The Toys Store

In December 2007, J.K. Rowling unveiled The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a very special book of five fairy tales illustrated by the bard herself, embellished with silver ornaments and mounted moonstones. Amazon was fortunate to come into possession of one of the original copies, and it was our privilege to share images and reviews of this incredible artifact. Now J.K. Rowling is giving millions of Harry Potter fans worldwide cause for celebration with a new edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard, available December 4, 2008.

Offering the trademark wit and imagination familiar to Rowling's legions of readers--as well as Aesop's wisdom and the occasional darkness of the Brothers Grimm--each of these five tales reveals a lesson befitting children and parents alike: the strength gained with a trusted friendship, the redemptive power of love, and the true magic that exists in the hearts of all of us. Rowling's new introduction also comments on the personal lessons she has taken from the Tales, noting that the characters in Beedle's collection "take their fates into their own hands, rather than taking a prolonged nap or waiting for someone to return a lost shoe," and "that magic causes as much trouble as it cures."

But the true jewel of this new edition is the enlightening and comprehensive commentary (including extensive footnotes!) by Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, who brings his unique wizard's-eye perspective to the collection. Discovered "among the many papers which Dumbledore left in his will to the Hogwarts Archives," the venerable wizard's ruminations on the Tales allow today's readers to place them in the context of 16th century Muggle society, even allowing that "Beedle was somewhat out of step with his times in preaching a message of brotherly love for Muggles" during the era of witch hunts that would eventually drive the wizarding community into self-imposed exile. In fact, versions of the same stories told in wizarding households would shock many for their uncharitable treatment of their Muggle characters.

Professor Dumbledore also includes fascinating historical backstory, including tidbits such as the history and pursuit of magic wands, a brief comment on the Dark Arts and its practitioners, and the struggles with censorship that eventually led "a certain Beatrix Bloxam" to cleanse the Tales of "much of the darker themes that she found distasteful," forever altering the meaning of the stories for their Muggle audience. Dumbledore also allows us a glimpse of his personal relationship to the Tales, remarking that it was through "Babbity Rabbity and Her Cackling Stump" that "many of us [wizards] first discovered that magic could not bring back the dead."

Both a wise and delightful addition to the Harry Potter canon, this new translation of The Tales of Beedle the Bard is all that fans could hope for and more--and an essential volume for the libraries of Muggles, wizards, and witches, both young and old.

The Children's Voice Campaign
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is published by The Children’s High Level Group (CHLG), registered charity number 1112575, a charity co-founded in 2005 by J.K. Rowling and Emma Nicholson MEP to make life better for vulnerable children.

All net proceeds from the sale will be donated to The Children's Voice campaign.

The Children's Voice campaign is run by CHLG. It campaigns for child rights across Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe where over a million children and teenagers are growing up in institutions, often in unacceptable conditions. In most cases they are without adequate human or emotional contact and stimulation, while many only just survive without life's basics such as adequate shelter and food.

CHLG's Children's Voice campaign helps around a quarter of a million children each year through education activities; outreach work in institutions; and a dedicated telephone and email help line.

Also Available: The Collector's Edition, Offered Exclusively by Amazon
Amazon is thrilled to be the exclusive seller of the Collector's Edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard featuring an exclusive reproduction of J.K. Rowling's handwritten introduction, 10 new illustrations, metalwork and clasp, replica gemstones, and tucked in its own case disguised as a wizarding textbook from the Hogwarts library. (Available in limited quantities)

Standard Edition Product Features:
   • All five fairy tales from the original The Tales of Beedle the Bard
   • A new introduction by J.K. Rowling
   • Illustrations reproduced from the original handcrafted book
   • Commentary on each of the tales by Professor Albus Dumbledore

Read this review and description in: Italian | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Spanish [PDF]

Amazon Reviews the Original Handcrafted Edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard
The following is Amazon's original December 2007 review. Please note that the review and images below pertain to the handmade book purchased at auction:

There is no easy way to define the experience of seeing, holding, or reading J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard, so let's just start with one word: "Whoa." The very fact of its existence (an artifact pulled straight out of a novel) is magical, not to mention the facts that only seven copies exist in all the world and each of the never-before-told tales is handwritten and illustrated by J.K. Rowling herself (and it's quite clear from the first few pages that she has some skill as an artist). Rowling's handwriting is like the familiar scrawl of a favorite aunt--it's not hard to read, but it does require attention--allowing you to take it slow and savor the mystery of each next word.

