Remember the hit toy the Furby? It was the first successfully domestically-aimed robot that sold well because all the kids just had to have it. But, just like the Tickle-Me Elmo or any other Christmas time fad, it died off and everyone forgot about it. That is, until David Cranmer skinned a few of them and turned them into a musical instrument that takes no skill to play unlike the Stylophone.

Using four Furbies, David managed to craft some intricate music boxes that wind up to release a kicking tune that proves Furbies are more useful and fun when they’re skinned and mounted. One is even being sold on eBay for a little over $700. If you check out the effort that has gone into making this musical box, you’d know that that price is not steep.
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Recalling my childhood, I had some really interesting and quirky toys as a kid. From Sewer Sharks to Mighty Max, there was always something new, colorful and exciting to discover about them. Now it’s 2008 and shitty raps and bright colors don’t cut it anymore. Kids want excitement. They want realism. They’re going to both want and ask you for this RC car.

The Air Hog Zero Gravity Micro RC (whew!) is like any other RC toy with a remote with the exception that it can drive up your fucking wall. That’s right. Using some crazy air vortex technology, you can slap it on a wall, under a table or any other flat surface and drive around on it. You’ll get about 10 minutes of playtime with a 30 minute charge on the battery. At around $60, it’s a pretty reasonably priced way to keep your child entertained until his friend comes over with something ten times cooler.

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Oh snap! The Dark Knight is just around the corner and if you’re as psyched about it as I am you’d have already purchased your ticket.

So stop the press. Fucking stop it. Behold, 12″ figures resembling the Batman and his ensemble of teched out transports. These replicas are of the highest detail of any Batman toy I’ve ever seen. Look at Batman’s face, he looks like he’s Christian Bale rendezvousing with a call girl. He’s got business and it’s not with the Joker. Coming soon in late 2008.

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It’s a shame that Sega doesn’t manufacture gaming consoles anymore but it’s good to see the company can still churn out some interesting product.

Ampbot is Sega’s latest creation and it’s a weird one. Ampbot follows you around blasting music from 12W speakers. It dances to the beat, busts a move and will set you back $500. Yeah, I know. Ampbot seemed like the coolest fucking thing since Purple Rain until you found out he was $500. Cool idea, bad execution.

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Surely if you’re any kind of real man, you grew up with NERF foam toys in the ’80s and ’90s. From Ballzooka to the infamous foam crossbow, the arsenal a kid could have at his disposable was unmatched by any other company save Super Soaker. Now it’s 2008 and NERF is still kicking ass with its latest creation, the N-Strike Recon CS-6.

Sure, it shoots darts but the CS-6 has the ability to deconstruct entirely so you can morph it into a whole new weapon. Add scopes, throw on a shoulder stock, add a laser. You’re the most badass kid on the block now. From the website:

Other features include a flip-up sight for aiming precision and a dual-mode light beam with red-dot accuracy that’s perfect for night missions! Use the shoulder stock to steady your shot and store an extra clip of ammo (sold separately). Get armed with the most exciting name in high-tech blasters: N-STRIKE power!

Stop the fucking press. Fucking stop it. You need to go and purchase one of these bitches from Amazon, stat. There’s simply no time to waste considering that it’s only $20 and your girlfriend left your months ago.

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If you were born and raised in West Philadelphia, like the Fresh Prince (not of the Purple Rain variety), then you know the important significance graffiti has on people. Well, so does Christie’s auction house; they’ve decided to let it go for an estimated $1,500 - $2,000. I don’t know what makes it more appealing: the fact that it’s a Hasbro Star Wars toy or the fact that it was sprayed with graffiti in 2002 like the side of some run down crack den.

Regardless, Star Wars fans and graffiti enthusiasts alike will certainly shell out a big chunk of change to have this piece sitting on their shelves.
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The Kubrick classic lives on in fantastic plastic. Artist Michael Lau is working on a new show dubbed CSBOOTH15. While that’s fantastic and all, the real treat is one of the plastic figurines Lau has created for the show. Donning an all-orange spacesuit and a cheesy box-o-electronics on his chest, the astronaut closely resembles that dude from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

No details are available on price and distribution, so we may never be able to get our paws on one of these. At least there’s always the “Space Gate” sequence to trip out to…

If you’re interested in seeing the figure or seeing Michael Lau’s work, his show premiers in early July.

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Since none of us are going to own a really fast car like the Ford GT anytime soon, we might as well settle for something just a tad smaller. This Ford GT R/C car is not only stylish and 1/5th the size of the original; it can also do speeds up to 60 MPH thanks to a 23cc engine that uses an oil-gasoline mixture. If you’re already calling bullshit on the 60 MPH speeds, keep in mind this is a 23cc engine strapped onto a hunk of plastic with wheels. It’s bound to haul ass down your block, regardless of squirrels or toddlers in its way. It’s no NES under the hood, but it’s still juicin’!

Unfortunately, if you’re looking to get your hands on one, you’ll have to wait until May 30th. How the clowns in the above video got one is beyond me, but I think we can all agree that we’re extremely jealous of their new toy.

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Although Lego is a piece of cultural history in its own right, they can also portray other parts of history with their versatile building forms. Brothers Brick presents a look at historical figures through the use of Lego people, this week being the week for the skinny one himself, Mohandas Gandhi.

What do you get for devoting your life to civil disobedience against the governments tyrannical rule? Immortality through toys! Congratulations Mahatma. Love the loin cloth. Note: The Lego might weigh a few ounces more than the actual man did during his prime. — Andrew Dobrow

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These toys made by Sang Won Sung (not to be confused with twin brother Sing Two Singing), are made from bits of other recycled toys (and some assorted household objects), creating odd, and sometimes eerie looking toy models.

The two boys pictured above are aptly named “bull” and “elk”, both of their faces made with the recycled torso of a doll. — Andrew Dobrow

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