manufacture is supposed to do some research for a supplier but I have yet to hear back from them.

Good looking bugs can still be made with the regular goop but detailing them takes some practice. All in all a realy cool toy as long as they keep the goop coming.

Not a good toy for impatient children
My 5 year old daughter received this toy from a friend for Christmas last year. She thought it was the coolest toy. When we brought the toy home and opened it...there was no bulb, and nowhere open on Christmas to buy one. When we were finally able to get a bulb for the toy the next day, much to her disappointment, it takes approximately 10-12 minutes to "cook" the bugs and another 12-15 minutes for the machine to cool down so the door can be opened (safety feature). She was not very happy with having to wait almost a half an hour for one spider to be made. Needless to say, she dosen't play with that toy much now.

The making of bugs
My 8 year old loves having creepy bugs to play with and once we lessened the cooking time (after talking with the products customer service department, which was very helpful) we got the bugs to look very colorful. However, it is very difficult for him to squeeze the bottles by himself - smaller holes help with making better details, which he also has trouble doing - so I tend to do all the work, with his input. We are also dispointed that the FX Goop that is thicker and supposed to be used for filling in the legs and all the detailing like lines, spots, eyes, etc. does not come in many colors (we got pink, yes - PINK! Not a favorite of boys!). It also can not be purchased seperately like the Plastic Goop, the only way to get more FX Goop is to purchase the bug machine or the mold packs - each which only include one small tube.

Great toy; HOWEVER...no goop refills
We bought this for Christmas and the kids love it. It isn't too messy... the oven is safe in terms of hotness... the bugs are cute; HOWEVER, no one (no one) has the goop refills... so once you're out of goop you're out of luck. I am very unhappy about useless nature of the toy after the minimal goop supplied runs out. Amazon/Toys R Us sold the goop 10 pk before christmas... but no longer. The links they gave me to look for the refills turned up nothing and neither did my own searches.

Even fun for big kids!
I just got this toy to do as a project with kids in the daycare center that I work at, and decided that i had better do a bug or two to test it out. Well, a few hours and 5 bugs later, I found myself on Amazon.com ordering the 10 pack refill of plastigoop and another set of molds. I can't wait to show them to my kids on Monday, they are going to be so excited, maybe even as excited as I am. Working with children is a great excuse to get to play with all of the toys that you never had, but always wanted when you were a kid. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

a review for dragoon g
This toy is very fun and outstanding also it is educational basicly to do with science this toy is durable cause of its extreme speed and becuse of its amazing technology.

A great beyblade you must buy it
Driger G is an amazing blade I haven't lost a batle yet with it engine gear is increadible I has about to lose when the engine made it knock down the oppounants blade.

Nice
I got this this blade 2 days ago and god it rules it beat my biggest blade in just 2 sec. If you want a good blade get this one.

very good
this dragoon g beyblade needs a little work (thats what the four star durability was for the eg need to accelerate faster and the the cluth need more weight to pull it out to activate the eg but still its a very good bey

engine gear is awesome
i dont have this blade yet but i have researched it.the base is a first clucth base which means that the engine gear will kick in as soon as its launched,its great for those one hit kills.its gonna be awesome and i cant wait for more to come out.these are faster and more powerful than any other blade except for maybe vortex ape and the later gt blades. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Lite Brite offers a whole new dimension to creative play with the latest rendition: the Lite Brite Cube. While the space to create on is a bit smaller, artists now have four pegged panels into which they can poke colors. The cube requires adult assembly, but once that’s done, it’s just like you remember. Choose a design sheet from the eight included--or go freeform with solid black paper--and start plugging colored pegs into their respective spots. Over 500 pegs are included in a rainbow of colors, and the cube has two drawers to store them in. (These drawers fall out quite easily and can cause a mess of spilled pegs, so be careful when transporting.) New to the peg world are Power Pegs--up to four of the same colored peg molded together for quicker completion. The Lite Brite Cube has a blue plastic handle at the top so artwork can be carried around (and shown off) easily. --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Reviews (57)

No Refills Available
The lite brite cube is great, but refills are impossible to find. I tried ordering them directly from Hasbro and have been told I will be receiving a refund check because they are out of stock. They said to try Wal-mart and Toys'R Us, but as we know, they don't have them either. Very disappointing!

