NEWS – If you always wanted a dollhouse when you were a kid but never got one, now is your chance to change that as an adult. Robotime dollhouses are small 7-8in one room diorama kits that come with everything you need to create a cool miniature model of a study, greenhouse, and more. Each kit can take up to 20hrs or more to construct, and when you’re done, you can buy a special see through dust cover to protect it so it doesn’t get dirty and your kids won’t be able to play with it. Prices start at $27 and go up to $48 for each kit. Visit Robotime and Amazon for more info.
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REVIEW – Here’s something we don’t see very often these days… it’s a toy that doesn’t require an app or a user account in order to use it. Let’s take a look at the i-Top.
What is it?
i-Top is a… wait for it… top that spins. Yes, that’s what it is. It’s a spinning top for humans aged 7+ that features an automatic counter that turns it into a game that will keep you interested in playing with it.
Design and features
I’m not sure what’s up with the “i” designation as it does NOT require you to use an app and it’s not from Apple. The i-Top is made of semi-translucent plastic in several colors like the blue version that was sent to me.
The i-Top has a diameter of about 3.5 inches and has a spinner with a rubber covering to give it extra grip.
For the most part, it looks like a retro top that kids from before the age of video games and smartphones might have used. But don’t dismiss the i-Top because it packs some cool tech inside.
First of all, this top runs on batteries, so you know it’s going to do something worthy. It uses 2 coin cell CR2032 batteries which are pretty easy to find at any drug store or grocery store.
The top of the top (ha!) has a red LED one line display that shows counter that counts how the spins when you spin the top. But instead of talking about it, check out my quick demo video below.
See it in action
When you spin the i-Top it will first show the last spin count, then it will show the high spin count along with a live counter that counts up until the top stops spinning.
Besides just trying to get the highest count possible, you unlock special animations when you stop the spin at certain count numbers. For example, if you stop the i-Top when it gets to 214 spins, it will show a cupid animation (get it? 214… February 14th – Valentine’s day), 314 will show a Pi animation, 333 will show a diamond animation and more. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to capture any of these animations in a video because it’s hard to stop the spinner on an exact number. But I guess that is what makes the i-Top fun to play with. You keep wanting to try it again and again.
You can even add your high score to the i-Top challenge website for a chance to win prizes. My all-time high score is 447 spins, so I have a LONG way to go to get on the leaderboard.
What I like
Easy to play
Does not require the internet, apps, etc.
Trying to unlock special animations keeps the toy fun and challenging
What needs to be improved
Nothing
Final thoughts
When I was offered a sample of the i-Top to review, I thought it would be a quick and easy review, but I didn’t realize how much fun spinning a top could be. I have been spinning the i-Top several times a day trying to beat my current high score. Trying it on different surfaces to see what works best and trying to unlock the special animations. It’s a fun toy for kids and adults and it beats fidget spinners by a mile!
Price: $16.99 Where to buy: Amazon Source: The sample for this review was provided by Goliath Games.
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NEWS – Did you have Hot Wheels cars as a kid? I had a few of the cars, but I wasn’t lucky enough to have any of the track sets that would let me create my own race track setups. But after seeing the Hot Wheel Zoom In, I have a strong urge to order some cars and track. The Zoom In is a specially designed Hot Wheel base that holds a GoPro HERO or HERO5 camera so you can capture first-person video of what it would be like to actually drive on your race tracks. Even better, it’s only $6.99 from Amazon.
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NEWS – Surfer Dudes look like a miniature surfboard and surfer dude or dudette. These beach toys have been specially designed to automatically return to you when you throw them out into the ocean. This makes them the perfect toy to take with you on your next trip to the beach. Your kids (and even you) will have fun throwing them into the water just to watch them surf the waves back to you every time with perfect balance.
Surfer Dudes are made of ABS plastic and closed foam so they won’t sink. They come in a variety of colors and are priced at $19.99 each. You can order one from The Grommet or Amazon.
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Barbie has been around for years, and she’s had hundreds of jobs and thousands of outfits and accessories. Today, she has fancy remote-controlled cars and multi-level houses, but back in the day, her accessories were simple and required using your imagination. Mattel has harkened back to a simpler time with the reintroduction of the 1962 Dream House.
Closed up, the house has a mid-century house design, and it stores and transports the furnishings. Open it, and you’ll find Barbie’s living room, complete with hi-fi stereo/tv console and slimline furniture you assemble yourself. And unlike those modern Dream Houses, this one comes complete with a period-appropriate Barbie doll.
Barbie’s 1962 Reproduction Dream House with doll is available for $99.99 from Amazon.
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