All articles tagged with #toys
A Chinese online retailer Temu was fined $232 million over unsafe toys and electronics sold on its platform, highlighting heightened regulatory scrutiny of online marketplaces and potentially leading to recalls or safety improvements for products sold through the site.
A senior golden retriever who never had toys is delighted by new treasures, proudly showing off his playful haul and proving enrichment can brighten an older dog's days.
Roger Sweet, the Mattel designer who created the He-Man figure that launched the 1980s toy line and cartoon, died at 91 after battling dementia. He developed the He-Man prototype by reworking a Big Jim figure, pitched it to Mattel leadership, and brought He-Man to market in 1982, with the 1983–85 cartoon following Prince Adam’s transformation. The franchise later spurred a reboot film from Amazon/MGM/Mattel, featuring stars like Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Idris Elba and Alison Brie. He is survived by his wife, Marlene.
LEGO has released an official 80-page build guide for the Pokémon Kanto Region Badge Collection, detailing 312 bricks and step-by-step instructions so fans can assemble the badges from individual pieces instead of buying the pricey Venusaur/Charizard/Blastoise set, saving money and avoiding scalpers while potentially inspiring more regional badge builds.
A Cambridge study of three- to five-year-olds using Curio’s Gabbo AI toy finds the device frequently misreads emotions, interrupts, and provides inappropriate responses, raising concerns about children’s psychological safety and prompting calls for tighter regulation, parental controls, and safer design for AI toys marketed to under-fives; educators and child advocates remain divided on AI’s benefits versus harms.
Nintendo and LEGO have opened pre-orders for an 18+ Mario Kart set, Luigi & Mach 8, priced at £159.99 with 2234 pieces and dimensions of 25 cm high, 41 cm long, and 23 cm wide. The adult-focused build is available on the official LEGO store with a limit of three units per person and a release date of 1 April 2026 to align with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. A trailer has been released, and Nintendo also confirmed a Yoshi and the Mysterious Book release for 21 May 2026.
Version History traces Furby’s 1998 rise—from a California roots project to a toy sensation—highlighting its clever tech and personality that made it seem alive, and arguing what its history suggests about the future of human–machine interaction and AI design; the episode features David Pierce, Victoria Song, and Sean Hollister and links to primary sources like the Furby patent and contemporary coverage.
Lego’s Smart Brick—featuring a microcomputer, microphone, and NFC in a 2x4 brick—launches with eight Star Wars sets; three include a Smart Brick with a charging cradle, while the rest are Smart Play compatible (BYOB). Prices range from $69.99 for Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter to $159.99 for Throne Room Duel & A-Wing, with details on which kits include the brick and NFC tags.
Multimillionaire Scott Bessent argued on Fox News that families should donate to Trump Accounts rather than buy toys for children, a pitch that drew online backlash and raised questions about feasibility and how the plan would work alongside a cost‑of‑living reality.
A premium K-Pop themed collectible, the Demon Hunters figure, is priced at $280 and is now available for preorder, signaling a high-end addition to pop-culture merchandise.
Netflix, with Mattel and Hasbro, unveiled a Kpop Demon Hunters toy line at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, including American Girl dolls of the lead characters Rumi, Zoey and Mira, Nerf gear modeled after the trio’s demon-hunting kit, Spirit Blades, Four Tiger Sword, Curved Moon Sword and a themed Monopoly edition; pre-orders for the collection are now available through Mattel’s American Girl unit, following the title’s record viewership on Netflix.
Mattel and Hasbro revealed a broad lineup of KPop Demon Hunters toys at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, including Mattel’s Huntrix/Dolls, action figures, UNO and Polly Pocket items, and Hasbro’s Nerf weapons, Furby Furblets, light sticks, and a Huntrix Monopoly game. The American Girl Huntrix collection is available for pre-order, while release dates for the rest of the lines haven’t been announced. Netflix’s blockbuster status for the film has energized toy plans and a sequel is being discussed.
Amazon is offering a 10% discount on the LEGO Lord of the Rings Balrog Book Nook set, the first price reduction since its release, making it a great buy for collectors and fans of the series, especially with new sets and releases in 2026.
AI-powered figurines like HeyMates and Buddyo are emerging at CES, offering interactive chat capabilities with characters from sports, science, and pop culture, aiming to revitalize the collectible figurine market with AI integration.
Nintendo is launching its My Mario product line in the US next month, including an interactive app, apparel, plush toys, bath toys, and wooden block sets with Amiibo functionality, initially available in select stores and expanding nationwide.