Toy Wishes Magazine recently named Bakugan Battle Brawlers one of its Hot Dozen holiday toys for 2008. The Bakugan toy line is made by Spin Master Ltd., one of North America’s fastest growing toy manufacturers.

“Bakugan is a rare brand that blurs the line between action toy, interactive game and collectable and trading line,” said Gareb Shamus, Publisher, Toy Wishes Magazine. “Spin Master has done a remarkable job marketing the product and in introducing exciting new extensions and accessories that have turned it from a toy line into a global branding sensation.”

“Bakugan is the ultimate combination of fun, action, collectability and tradability,” said Anton Rabie, Spin Master Co-CEO. “There are a lot of things that have come together to make Bakugan a sell-out hit. Boys love trading, collecting, action and powerful characters. The hit TV show and toys really play off each other well to create a comprehensive brand-name that is a huge hit with kids.”

Bakugan has proven to be a breakout hit this year. Everyone is talking about this highly anticipated toy line. Bakugan is clearly one of the top toys for boys this Christmas. It is already on of North America’s hottest selling toys. One Bakugan is sold every 2.5 seconds. Spin Master is cranking out 300,000 Bakugan every day just to keep up with demand. Bakugan toys can be found at a comfortable price for almost everyone, ranging from about $5 to $30.

“Having Bakugan named as one of the “Hot Dozen” toys this holiday season is yet another affirmation that it is THE action toy to have by young boys this year,” said Donna MacNeil, Spin Master’s Senior Director, Communications. “Bakugan has become a frenzy across North America that is quickly becoming a global phenomenon that includes toys, television, DVDs, licensed soft lines and more. Spin Master is thrilled to be at the center of it all and we are looking forward to what will certainly be an exciting and successful holiday season for Bakugan.”

Bakugan is not the only popular toy from Spin Master. The toymake also produces Yo Gabba Gabba! toys along with the surprisingly popular Air Hogs toy line.

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Kids need exercise. Kids need to learn. Kids like video games.

What could be a better Christmas gift for your favorite 3-to-6-year-old than the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle, a combination stationary bike, educational tool and video game? This physical learning arcade system will provide exercise–well, at least activity–for both body and brain.

The Fisher Price Smart Cycle allows children to experience the physical activity of the great outdoors without having to worry about wintry weather or neighborhood safety. Within the security of your own home, they can experience active play that builds bodies in a kid-safe way. Meanwhile, they will be pedaling a course through games and adventures that grow their thinking skills and creativity.

You can load your Fisher Price Smart Cycle with different games created for different development levels so your children don’t get bored. The Smart Cycle plugs directly into your TV or VCR without the need for a separate gaming system. Pedaling keeps the game going and movable handlebars steer through the game. A joystick and playfully colored buttons are used to interact with the games and educational tools.

Children can use the Smart Cycle to learn shapes, math, the alphabet and more. Additional game cartridges feature favorite characters like SpongeBob, Dora the Explorer and Barbie. The Fisher Price Smart Cycle is flexible enough to grow with your child physically and intellectually. Surprisingly, the handlebars are not height adjustable, one of the minor flaws in the system.

Overall, the Fisher Price Smart Cycle is easy to install and easy to use. It’s one Christmas gift you can be playing with in minutes. However, children may need help understanding some of the game instructions.

Some users have expressed concern that the Smart Cycle doesn’t remember game progress when you turn it off. So when your child stops for a while, they have to start over again when they go back. Another item for Fisher Price to consider adding to the Smart Cycle is user names to allow different ages to start at different levels. As it is now, if you have several children sharing the Smart Cycle, they all have to start at the same game level.

The bottom line? The Fisher Price Smart Cycle is not perfect. But it packs a lot of fun for the price, and everyone reports that their kids love it! We would give it 4 out of 5 stars. And we’d probably give it to our kids for Christmas–if they weren’t age 20 and 23.

You can order the Fisher Price Smart Cycle from Amazon, save 17% of list price and get free shipping!

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Wal-Mart recently released their “12 Toys of Christmas” list for 2008. Sitting at number 3 is the Nerf Vulcan National Blaster Value Pack. The Nerf Vulcan National Blaster is a totally automatic blaster that fires at the amazing rate of three darts per second. Nerf guns are lots of fun and would be well-liked Christmas gifts for active kids over age 8 and teens. Even college kids have a lot of fun with outdoor Nerf battles.

