2005 Toys

Anyone who has walked the aisles of a giant toy supermarket or tried to sift through the mountains of books, videos, audios, and software designed for children appreciates how hard it is to know what to buy. Our goal is to take the guesswork out of choosing products that are not a waste of your money or your child's time. All the major toymakers — Cranium, Mattel (& Tyco), Spinmaster, MGA, Play Along, Fisher-Price, Jakks Pacific, LeapFrog, Nintendo, Radica, Rose Art, Bandai, Hasbro (& Milton Bradley), VTech, WowWee, Zizzle, OHC Group, HaPe, Playmobil, Tiny Love, SONY Playstation, Toyquest, International Playthings, Funrise, Frontporch Classics, Lightwedge — have some wonderful toys that will make great presents under the Christmas tree. We show you the best price and where to buy these toys online — when your neighborhood stores may have already run out.

Best Toy Stories for 2005

I-Dog
Perhaps there is no clearer symbol of just how far the iPod has transcended into popular culture than the emergence of the I-Dog, an iPod-themed robotic dog that likes listening to music just as much as you do. Feed the I-Dog some music (which can be done in one of two ways), and he'll display a corresponding light pattern on his forehead while he bobs his head and wags his ears. …full story…

'Read with Me DVD!' makes learning interactive
Children can now experience the joy of listening to classic books while watching the illustrations come alive on their TV screen. Fisher-Price has partnered with Scholastic books to produce Read with Me DVD!, a system that transfers classic books to interactive DVDs. …full story…

Shake 'N Go Speedway
Even our smallest NASCAR kids could rev up these two hot rods. Give them a shake, and motion sensors trigger the engines. Set the rumbling cars on the wide track, and they're off to the races -- complete with a radio-style play-by-play call of the fast action. …full story...

iZ
The new toy is called iZ -- pronounced "is" -- and it's being hawked as a musical toy for the iPod generation. Expected to sell for $40, iZ stands nine inches tall, sports three legs, two huge eyes, trombone-shaped ears, and a bulbous light-up nose. It looks like a rejected character from a student animation film. But when moved different ways, all those body parts create music that the toy's creators say is different every time. …full story...

Leapster L-Max Learning Game System
If you have been looking for a hand held game machine that's more appropriate than Gameboy for the youngest player look no further. Billed as a learning machine it’s a lot more playful than most. The games and skills are well targeted to older preschoolers and early school age kids …full story...

Pixel Chix
Kids can help their Chix select what clothes to wear and what food to eat, pick a game to play together, and even send them to bed. Testers liked connecting the diminutive divas' houses to watch them dance together. …full story...

Tyco R/C Shell Shocker
A transforming "beast," Shell Shocker™ ushers in a new era of radio control products. Initially a ball wrapped in a protective rhino-like skin while in "shield" mode, the creature can turn its shell inside out while in motion to gain traction and explore, and also to reveal its scorpion-like tail to attack. …full story...

V.Smile Pocket
The V.Smile Pocket turns Game Time into Brain Time by combining a video game platform with educational content. V.Smile Pocket is a portable learning system that goes anywhere AND it can be connected directly to the TV for big screen game play at home. …full story...

Dora (the Explorer)'s Talking Kitchen
A talking kitchen set incorporating the popular bilingual Nickelodeon character. Dora's Talking Kitchen features a life-size Dora who helps kids make three different recipes. …full story...

Black Belts Karate Home Studio
Kids will get a kick (and a lot more) out of this complete karate studio that helps younger kids learn the basics of karate--blocks, punches, stances and kicks--at their own pace as they watch the 30-minute video on VHS or DVD. …full story...

Knights Empire Castle
Includes a trapdoor in the tower, and a drawbridge to protect against possible enemy attack. A functional hoist, king`s throne and prisoner`s dungeon are also included. …full story...

Only Hearts Club Ballet Studio
Karina Grace loves to dance, and she wants to show her friends from the Only Hearts Club how much fun it is. She and the other girls will love this playset that's a studio on one side, theater on the other, with lots of space for practicing and performing. …full story...

Quadrilla
Quadrilla is the next generation of marble runs. It is a system of blocks, tracks and accessory pieces that allow the energy of a marble to travel in a make-your-own path. Beautiful wood tracks and a rainbow of colored blocks, each with a different function, are the starting point for endless contraptions for marbles to drop to a new level, go right or left, swirl in a funnel, or pour out of a teeter totter. …full story...

It’s all the fun of a day at the carnival! Balloon Lagoon …full story...

Barbie is back in the movies this year …full story...

So many girls dream of being a ballerina — even the youngest ones. Now those dreams can come true …full story...

You already know those Bratz dolls are hip, trendy and totally put together! full story...

They’re back in a big way this year – and better than ever! Cabbage Patch Kids …full story...

Who’d have thought that one of the biggest novelty songs of the disco era would become a classic preschool hit? E—L—M—O …full story...

Watching TV just got more interactive and more educational. InteracTV … …full story...

You don’t need a console to bring home videogame excitement. Ms. Pac-Man TV Games …full story...

Nintendo DS revolutionizes the way games are played. With dual screens and touch-screen technology, wireless communication and built-in PictoChat software you have the power to draw, write and send messages wirelessly…full story...

Ultimate competition and ultimate thrills! Nitro Battlerz …full story...

Remember the craze these critters caused the first time around? Now the original virtual pet is back and better than ever. Tamagotchi Connection …full story...

It’s a kid’s personal video player. VdeoNow Color …full story...

Even the youngest kids are fascinated by video games, but sometimes they are just too small to play. No more! VTech V.Smile …full story...

The Wow Wee RoboSapien, a full function fast moving robot minion suitable for all your world domination needs …full story...

Zero in on what's hot — which toys are the must haves for 2005.