Lite Brite
My daughter loves this toy. She is now 4 years old. I would not recommend it for small children because the lights are small. Sometimes they are hard for my daughter to handle. It comes with many different templates to make all sorts of things, all you have to do is punch the lights through the black template. However, this toy is different than the ones we remember because the lights do not stay in well if used without the templates (making your own design). Also if you use it this way, it is not as easily seen since the background is white.

No Refills Anywhere!
I would recommend that anyone looking for a lite bright buy a used one on e-bay. They are great, but refills are no longer available in stores or from Hasbro. Once you have used up what it comes w/, you have no additional refills available for purchase EXCEPT on e-bay where they are going for $12.95 + shipping.

Therefore, do to the lack of refills, the life of the toy (in my daughter's eyes) is short & not worth buying new for $20 some dollars!

FIND REFILLS HERE!
Liked the toy, but like many others, disliked the fact that I couldn't find picture refills. After hours of searching online(and finding that you have to print out a hard copy of an order form and mail it in with a check to hasbro to get refills directly from the company) I found an online store that has refills. www.zooscape.com has picture and peg refills for the lite brite cube. Mine arrived in good time and great condition.

refill solution
I found out how to get refills for this toy.

Go to Hasbro.com, then click on customer service, then replacement parts. Find Lite Brite Cube, Print out order form and mail!! Cost $7.00 ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Etch-a-Sketch rules the playtime battlefield!!!!
So there I was cleaning out my parent's basement, and I found my old Etch-A-Sketch. To my dismay, the thing was still 100% operational. It took me back quite some years. I then decided to go and purchase one of the newer models. They make them the same way they did back in the early 80's. My point is that this would make a great gift for any child who has an imagination. With this tool the inner child never dies! Moms, this is a must have for any collection. You know I'm talking about the toy box. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

fun stuff
i'll start by saying that i am a very dedicated martial artist, as well as a boxer. my friends and i were looking for something to do the other day, and we got to thinking it might be fun if we had something that we could have scheduled on a regular basis, so we'd always have something to do. we decided that we would start a kind of fight club, with scheduled fights about three times a week. there were three categories. "hulk gloves" boxing gloves, and finally, sockem boppers. i was surprised to see that now after we have several members, the most popular category is the sockem boppers. so popular in fact that we had to put a limit on how many can be in it on one night. the toy rarely breaks, and if it does, it is either easily patched, or even inexpensive to replace. it is a good, safe, fun way to expend extra energy, and at sixteen, that is something i have a lot of.

This toy is awesome for everyone!
Im 13 and I still love Sock'em Bopers. They are the funnest toys in the world.

Sock Em Boppers
these toys are so much fun, and the injuries are very minor. i have a sock'em boppers tourey with my friends and we have only suffered 4 concussions from the fights in almost 5 weeks. the best part is when they pop and instead of punching them with an air filled fist, you actually hit them very hard. the next best part is when the seams break open and start hissing out air every time a blow is dealt. along with the minor injuries come broken noses, open head wounds, and even fractured ribs. so far, there has been 18 people who have gotten the wind knocked out of them. although these injuries sound severe, they are all worth it when you beat the crap out of your best friends, and they wake up a week later with no memory of it. i love them.

horrible
this is horrible i bought 1 for my daughter (5 years old)
and it brock her friends jaw!!!! it also bopped on the 3rd day....DONT BUY THIS TOY!!!!