So how do you review one of the most remarkable tomes you've ever had the pleasure of opening? You just turn each page and allow yourself to be swept away by each story. You soak up the simple tales that read like Aesop's fables and echo the themes of the series; you follow every dip and curve of Rowling's handwriting and revel in every detail that makes the book unique--a slight darkening of a letter here, a place where the writing nearly runs off the page there. You take all that and you try and bring it to life, knowing that you will never be able to do it justice. With that, let's dig in and begin at the beginning, shall we? --Daphne Durham

Caution: the full reviews contain spoilers!
Please note that the review and images below pertain to the handmade book purchased at auction in December 2007.

"The Wizard and the Hopping Pot"	"The Fountain of Fair Fortune"	"The Warlock's Hairy Heart"	"Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump"	"The Tale of the Three Brothers"

More images from the original handcrafted edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Please note that these are images of the handcrafted book purchased at auction in December 2007. Click thumbnails to open full-size images in a new window. See more on our original The Tales of Beedle the Bard pages.

The Beedle the Bard Ballad Writing Contest
Amazon customers have spoken, and out of thousands of entrants, you have chosen Rhiannon D. of Australia as the winner of the Beedle the Bard Ballad Writing Contest, sending her and a friend on a trip for two to London, England and a weekend with The Tales of Beedle the Bard. See her Grand Prize winning entry, as well as all of the other delightful semifinalist submissions.

Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling
"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I’m sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Rediscover the Complete Harry Potter Series

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Hardcover Deluxe Hardcover

Why We Love Harry: Our Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him. * When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists. * Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards. * Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius. * Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother. * The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. * Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. * The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them. * Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it. * Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge. * Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming. * Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone. * Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. * Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape. * Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* The introduction of the Horcrux. * Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition. "Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur’s answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles. * Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling’s most ingenious inventions. * Fred and George Weasley’s Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!" * Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator. * The effects of Felix Felicis.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

* The revelation of Snape's nature (especially Snape’s Patronus and the emotion behind it). It serves as a reminder that it is love (requited or not) in all its forms that drives many of our actions. * Harry asking if the conversation with Dumbledore was real or happening in his head, and Dumbledore responding "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" * Ron gifting Harry a book on dating witches, a subtle reminder that they are still teens, after all.

Visit the Harry Potter Store
Can't get enough of Harry, Ron, and Hermione? Our Harry Potter Store features all things Harry, including books, audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more.

Inside each plastic sphere is a fearsome warrior apparatus. View larger.

There are many colors and varieties of Bakugan to collect. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Wide variety of Bakugan make them fun for kids to trade and collect The Bad: No instructions with some toys In a Nutshell: Clever and exciting interactive game that kids will enjoy even if they're not familiar with the TV show At a Glance Ages: 4 and up

NOTE: The Bakugan Battle Pack includes a random selection of six Bakugan warriors. It also includes eight metal cards and instructions. It does not include the optional Bakugan Launcher.

Ready, Set, Play!
The mission of Bakugan game play is to battle against other Bakugan to win the points awarded on the cards by getting your Bakugan to land on card. Players will love pretending to be one of the various characters in the show, such as the fiery 12-year-old leader "Dan" or the wise "Marucho," and they gain a deeper understanding of the cards and warriors as they play.

The Battle Pack includes instructions, making it an ideal way for newbies to get started with this fun and exciting game. The game itself is fairly straightforward, but if your child has never played before, you might have to help him or her to understand the rules -- after reading and understanding them yourself. While some of the plastic Bakugan pieces are small and could easily get lost, others, like the Bakugan Deka, are as big as a softball.

If your child is already a Bakugan fan, the Battle Pack is a good investment. This set comes with six randomly selected Bakugan and eight magnetic cards. Your child will love how this set dramatically increases their collection of Bakugan! He or she can also use the Battle Pack to play with his friends who might not have any Bakugan of their own.

