The Best Bets in Toyland : Children: There may not be any blockbusters this year, but there are several hot new items and many tried-and-true favorites.
Dolls may be the bestseller this Christmas, but there are plenty of other toys to consider: 6,000 were introduced last February at the annual Toy Fair in New York. Plus, there are the oldies but goodies from years past.
Retail toy sales in the United States hit $13.4 billion last year; video games accounted for another $13.5 billion. For 1990, industry analysts expect the figure for toys alone to rise to about $17 billion, despite a nationwide recession and the Middle East crisis.
“Parents will take sacrifices on themselves, rather than their kids,” said Jodi Levin of the Toy Manufacturers of America. “Most parents don’t consider toys a luxury. They’re looked at as important for kids.”
“There are no new blockbusters, but there are a lot of good new toys on the market,” observed Frank Reysen, editor of Playthings magazine.
Among the leaders:
Nintendo’s Game Boy and Super Mario series. The portable Game Boy ($90), which sold 5 million units last year, comes with Tetris, a video building-block puzzle game. Super Mario is an amusing video game series featuring a plumber from Brooklyn. It already has sold 31 million copies. Washington-based Nintendo’s latest offerings include Super Mario 3, in which the hero must restore seven magic wands to seven kings who have been turned into animals.
Monopoly Jr. This children’s edition of the world’s most popular board game is one of several junior versions of standard games on the market. From Parker Brothers of Beverly, Mass., this version is for ages 5 through 8. The board represents an amusement park where players set up ticket booths on fun areas, including the merry-go-round, pony rides and Ferris wheel. They collect money when other players land on their amusement rides. Money comes in small denominations--$1, $2 and $3 ($8.99).
Hot Wheels California Hot Watch. Mattel has put its long-popular Hot Wheels mini-sized racing car into a watch. The windshield of the car has an LCD that displays the date, time and a timer. The car can be removed for racing, then snapped back onto the band. Hot Watches come in six models and 12 colors ($8).
Go-Go My Walking Pup. This new mechanized shaggy dog from Hasbro moves forward and backward on its leash. Springs in the head allow it to move as the furry animal walks ($45.)
Scattergories. This Milton Bradley game challenges players to fill categories using words that all begin with the same letter before time runs out. Topics range from fictional characters to movies and song titles. For ages 12 and up. ($25). A Scattergories Junior is available for $12.
Koosh Ball and Koosh Kins. From OddzOn Products in Campbell, Calif., Koosh Ball is a rubber ball with more than 2,000 radiating filaments that make it bounce oddly; it came out in 1987 and is still popular ($4.95 to $5.95). The new Koosh Kins are like Koosh Balls but have funny faces and soft rubber hands that can grasp objects. The collection of six Koosh Kins characters come in several colors--Boingo, T.K., Grinby, GeeGee, Scopes and Slats. ($6.95-$7.95).
Record & Playback Telephone. This pay phone for preschoolers, from Fisher-Price in New York, comes with play money that children insert into a coin slot. After they push a number on a key pad, they can talk into the phone and it automatically plays back their message. ($42.)
Guard Dogs. Nasta Industries’ plush toy has a specially designed pouch in which children can store valuables. They put possessions in the pouch, zip it up and set a secret combination lock. If anyone picks up the dog or tries to open the pouch, the dog starts barking. ($19.95.)
GeoSafari. This game was developed by Educational Insights in Dominguez Hills, Calif., as a fun way for children--and adults--to learn geography. It has an electronic unit and map cards. The GeoSafari selects a quiz question and players have a limited time to answer. Flashing light and sound signal a correct answer. Basic GeoSafari comes with 20 maps. ($99.95; additional map packs cost $12.95).
Domino Rally Neon Super Deluxe Set. This game takes the old-time dominoes from black and white to dazzling neon. The new set from Pressman Toy Corp. in New York includes special pivot tracks, a helicopter with spinning propellers, and six whirling robots that set off rows of tumbling dominoes. Includes 204 dominoes in four neon colors, 78 neon pivot dominoes. ($25.)
