Mattel had some great offerings at this year’s Toy Fair including new Disney tie-ins as
well as new toys from The Dark Knight Rises. Kids big and small will not be disappointed by all the new toys. Whether you are a fan of Dora the Explorer or WWE Wrestling there are some great products set to be released this year.
Coming out this year is a line of Fisher-Price Little People that are Disney Princesses. Assortment includes: Ariel & Aurora, Belle & Beast, Cinderella & Prince Charming and Rapunzel & Tiana. These figures work with the new Disney Princess Song Palace. The Palace is able to recognize the individual characters with character specific songs and phrases. The “Little People” are perfect for young children with no movable parts or small accessories. The figures and the palace are sure to give a child hours of enjoyment.
Also in the realm of fantasy and geared more toward boys than the Princess line is the Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle. The castle is just as interactive as the palace. Made for older children ages 3-8 the Eagle Talon Castle is quite the amazing playset. According to the official press release from Fisher-Price:
The new Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle features cool lights, sounds and
Action Tech™ technology to take imaginations to soaring new levels! It
magically recognizes approaching dragons, ogres, and battlements to
warn off impending attacks. Even cooler, the castle can expand from
20” out to 42” and is reconfigurable in different ways for endless play
that never gets old. This Castle comes loaded with play right out of the
box with three figure activations. When you turn the center disc, the
castle springs into eagle defense mode! An eagle head pops out of the
middle with an integrated disc launcher, “wings” fold down to shield the
front windows, the central walls flip up to shield the interior of the castle
and the drawbridge locks shut. All this happens to the sounds of a
majestic eagle screeching and rocks grinding! Each turn disc on the
outside towers shutters the windows to prepare for an attack as well!
Includes the transforming castle, 3 figures, 2 catapults, 1 Action
Tech™ cannon with 2 projectiles, 3 helmets, 3 shields and 3 swords, 8
firing discs for catapults and eagle head, treasure chest, 2 ladders and
4 flags. Requires 2 “AA” batteries, included.
When I see toys like this I wonder why they didn’t have this when I was a child. To go along with the castle are an Ogre and a Dragon both available separately and which will be able to interact with the castle as well.
Other toys for the younger ones in your household include a Dora the Explorer dollhouse playset and a Dora the Explorer gymnast figure. The gymnast figure is battery operated and performs “routines” that the child can assist with and join in. According to Mattel:
Fantastic Gymnastics Dora is ready to win the gold! Coach her through two
gymnastic routines and seven unique moves, from splits to handstands to back
bends, and more! Dora also says over 40 phrases in English and Spanish and
sings a special gymnastics song.
Another interactive figure that will get kids moving is Master Moves Mickey or M3. This ultra-hip break dancing Mickey Mouse is one of the more impressive toys that I saw at Toy Fair. Mickey has 15 dance moves, 8 original songs and is perfect for keeping children
engaged. This figure is very interactive and even acknowledges when he is set upright after falling over. Your kids will be dancing around for hours. Made for ages 2+ this is my pick of Toy Fair as to what will be the hottest thing next holiday season.
Mattel also has the figures for the upcoming Pixar animated movie, Brave. Brave tells the story of Princess Merida who is a strong willed young lady who wants to make her own way in the world. Brave is the first occasion that Pixar has produced a film with the main character being a female. The figures and playsets look just as incredible as the movie itself.
We can’t forget Barbie. Barbie has come a long way through the years. She has been a teacher, a doctor, an astronaut but now Barbie is a camera. Mattel has produced a Barbie that is a digital camera that looks like a regular Barbie but can take photos that can be downloaded to a computer. Due to the fact that she is half camera her only moving parts are her arms and head. Here is the complete description from Mattel:
Lights! Camera! FASHION! Barbie® Photo Fashion™ Doll combines fashion and photos with a simple click. The Barbie® doll is actually a digital camera and Barbie® doll’s shirt is where the digital image will appear! Girls can select from pre-loaded graphics or take their own pictures to change the image on Barbie® doll’s tee. With the ability to add frames and effects to photos and make your own slide show – see what happens when you play with Barbie®! Once images are downloaded and saved to a computer, the camera memory is freed allowing for more photo fun. Website with Barbie® imagery lets girls customize images taken with their Barbie® Photo Fashion™ Doll. Barbie® Photo Fashion™ Doll can hold more than 100 images and features an internal rechargeable battery.
There are more Barbies than just the camera model coming out this year. Girls (and boys) can even design and create wearable fashions for the dolls to wear. The Barbie Design and Dress Studio allows the child’s imagination and creativity to shine. Refills can be purchased for the Design Studio giving the little future fashion designers hours and hours of play time.
Another popular line that is ever growing is Monster High. The popular “tween” line has a direct to DVD animated movie coming out this year as well as novel bringing the toy line to
life. These Monster High figures are based on the monsters we know and love such as Dracula and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The popularity of monsters in movies and television make these figures the perfect collectible for the monster lover in your life. The new designs coming out include a half robot girl that is very Steampunk looking. These figures appeal to “kids” of all ages and interests. It is now wonder the line is expanding.
One of the most anticipated movies of the summer is the newest installment in the Batman franchise. The Dark Knight Rises is the 3rd and final movie in Christopher Nolan’s series. Mattel is keeping everything hush hush and I was not able to take any photographs of the upcoming toys. I can say that aside from several versions of Batman there are also some smaller vehicles as well as a larger vehicle. If you have seen any of the footage leaked on the internet you can figure out what exactly is going to be flying off the shelves of your local toy store.
There are some Batman toys that are targeted at younger fans and photos were taken. There is a new Batmobile for that line that looks similar to the Batmobile from Batman: The Animated Series. These figures are very poseable and quite cool. I think I might have to pick up a couple of these for myself. Batman never goes out of style.
These are just a few things that Mattel has coming out this year. As we get more information we will post and keep you updated. In the meantime check out the photos and start making your list for what you want.