Exciting Magnetic Action
The Bakugan come in lots of colors and varieties that make them fun to collect and trade. Most of them are pocket-sized and easy for your child to carry around and bring over to their friend's houses. Having a magnet that activates the warriors is a clever idea that adds excitement to the game. The Bakugan Launcher (sold separately) is a great accessory, with three shooting modes ("curve," "angle, and "distance"), but it doesn't come with any instructions.

Room for the Imagination
We like that this that this game combines skill (aiming your Bakugan) with strategy (placement of the cards). We also enjoyed the way the warriors pop open on the magnetic cards -- although sometimes they do it even when they don't land on the cards. Being unfamiliar with the TV show, we felt a little lost at first in the world of Bakugan. But with the help of the colorful, animated Bakugan Web site, we got the gist of what the game is about and how to play. Our attempts to fire the launcher proved somewhat difficult and instructions would have helped. But the launcher isn't necessary. Kids can simply roll the Bakugan like marbles for a fun and action-packed game with their friends.

The Hyper Dash helps kids develop basic math and color and number recognition skills. View larger.

The Hyper Dash uses RFID to wirelessly recognize targets. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Award-winning way to stay active; improves listening, memory and math skills The Bad: Plastic unit may not hold up to lots and lots of rough play In a Nutshell: Hyper Dash is a fun way for kids to exercise their bodies and their minds At a Glance Ages: 6 and up Requires: 3 AA batteries

Fast, Easy Set-Up
The only set-up required is to install three AA batteries. Opening the battery compartment requires a small Phillips head screw driver, which means an adult needs to change the batteries. This keeps batteries in the right place during active play, but it also means that changing batteries on the fly requires you to have a screwdriver with you.

The manual is clear and concise, with descriptions of how to play and a list of all the special commands the Hyper Voice issues, so any child can be up and running in just a few minutes. There's no button to turn the unit off, but it quickly shuts itself off when not in use to save battery life.

Getting Moving Quickly
The electronic tagger plays upbeat music and calls out voice commands to control the game, while players following the commands race against the clock to tag targets identified by color and number. Kids can play solo, up to four players can compete head-to-head, or up to eight players can work cooperatively in teams of two. There's even a level where kids need to solve addition and subtraction problems to figure out which target to strike next.

With no complex set-up and no complicated directions to follow, younger children get started playing Hyper Dash quickly. Since players control where the five targets are positioned, there are infinite ways to play Hyper Dash. Combined with the fact that Hyper Dash offers four games to choose from with increasingly difficult levels to master, and it's easy to see why even older, more experienced players (including parents!) stay excited about this game.

Four-Games-in-One
The original game, Hyper Dash, features the Hyper Voice calling out commands. Four different levels allow the players' skills to progress. Level one includes only colors in the calls. The calls on level two are a little faster and include both colors and numbers, while level three adds special commands like "Double Strike," "Triple Strike," and "Reverse. " Level four features the "CompuStrike" call, which require kids to solve basic math problems, such as "four plus one" or "three minus two. "

In Team Dash, a special command indicates when the Hyper Dash unit should be handed off, turning the race against the clock into a relay. The games Micro Dash and Team Micro Dash set out sequences that get progressively longer and trickier, providing a challenging test of memory.

The Hyper Dash unit keeps track of times and scores, and the Hyper Voice announces the winner at the end of the game, cutting down on arguments. With only one Hyper Dash tagger, kids will have to wait their turn to play in multiple player games. This can be both a lesson in patience and an opportunity to cheer others on.

RFID Technology for a Flexible, Durable Game
Hyper Dash uses radio frequency identification (RFID) to recognize the targets. The same technology is used to track packages and to identify books and DVDs in many libraries. This means that a wireless signal connects the Hyper Dash unit and the targets, so there's no need to strike targets with force.

While the Hyper Dash tagger unit seems incredibly durable, it is made of plastic. Just because RFID technology means kids can tag targets lightly, it doesn't mean they will. Our one concern about the game is the possibility that hard play will damage the tagger over time.

