News

February, 2018

  • 28 February

    Lights going out at Toys R Us

    Geoffrey the Giraffe

    Sad new indeed that Toys R Us finally went into administration today. Unable to pay the HMRC a £15mn VAT bill and failing to find a buyer willing to stump it up for them in time (and about £100mn more) the lights are about to go out at the rather …

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  • 27 February

    Heroes, powerful combos and rotating cards – Is Lightseekers the TCG for you?

    Lightseekers - How to play

    Here is the Toyminator with a masterclass in how to play our latest, and dare we say it, favourite TCG:            

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  • 24 February

    Tonka trucks are utterly terrific

      As an outfit that embraces all things digital, AR, VR and such it still thrills us to the bone when nostalgia knocks, and knock hard it has this week. So Funrise and Hasbro are collaborating to breathe new life into the Tonka range of toys, there’ll be Tonka Power …

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  • 22 February

    Ooh Ooh Ooooooh can you feel the (Flush) Force

    Flush Force

    The all new Collect-a-bowl from Spinmaster is here. Mutant creatures, questionable sound FX and toilets, what is NOT to love?  

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  • 20 February

    Barbie line-up now includes Lara

    Lara - tomb Raider Lady

    The range of Barbie shapes, races and guises has been extended yet further with the arrival of the new Tomb Raider Barbie. Swedish actress Alicia Vikander plays the adventurer in the new film out in mid-March and the doll is based on her film look complete with map, journal and …

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  • 19 February

    Power Rangers fall into Hasbro hands

    Power Rangers falls into Hasbro hands

    Charge the Zeo crystals and prepare to shift it into turbo as Saban’s Power Rangers switches gear. In what is probably the most shocking news to come out of New York Toy Fair 2018, Saban has parted ways with long time partner Bandai in favour of the Transformers power-house Hasbro. …

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  • 19 February

    Gongs handed out for the best in play

    New York Toy Fair

    This year’s U.S. Toy Industry Awards have been announced by NPD, the data collecting agency that tells the world what’s hot and, by default what is not. From our roving reporter over at New York Toy Fair who admints to perhaps having one too many at the awards here is …

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  • 18 February

    Hogwarts Great Hall gets the brick treatment

    LEGO Hogwarts Great Hall

    The Danish brick outfit are a tad shy of Toy Fairs these days, we didn’t see them in London and it was all undercover in Nuremberg (the words biggest gathering of toy trade people) so they’re unveiling all their new 2018 wares at New York Toy fair this week. We’ve …

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  • 14 February

    Video review – Marvel at the Hasbro Black Panther range

    Black Panther

      The Toyminator returns together with a trio of Black Panther Vibranium role play items and his glamorous assistant. Count the number of times you’ll hear “around the £20 mark” – This pair are the ONLY superheroes you need on your screen today:  

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  • 9 February

    Magic up some beans

    Perhaps it is his angry face, far not though jelly bean fans, a tap of the tail and sugary goodness will be made available. Ideal for fans of the mythical beast and/or the sugary treat – that’ll be everyone then. FIREBOX  

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  • 8 February

    Marvel at the new hero thats hitting the big screen

    Black Panther Vibranium Mask

     As a non comic book reader (hangs head in shame) Black Panther hasn’t really been on my radar, it would appear however that after next weeks general film launch it’ll be a while before he gets off it. Incredible reviews across all manner of media have been forthcoming, scoring …

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  • 7 February

    NERF Surgefire – a certain hit

    NERF Surgefire

    Fresh from NERF is this pump-action number with a rolling 15 dart drum, the NERF Surgefire is most certainly not for sniper types. A spring-loaded number not requiring batteries gives it essential status amongst your arsenal of foam firers, when all (power) is lost you can rely on pump-power to …

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  • 2 February

    Lets hear it for Del Boy

    Corgi Cars

    Sure he has done other stuff but David Jason is inextricably linked with the Peckham based Trotters Independent Trading empire. His classic use of French words in all the wrong places, using “Fromage Frais” as a pose to Eureka being amongst our favourites (full list of Del Frenchisms HERE). From …

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  • 1 February

    No designated Banker – Monopoly Cheaters edition is here

    Monopoly Cheaters

    At last, the edition we’ve been campaigning for, well saying loudly for some time – Cheaters Monopoly is here. It’s far from a free for all however, tactic must still be used, just in a much more underhanded fashion than before.  The new game includes real handcuffs for players stuck …

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January, 2018

  • 31 January

    All the fun from the fair

    Toyology TV

      We took a trip to the UK’s London Toy Fair to check out some of the toy trends set to hit the shelves this year. Rachael and Matt try and make it look like a hard days work, but this pair of big kids are having far too much …

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