TimetoPlayMag.com Announces Spring Most Wanted List in Today’s Media Event
TimetoPlayMag.com (that’s us!) announced its Spring 2011 Most Wanted list, naming the 20 toys predicted by the editors to be most in demand during the warm weather months.
Announced during a press conference and media event in New York City today, the list celebrated cool new items hitting store shelves, blockbuster movie must haves, and toys that make the most of outdoor playtime. The Time to Play team also announced this season’s Power Ups list naming the hottest family-friendly video game titles.
Following the press conference, guests enjoyed a day-long event during which manufacturers and entertainment companies exhibited a wide range of new toys, video games, and entertainment products for spring and summer fun.
“This summer we’ll see a remarkable eight major movies with aggressive toy programs,” said Jim Silver, editor in chief TimetoPlayMag.com. “At most in the past we’ve seen three or four major releases. However, because these toys target diverse kid audiences and fan bases, we anticipate that despite the volume of toys out there, these will all do well—giving a strong boost to the toy industry in the sometimes sleepy summer season.”
“The other major component of summer toy sales are outdoor toys, bubble toys, and toys that can entertain kids indoors,” said Chris Byrne, content director TimetoPlayMag.com aka The Toy Guy. “With reasonable price points and lots of play value, there are many outstanding options to keep kids engaged and active this summer. These are especially appealing to parents who are looking for options to get kids out of the house, active, and away from screens—at least part of the time.”
Predicted to be the most popular and best selling toys of Summer 2011, the 20 products named to the Time to Play Most Wanted list appear in three categories: Indoor Play, Movie Toys, Outdoor Fun.
INDOOR PLAY
• LEGO Ninjago: Garmadon’s Dark Fortress
(LEGO/Ages 8 years & up /Approx. Retail Price: $69.99)
• Monster High Dawn of the Dance
(Mattel/Ages 6 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $16.99)
• Power Rangers Samurai Figures
(Bandai/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $10.99)
MOVIE TOYS
Cars 2
• Cars 2 Character Die Cast Cars
(Mattel/Ages 3 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $2.99)
• Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout
(Mattel/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99)
• Cars 2 Finn McMissile Zero Gravity
(Spin Master/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99)
• Cars 2 The Pit Stop
(LEGO/Ages 2 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $49.99)
Green Lantern
• Green Lantern Colossal Cannon
(Mattel/Ages 5 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $29.99)
• Green Lantern Battle Shifters
(Mattel/Ages 4 years and up/Approx. Retail Price $11.99)
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Queen Anne’s Revenge
(LEGO/Ages 9 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $119.99)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Queen Anne’s Revenge Playset
(Jakks Pacific/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $59.99)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon Cyberverse Figures
(Hasbro/Ages 5 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $7.99)
• Transformers: Dark of the Moon Mechtech Figures
(Hasbro/Ages 5 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $19.99 – $39.99)
OUTDOOR FUN
• Blastos Mini Bubble Blaster
(Little Kids/Ages 3 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $3.99)
• eSpark Scooter
(Razor/Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $179.99)
• Gaz-zuds Foam-I-Nator
(Funrise/Ages 3 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $29.99)
• Grow with Me 1,2,3 InLine Skates
(Fisher-Price/Ages 2 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $25.00)
• Nerf Dart Tag Swarmfire
(Hasbro/Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $29.99)
• Nerf Super Soaker Thunderstorm
(Hasbro/Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $14.99)
• Nerf Super Soaker Tornado Strike
(Hasbro/Ages 6 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $19.99)
• Z-Curve Bow
(Zing/Ages 8 years & up/Approx. Retail Price $24.99)
In addition to the Most Wanted List announced at this morning’s event, TimetoPlayMag.com also announced its Power Ups, which are names of the season’s hottest family-friendly video game titles with fun appropriate content for kids of all ages as chosen by video game editor Jeff McKinney.
3DS
(Nintendo/Ages: Everyone (ESRB)/Approx. Retail Price: $249.99/Available: Now)
The 3DS is a 3-D version of Nintendo’s popular handheld gaming system, the DS. Users can play 3-D games, watch 3-D movies and take their own 3-D photos. All the 3-D excitement is viewed without glasses through Nintendo’s revolutionary 3-D screen, which can be scaled back and forth between 3-D and 2-D.
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
(Disney Interactive Studios/Ages: Everyone 10+ (ESRB)/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99 (DS), $39.99 (3DS), $49.99 (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3)/Available: May 10, 2011)
The latest game in the popular LEGO video game series is Pirates of the Caribbean. Players will encounter characters and settings from all four Pirates movies, including this summer’s upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. All the pirates and environments are recreated in LEGO toy styles and the game is filled with the goofy comedy that has become a trademark of the LEGO video games. LEGO Pirates will be available on all game systems.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
(Activision/Ages: Rating Pending/Approx. Retail Price: $29.99 (DS), $39.99 (3DS), $49.99 (Wii) $59.99 (Xbox 360, PS3)/Available: June 14, 2011)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon is an original story that takes place before the events of this Summer’s blockbuster movie of the same name. Players will take on the roles of both Autobots and Decepticons in an action, adventure game that takes place around the world.