With RFID, there's no limit to how far apart you set the targets. You can set them up at opposite ends of a football field for a serious test of endurance, or close together requiring fancy footwork. You can even them up next to each other to see who has the quickest hands. This flexibility makes Hyper Dash appropriate for both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Award-Winning Educational Fun
Kids have so much fun playing Hyper Dash that they don't realize how much they're learning. Parents will love the way Hyper Dash combines active play with lessons that support color and number recognition, basic math skills. The game's format also inspires better listening and improves kids' coordination. It's no wonder that Hyper Dash has won an iParenting Award and a Seal of Excellence Award from Creative Child Magazine, along with several other honors recognizing it as an innovative, educational toy.

Not Your Average Board Game
Blokus encourages creative thinking and has received a Mensa award for promoting healthy brain activity. The goal of this game is for players to fit all of their pieces onto the board. When placing a piece it may not lie adjacent to the player's other pieces, but must be placed touching at least one corner of their pieces already on the board. The player who gets rid of all of their tiles first is the winner and strategic thinking helps as you block moves from your opponent. Blokus sometimes comes to an end because there are no more possible moves.

Four players make this abstract game especially fast and exciting; however, it can be just as fun for two or three players. Blokus has come up with a number of different ways to play the game to make it more thrilling when playing with less than four players. Draft Blokus allows a player to use more than one color and Reverse Blokus reverses the entire game so that the person who places the least amount of tiles on the board is the winner. It can even be played in a solitaire version when one player attempts to place all of their pieces in a single sitting. A game of Blokus typically lasts a 30 minutes. As a practical feature, raised edges on the board help keep the tiles in place and allow convenient clean-up. This game includes 84 pieces in four vibrant colors, an instruction guide, and one gameboard with 400 squares.

Blokus is simple to understand, but the game's complexity is revealed shortly after everyone begins to play. It can be addictive, even for those not normally into abstract games. Blokus is a catalyst for spatial thinking, as players form images in their mind before placing the pieces on the board. Children and adults can play together for hours of competitive family fun. As Europe's 2003 Game of the Year, Blokus is adored by many and even played in professional tournaments.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Fun family game combines chance, strategy, and financial savvy The Bad: Electronic banking prevents cheating In a Nutshell: A contemporary twist on the best-selling board game At a Glance Ages: 8 and older Requires: 2 AA batteries; 2-6 players

Updated pieces and properties give this special edition a truly global feel. View larger.

Electronic banking eliminates bill counting. View Larger.

Get Ready for a Global Financial Game
Getting ready to play is as easy as familiarizing yourself with the rules and inserting two AA batteries (not included) into the banker unit. Even though the electronic unit does all the hard work, you'll still need to assign one player to be the banker. This person will be in charge of handling the banker unit, the title deed cards, houses, hotels, and deals throughout the game. Each player will need to pick a mover piece and a monopoly credit card before the game begins.

The rules of play are simple. On each turn, a player rolls the dice and moves that number of squares. When you land on an open property, you have the option to buy it. If another player owns the property, you'll have to pay them rent. Special spaces allow you to draw a community chest or chance card, require you to pay taxes, or send you jail. Once you own all the properties in a color group, you can build houses and hotels on them, increasing their value. Options like mortgaging property or trading it to your creditors keep the game interesting if you start running out of cash.

Traditionally, the game continues until only one player remains. However, the instructions also offer options for speeding the game along. You may appreciate playing for a set amount of time, since the world record for the longest Monopoly is 70 days!

Unique Pieces Bring the World of Monopoly up to Speed
Here and Now: The World Edition of Monopoly features cities from around across the globe, including New York, London, Shanghai, and Istanbul. Before the game was produced, millions of people from all over the world voted on which cities should be included. Each property space is completed with a colorful photograph, which makes the board itself a unique centerpiece and conversation starter. Traditional utilities and railroads have been replaced with modern transportation options and renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power.

Six movers are chosen at random from the 24 available pieces for inclusion in each game. You might find a windmill, a soccer ball, or a kangaroo in your set. Similarly, the houses and hotels have been updated to reflect international structures. Another nice touch is the community chest and chance cards featuring quick "Did you know?" facts. These let you learn tidbits about Rio Carnival, Munich's traditional Christmas market, the earliest British "passport," and more while you play.