The completely safe, ferociously fun blaster holds up to twenty-five darts at a time. The Value Pack packaging gets you another ammo belt, 25 additional darts and a shoulder strap. The Nerf Vulcan National Blaster also comes with an ammo box and a folding tripod. Stock up on “D” cells–this bodacious battling blaster takes six at a time.

In an amazing twist, the Nerf Vulcan National Blaster, according to the Walmart site, is “not sold online.” But under the “Find in Stores” banner, we read that it’s “not sold in stores” either. What’s up with that? It’s on the Wal-Mart 12 Toys of Christmas 2008 list! But they don’t sell it.

Here’s what you need to do.

Head over to Amazon.com and get the Nerf N-STRIKE Vulcan EBF-25 Value Pack. It is ready to ship today. And you probably ought to go ahead and order it today, since popular Christmas gifts like the Nerf N-Strike series tend to sell out early. It has the same specs and features as the National Blaster. And everyone who has one absolutely loves it. Order today while it’s still in stock. The Nerf N-STRIKE Vulcan EBF-25 Value Pack at Amazon.

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Welcome to a whole new world of Monopoly. The Monopoly Here and Now World Edition takes you on a tour of six continents every time you pass GO. If you’re looking for a game to truly delight your Christmas gift recipients, this new incarnation of a classic is sure to please.

This updated version of the classic board game keeps the best parts of classic Monopoly while adding thrilling new twists to the game play. Digital electronic banking makes keeping track of transactions completely effortless. The utilities have gone renewable (solar and wind). The railroads have been transformed into rail, air, ocean and even space travel.

You visit cities around the world every time you play. The locations, starting from “GO” are: (Brown) Gdynia, Taipei, (Light Blue) Tokyo, Barcelona, Athens, (Pink) Istanbul, Kyiv, Toronto, (Orange) Rome, Shanghai, Vancouver, (Red) Sydney, New York, London, (Yellow) Beijing, Hong Kong, Jerusalem, (Green) Paris, Belgrade, Cape Town, (Dark Blue) Riga, and Montreal.

The electronic banker doesn’t eliminate the need for a human banker, but it sure makes the job easier. Shove a couple of AA’s into the banker (the electronic one) and it’s ready to go. The game can begin when everyone picks a mover and a credit card. The game comes with six randomly selected mover pieces that bring even more international flair to this hot Christmas gift.

There’s a total of 24 mover types available (I sense an eBay opportunity here). You could get any six of the following: (Australia) Kangaroo, Koala, Surfer, and Boomerangs, (Europe) London Cab, Pretzel, Matador, Windmill, (North America) Canadian Mountie, Cowboy Hat, Baseball Glove, Nascar, (South America) Inca Mask, Easter Island Moai, Football, Inca Statue, (Africa) Safari Hat, Egyptian Head Mask, African Mask, Camel, (Asia) Chinese Dragon, Tuk-Tuk, Russian Dolls, Sumo Wrestler.

They managed to make the game informational and educational as well. The community chest and chance cards include a selection of international facts of interest. And the properties have fabulous photos from around the world.

The electronic banking unit really simplifies the game play. For some, Monopoly banking can be somewhat of a chore, but the new system makes everything easy. The banking unit also handles all the wheeling and dealing that goes on when someone lands on a property they don’t want. The unit includes a random auction timer to add even more excitement.

Let’s be honest. When the presents are being opened on Christmas morning, the board games may not be the first things played with. But this Monopoly Here and Now World Edition will be a long-term favorite even after Christmas has come and gone. Every family should have one (or more) Monopoly games in the house. Whether this is your first game or a new addition to the family, it’s sure to please everyone.

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Although Blokus is targeted for 5 to 9 year olds, both kids and adults have a lot of fun with this strategy board game. Blokus would make an excellent family Christmas gift simply because of the wide age appeal it has. Yes, it has bright colors and simple rules for the younger members of the family, but the strategic and spatial aspects can challenge adults.