5 STARS all the way
These toys are awsome!! The best thing about these toys is that you can hit ur friend as hard as u want and the worst that happens is they get a few broken ribs, or a major concusion. But there are those times when there about to hit u but before they hit they pop and they acually hit u unbeliveably hard in the face, but no worries, most of those times u wake up in a hospital with no memory of it. But other than than these toys are awsom, i'm almost 3 and these toys rock. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Howdy Doody Show was a phenomenal success. After its1947 crossover from radio to television, lines to see the show weretremendous, as fans were eager to watch the antics of the spunky,freckle-faced marionette and his cohorts. Goldberger's Howdy Doodyventriloquist doll is a playful reminder of those days. He's the mirrorimage of Buffalo Bob's pal, with everything but the strings. He hasfiery hair, great big ears, wide blue eyes, and a liberal peppering offreckles. Howdy sports a dark blue neckerchief, sunny yellow armbandsover a red plaid shirt, and red-and-white plastic cowboy boots. He's a30-inch, lightweight stuffed fellow with a vinyl head and hands. Thestring pull hidden on his back gets his jaw a-flappin'. The doll'saction is a bit stiff--it takes some expert positioning to keep Howdy'shead from following the motion of the string--but after a littlepractice it gets better. Included in the case is a set of simple,encouraging (and quaintly illustrated) black-and-white instructions forthe beginning ventriloquist. You'll want to practice in front of amirror before you lasso your own admiring fans. It's Howdy Doody time!--Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cool and fun
I looked all over for my son and daughter for venntriloquist dolls. These provided hours of amusement and play... ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Like Driger and Dranzer, but shoots left spin beyblades
Let's see, where do I start? First of all,these electronic launchers are not as good as everyone expects it to be. I know this because there is a heavy flywheel inside the launcher that measures the rip level of the launch, and works the launcher. This heavy flywheel slows down the launch, and take off about probaly 30 to 50 seconds off the actual spin-time. The heavy flywheel is also hard for little children with use of the launcher.But the other features are good, like the games and stuff on it, along with bit-chip scanning,and the up-side to it, is that you'll get an extra long ripcord, which is what everyone wants in the beyblading world.But the downside to the ripcord is that it breaks easily, but coat it with a layer of plastic cement, and keep it warm, and you'll be A-okay. This is also the same with the electronic Driger and Dranzer launchers, but with one exception, it shoots left-spin beyblades, which I think, the only type of beyblade that spins left is Dragoon. I suggest getting a spring support launcher, NOT THE GRAY ONE!!! Get either the red one, or blue one,which has a metal frame that is good for a stable launch. But these are only grips for the launchers that come with the Beyblades, so you'll need a launcher already, also, they fit right and left launchers, and don't need batteries at all.Plus, one more thing, the spring support, does not, I repeat, does not speed up the pull of the ripcord at all, it just straightens the ripcord as it is being pulled out, so it wouldn't damage the launcher. So don't dissapoint yourself, or your children. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the heavy flywheel is good for training and strenghtening your arm. Let it rip...Space cowboy (lol) ...

this product is too not educational it is out of my style
never buy this pruduct unlese you want to not learn anything. you will strugle with learning if you buy this . it teaches kids about guns which is a bad role modle and if they use this they will become kids who like guns

Parents beware
Don't waste your money on this. It is an overpriced, accessory to a glorified spinning top.
The beyblade itself is quite entertaining for the kids and reasonably priced.
This is just unnecessary and expensive. I wouldn't have paid more than $... for it - and I didn't because it was a gift.

Save your money - or get them something worth $...- check out the building or educational toys instead

A GREAT LAUNCHER FOR ANYONE!!!
Hey everyone if you are looking for one of the best (American) launcher get this!!!This has got to be one of the best launchers made.I used this with my Dragoon GT(Japanese only) & it destroys any blade in my way.My ripping score is 9,999.With this I rule.I am master of the Dragoons!!FEAR ME!!I will take on any opponent & win.My blade & I can crush any opponent.I broke off half of my brother's Dranzer F attack ring.Ounce I made a mistake and sliced my friend's skin off his knee.I like the ripping & tournament mode.Last night when me and my brother were battling in the Thunder Rumbler my Dragoon GT & Dranzer F were battling fiercly.Dranzer shot my Dragoon at on of the walls. Dragoon circled the ring 3 x's shot straight at dranzer who was in the middle of the ring & hit dranzer so hard that it flew out of the ring hit the & was stuck half way in the wall.I covered it up with a drawing.Anyway all I'm trying to say is the launcher is incredible even if it is a left spin launcher. If you see it get it.I am Lee,the leader of team "Magna Bladerz".

Ok...
Ok let me tell you something this launcher is soooo thick I can't hold it ok? Here's how I found out... So I go to this toys r us tournament and there are all these guys buyin the electronic launchers and I warn them don't they are tooo thick but they don't listen and then they start complainin "OH THIS IS TOO THICK!" well I warned them~~~. I'd recommend the new dragoon grip launcher available at toys r us !

check were I live lol! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Mix one 82-piece box of Gears! Gears! Gears! Gizmos with a handful of children and what do you get? A tableful of swirling, whirling, twisting, turning, cross-your-eyeballs thingamajigs! The Gizmos advanced set includes some unusual connectors, including a couple of comical 8-inch springs, some angled joints, and a working propeller--along with a generous helping of the basic stuff. With three sizes of meshing, stackable gears, and simple snap-together bases that can be arranged scores of ways, kids have the freedom to create all kinds of gyrating gadgets. Even with the outlandish decals and Day-Glo shades, Gears manages to teach budding builders an astonishing amount about how machines work. --Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Fun
Gears was bought for my 4 year old nephew and he just loves it.
I would recommend this toy for education, imagination, and just plain fun!!!