Electronic Banking Comes to the Monopoly World
Perhaps the biggest addition to this version is electronic money management. The banker unit offers two slots--one for paying money and one for receiving money. You'll have to keep tabs on the millions (M) and thousands (K) when entering numbers, and make sure each card is inserted correctly, but overall, the unit makes handling transactions easy. It also makes taking a break from a game and coming back to it later simple by saving player information until you clear it.

Another exciting feature of the electronic unit is the way it monitors deals. If a player lands on an unowned property and doesn't want to buy it for the asking price, then the banker must auction that property to the highest bidder. The deal button on the banker unit randomly times each auction, so players don't know if they have 13 or 50 seconds to try and outsmart other bidders.

All these features ensure that this edition will be a big a hit with new and veteran Monopoly players alike, making it a great pick for game night.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Machine gun-style Nerf gun fires multiple shots per second The Bad: The included 25 darts run out fast; gun is a bit too heavy for running around with In a Nutshell: A great addition to any Nerf artillery, the Vulcan EVF-25 provides an advantage thanks to the sheer force of shooting 25 darts in ten seconds At a Glance Ages: 6 and up Requires: 6 D batteries

This large, brightly colored Nerf gun shoots 3 darts per second.View larger.

25-shot belt feeds through the gun for a rapid-fire onslaught. View larger.

Full Auto Design Gives You a Quick-Firing Advantage
The first thing we noticed when we took the EBF-25 out of the box was how substantial it was. The gun itself was large, brightly colored in yellow and orange, and heavy enough for it to be a burden for quick missions; accessories included a tripod, ammobox, and ammobelt. The instruction booklet did a good job of describing the assembly process, which took about ten minutes. There is a handle that allows you to easily carry the gun around, but we would have appreciated a strap even more.

The darts are held inside an ammobox in a 25-shot belt, which is fed through the gun. You'll feel like Rambo when you carry the gun, or sit it on its tripod for taking out enemies by the bucketload. After we'd installed the required six D batteries (not included), we pulled the trigger to see the gun work methodically through our belt of darts. It took only 10 seconds to blast through the included 25 darts, flinging them thirty feet across the room. We wished there were more darts included in the box since it seemed a bit silly that we needed to spend a few minutes to pick up the ammo, and then reload them onto the belt, after shooting for only about ten seconds. A refill pack can be purchased separately, which, we think, would be a wise investment if you want to effectively beat your enemies.

The gun also has a single-shot mode that lets you shoot with extra precision. Rather than battery powered, you have to pull back on a spring-loaded lever, and then use the trigger release lever to shoot the dart. In our experience, you can achieve a little bit more distance this way than with the auto-fire mode.

Tactical Rail System Allows for Fun Additions
The Vulcan EBF-25 features the Nerf Tactical Rail System, allowing it to use most N-Strike accessories, such as the night vision Tactical light accessory for night-time missions.

For those interested in Nerf-fights, the Vulcan EBF-25 should be in everyone's artillery; the rapid-fire design gives players the advantage when engaging the enemy, and is ideal when it can be used on the back of a moving vehicle, or a stationary setting.

Inside each plastic sphere is a fearsome warrior apparatus. View larger.

There are many colors and varieties of Bakugan to collect. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Wide variety of Bakugan make them fun for kids to trade and collect The Bad: No instructions with some toys In a Nutshell: Clever and exciting interactive game that kids will enjoy even if they're not familiar with the TV show At a Glance Ages: 4 and up

NOTE: This Bakugan Starter Pack includes a random selection of three Bakugan warriors. It also includes three metal cards and instructions. It does not include the optional Bakugan Launcher.

Ready, Set, Play!
The mission of Bakugan game play is to battle against other Bakugan to win the points awarded on the cards by getting your Bakugan to land on card. Players will love pretending to be one of the various characters in the show, such as the fiery 12-year-old leader "Dan" or the wise "Marucho," and they gain a deeper understanding of the cards and warriors as they play.

