Toy Fair 2010's Hottest Products: Day 1

Now the family dog can join in on all the fun of Twitter. This high-tech attachment for a dog's collar detects the canine's barks and movements and translates those actions into pre-programmed tweets broadcast via Twitter. There are hundreds of possibilities of what Fido could "say," from commenting on catching his tail to begging his owner to come home soon. Puppy Tweets comes with a USB connector for the computer; the owner simply downloads software off the Internet and establishes a Twitter account for the dog. Launch date: Fall 2010.

Zhu Zhu Pets are designed as the world's first realistic, interactive, plush and artificially intelligent hamsters that actually talk and move around in their own playsets. This case of six individually packaged figures includes (subject to change): Baby Cakes, Peanut, Butter Cheeks, Pumkin, Muffin and Snickle Fritz. Launch date: February 2010.

This app-enabled, remote-controlled vehicle has video capability and features live transmission of video and audio to a color LCD panel and speaker on the remote. It comes preloaded with applications but can also be connected to a computer through a USB so that owners can create or modify apps online. It includes an SD card slot for recording, a speaker and microphone, and a software development kit for programming usage. Launch date: Fall 2010.

This single-player game puts the classic Scrabble game on the move, as the player shuffles and slides electronic letter tiles to form words within a minute. Equipped with Smart Tile Technology, Scrabble Flash Cubes reads words once the tiles are in place and keeps score accordingly. Launch date: Fall 2010.

Each bright crayon in this eight-pack can be used on a dry-erase surface and is said to erase cleanly and not dry out. The pack, which comes with an eraser mitt and crayon sharpener, includes red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown and black shades. Launch date: 2010.

Cartoon star. Theme park mascot. Worldwide icon. Dance star? Mickey Mouse takes on a new role with FISHER-PRICE’s new Dance Star Mickey Mouse. The interactive toy is quite an accomplished dancer, able to switch between Soul, Techno, Disco, and Latin dancing styles. Interactive activities, walking, and talking are also a part of this playful rodent’s repertoire.
Awards:  2010 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, Platinum.
— As of 1.07.2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars on Walmart.com and was the #12 bestselling item in the Dolls & Dollhouses category. Pros: Multiple songs; interactive. Cons: Possibly too fragile for very young children.

HASBRO follows up its Star Wars Darth Tater and Transformers Optimash Prime with Tony Starch, the Iron Man 2 version of Mr. Potato Head. The armored spud includes Iron Man boot, helmet, and chestplate pieces based on their appearance in the second movie. The toy also includes classic Mr. Potato Head nose, arms, and eyes to create more looks.

As part of LEGO’s entry into the board game category, Monster 4 combines the strategy and play of a game with the building and rebuilding of LEGO. In this game, players take control of and attempt to line up monsters, including werewolves and skeletons. Once children have mastered the basic game, they can use the included LEGO elements or bricks from their own collection to change the dice, board, and rules for endless gameplay possibilities. Launch date: March 2010

MATTEL’s Barbie Video Girl Doll promises to show girls the world through Barbie’s eyes via a video camera built inside the doll. Barbie’s necklace hides a camera lens while her back holds a color LCD screen capable of replaying video shot with the doll. Beyond simply shooting video, girls can edit the audio and visual elements of their videos with software downloaded from the Barbie website. Launch date: July 2010

FISHER-PRICE follows up its remote controlled Imaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur with the elusive yet irresistible Imaginext Bigfoot the Monster. Kids command Bigfoot with a foot-shaped remote, making him walk, flip, and express emotions. With just the press of a button, Bigfoot roars, snores, talks, eats, works out, and throws his ball. Launch date: June 2010.
— As of 1.07.2011 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars on Target.com and was listed as one of the site's bestsellers. Pros: Durable; Interactive; Entertaining.

Red Rover by MATTEL will have preschoolers laughing, running, and thinking as they try to help the titular pup. The game includes 12 bones, featuring shapes, numbers, letters, and colors, to be hidden around the room. Red Rover requests certain bones, and it is up to kids to rush around the room to find the proper bones. Preschoolers flex their bodies and minds as they rush to feed Red Rover before the other players. Launch date: July 2010.