Gear, Gears, Gears Motorized Monsters
I bought the Motorized Monsters set here (I don't see it listed now) based on fabulous reviews. I was very disappointed in the set and so was my 6 year old son. It is noisy, clunky and not at all the fun toy that we were expecting.

Fun and educational; should get more for money
My 5 year old son has advanced rapidly in just two days of playing with this. He is describing and building complicated gear layouts that incorporate gears of different sizes and gears at different angles to one another. Very nice!

My main complaint is that the set should include more pieces. I cannot see more than two kids playing with the contents of this set, and even then I think there would be some fighting for scarce pieces.

PROS
* Durable pieces
* Well-designed pieces connect well and allow for excellent spinning action of the gears
* The type of toy that kids will play with for hours on end and go back to again and again

CONS
* Not enough pieces for the price; you can get hundreds of lego bricks for the same price
* What do the gears *move*? There is only one propeller included and no wheels or other items that gears might control. Instead, we just tend to move more gears, which is fine for a 5 year old but not for an 8 year old

PURCHASING RECOMMENDATION
This is fun and very educational. I will buy the additional sets and give this one as a gift to other kids. I do wish they put more pieces in it, but it still is worth buying.

Fun for the whole family
I bought this gift for my nephew. It seems to be a great toy. All ages from 6 to 44 sat down and played with this toy. The only thing was the hand cranks came off way to easy. And one of the springs that rotates broke off within 15 minutes. We will look into getting that replaced though. Lots of fun for all ages.

A great add on
We have the original Gears! Set and love it. This is an add on that you can use to make bigger, better, more exciting things.

This inspires creativity, fun and imagination. It is more than a push the button type of toy to make some annoying noise. This encourages exploration of the world around you and more.

My husband and father (both engineers) love this toy and have a ball getting down on the floor playing with my son while he tries to put new contraptions together. This addition only makes it more fun.

If you are like and look for toys that inspire imagination, exploration, creativity. If you want toys that are not very loud and are easy to play with. If you want something that the whole family can enjoy. If you want a toy that is more than a push the button type of toy, this is the toy you might want.

My only complaint of sorts? I wish that there were books available for each add on set that is available similar to the book you can buy for the original Gears! set. And maybe there are books out there, but I haven't found them.

Enjoy. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

WARNING
Bayblades are not suitable for small children. My child (10) got one today and cried awhile as his hand throbbed from the puller cord after it broke and caught his hand. The cord was stuck in the new divice.(like this one) He has many beyblades and loves them.

Pretty cool
The Beyblade 5-in-1 Arcade challenge. Also known as the BeyUltimate shooter. It's pretty fun if you ask me. ^_^

Once you turn it on you are given several options that include Tournament, Free Battle, Survival, and Power. Now, for the first 3 you have to pick a character to battle with -- only Tyson is available in the beginning but by using passwords and playing through the Tournament Story mode, you can unlock more.

The controls respond fairly well and are accurate with the stats (a blade with low turning won't go anywhere no matter how far you turn the wheel; one with high turning reacts as soon as you turn it). The trigger is the only fragile part of the toy -- I've heard reports of it breaking after an hour of use. Well, that's only if you go all hardcore with it.

Unlike the Japanese version of the BeyUltimate, Hasbro's does not launch actual blades. This takes away from it's overall usefulness to a serious blader. I imagine they did this, as this launcher is extremely powerful (+16000 RPM) and they wouldn't want their customers getting hurt. >>;

Overall, this is a relatively fun toy. A bit of a waste of money if you're looking for something for actually Beyblading with, but still cool nonetheless. 7/10

how beyblade is fun
BEYBLADES ARE FUN BY YOU HAVING A BEYBLADE CHALLENGE AND WATCHING IT WHILE IT SPINS IT IS RELLY FUN WHEN YOU PULL THE STRING AFTER THAT WE JUST WATCH TO SEE WHO WON. WHEN YOU WIN YOU GET ALL EXCITED.

5-in-1 Challenge Set
This is a fun toy foranyone who's really into Beyblading. You can enter in up to five different modes and challengeother players. If you're really into BeyBlading, it's worth the money, but if your just starting out, stick to the startersets as this item is a little pricey. ... Read more