The Starter Pack includes instructions, making it an ideal way for newbies to get started with this fun and exciting game. The game itself is fairly straightforward, but if your child has never played before, you might have to help him or her to understand the rules -- after reading and understanding them yourself. While some of the plastic Bakugan pieces are small and could easily get lost, others, like the Bakugan Deka, are as big as a softball.

The Starter Pack comes with three Bakugan and three cards -- perfect for kids who are new to the game and who want to try it out. The illustrated instructions are easy to follow.

Exciting Magnetic Action
The Bakugan come in lots of colors and varieties that make them fun to collect and trade. Most of them are pocket-sized and easy for your child to carry around and bring over to their friend's houses. Having a magnet that activates the warriors is a clever idea that adds excitement to the game. The Bakugan Launcher (sold separately) is a great accessory, with three shooting modes ("curve," "angle, and "distance"), but it doesn't come with any instructions.

Room for the Imagination
We like that this that this game combines skill (aiming your Bakugan) with strategy (placement of the cards). We also enjoyed the way the warriors pop open on the magnetic cards -- although sometimes they do it even when they don't land on the cards. Being unfamiliar with the TV show, we felt a little lost at first in the world of Bakugan. But with the help of the colorful, animated Bakugan Web site, we got the gist of what the game is about and how to play. Our attempts to fire the launcher proved somewhat difficult and instructions would have helped. But the launcher isn't necessary. Kids can simply roll the Bakugan like marbles for a fun and action-packed game with their friends.

Just move your body side to side to get the Razor PowerWing moving.

You'll be delighted with the maneuverability of the PowerWing, while your friends will be astounded at its virtually unlimited trick potential. Other details include a sturdy steel frame, loop-out stoppers for better control, and a weight limit of 143 pounds. Suitable for ages 5 and older, the PowerWing measures 30 by 22 by 31.5 inches (L x W x H).

Key Features:

• For ages 5+
• 143-pound weight limit
• Measures 30 by 22 by 31.5 inches (Lx W x H)
• Rear caster wheels
• 125mm polyurethane front wheel
• High-performance ABEC-5 bearings
• Patent pending brake system
• Steel frame
• Loop-out stoppers

Red LEDs can be turned on or off for maximum surveillance or for stealth. View larger.

Soft rubber ensures a secure and comfortable fit. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Experience the thrill of real night vision technology. The Bad: The display screen will leave you wanting more. In a Nutshell: A fun and entertaining toy that will keep older kids entertained for hours. At a Glance Ages: 8 and up Requires: 5 AAA batteries

Darkness Is Your Ally...
With the EyeClops Night Vision goggles, your child can explore dark environments with advanced infrared technology. Set-up is easy. Simply insert five AA batteries into the battery pack at the back of the head-set, and slide the power switch to turn on the goggles. Once the screen display lights up inside of the right eye-piece, you can fit the goggles to your child's head by adjusting the soft rubber straps around top and sides.

EyeClops Night Vision goggles come equipped with a hinged, flip-up eye-piece that can be opened when the goggles are turned off, or closed when the goggles are in use. Your child can choose between the maximum surveillance mode which emits a barely-visible ring of red LEDs around the eyepiece so they can see up to 50 feet in absolute darkness, or go for the stealth mode to remain completely invisible while they explore the dark landscape immediately around them. A small switch on the side of the goggle head-set allows them to switch from a black-and-white to a green screen display.

Enhance Your Nighttime Stealth Operations
The futuristic design of the durable plastic head-piece adds to the fun of these exciting night vision goggles. Soft rubber molding around the goggles and adjustable straps across the top and sides makes them comfortable and easy to wear.

While the EyeClops Night Vision goggles provide a crisp, clear image of dark landscapes, they should always be used under adult supervision. Because the display screen is small and provides limited peripheral vision, these goggles should only be used in environments that are free of potential tripping hazards. As a nice safety feature, the goggles' handy flip-up eye-piece over the left eye provides immediate access to normal vision if your child becomes disoriented or needs to take a break from viewing through the small display screen located in the right eye-piece.

Durable and lightweight, these fun goggles work so well that you might just find yourself borrowing them from your child so you can have your turn enjoying some super stealth, covert nighttime missions of you own!