Save on Blokus at Amazon

Wouldn’t it be great to buy a Christmas present for the children in your life that has the Mensa seal of approval for fostering healthy brain activity? With Blokus, that’s exactly what you get. Creative thinking is the norm with this popular board game.

Players try to fit all of their game pieces on the board without breaking any of the Blokus rules. Whoever gets rid of all their tiles first wins the game. Strategic thinking comes into play when you try to block other players from placing their pieces on the board (hence the name, Blokus). Every time you play the game it’s different. Sometimes, the game ends because no one can play any more pieces.

When you sit down to play Blokus after opening your Christmas presents, you can count on plenty of fun whether you have two, three or four players. All sorts of Blokus game variations have been created to make gameplay more enjoyable and challenging regardless of the number  of players.

Blokus makes a great family Christmas gift.

The average Blokus game usually lasts about half an hour. Cleaning things up is a snap because of the raised edges on the board. The board has 400 squares and there are 84 pieces in four stunning colors.

This game is addictive, even if you don’t normally like abstract games. This is one of those great games that children and adults can play together and have loads of fun. If you have any young people on your Christmas list this year, you can’t go wrong with Blokus. Think they might already have it? Then get them Travel Blokus or Blokus Trigon.

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Elmo Live! promises to be a hit for the 2008 holiday season. Elmo has been delighting children of all ages for years and the latest version is sure to be no exception. His large eyes and bright red fur make Elmo Live fun to simply look at. But wait! Elmo Live can move on his own. Not just a few hand waves, but complex motions that make him seem life-like. As Elmo Live speaks, his head and mouth move to match. The latest version of Elmo can sing and tell stories. And when he tells stories, he sits down on his stool and crosses his legs.

Get Elmo Live While He Is In Stock

All of Elmo Live’s movements are controlled by a few squeezes or pokes here and there. Elmo Live will provide hours of enjoyment for all and will be a constant companion for your child…at least to the limit of his six AA batteries.

Sometimes Elmo Live will take a tumble, especially if he’s not on a hard, flat surface. But even this brings new life-like qualities, as Elmo asks to be set right again.

Every new variety of Elmo has given joy to those who were able to purchase them. But Elmo Live will almost certainly sell out early. Order now while retailers still have him in stock.

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There’s a special place in everyone’s heart for a lovable dog. FurReal Friends Biscuit My Lovin’ Pup is ready to become your child’s new best friend (or yours). Biscuit is the most realistic FurReal pet ever created. This interactive canine is sure to win your heart.

Biscuit My Lovin’ Pup can recognize and obey six commands. This FurReal pup will sit, speak and lie down at your command. He knows how to lift his paw and shake. Offer Biscuit a biscuit…er, a treat…and he’ll give it a sniff and then start chomping away!

In another touch of realism, Biscuit My Lovin’ Pup comes with an adoption certificate. You can register your ownership on the FurReal website. With moving head and ears, blinking eyes, a wagging tail and a playful bark (not too much, though), FurReal Biscuit is ready to join your family on Christmas day.

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If you can imagine crossing a snowboard with a skateboard, then add in some surfing action, then you’re starting to get an idea of what the RipStik is all about. This hot new toy designed for kids age 8 and up offers a real thrill ride on dry land. Two things make the RipStik caster board really stand out. First of all, you can carve just like you’re riding a snowboard. Second, you can start moving and accelerate without having to push off. The RipStik even comes with a DVD showing you how to ride it along with important safety tips.

Users have given the RipStik high marks for fun, durability and “gee-that’s-awesome-what-is-it” reactions from people who see them riding it. Best of all, it gets the kids back outside breathing fresh air and soaking up some vitamin D (you know, from the sunshine). Retail prices run from $130 to $150, but you can get the Ripstik Caster Board for less at Amazon.

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Digital cameras are great fun, but not all of them can stand up to the treatment dished out but the average preschooler. Fisher Price has come to the rescue with a camera that’s tough, easy to use and even waterproof. It’s easy for your child to take great pictures with the two-eye viewfinder, dual handgrips and big, easy-to-press buttons. The Kid Tough digital camera also has built-in flash, a color LCD and built-in memory with room for 500 pictures. Every shot can be downloaded to a computer using the included USB digital cable. For ages 3 and up. List price is $60. Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Waterproof Digital Camera Pink

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