Toys

You Can Build This Creepy, Crawly Robotic Centipede Yourself—and Then Stomp It Back to Hell

Designing robots that emulate how creatures move and walk helps us not only understand the world around us, but also improve how automatons of the future will get around. But on the other hand, that same research has given birth to this creepy centipede robot toy that squirms around on 18 flailing legs like a…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski

Jell-O’s New ‘Special Recipe’ Kit Lets You Make Jiggly Blocks That Stack Like Lego

Lego might be the most popular toy on Earth, but it’s about to get some stiff (jiggly?) competition from Kraft-Heinz, which just tweaked the recipe of its Jell-O gelatin mix, making it thicker and sturdier. It’s only available in new Jell-O Play kits that also include plastic molds for making squishy bricks that can be…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski

Now There’s a Water Gun That Shoots Liquid Bullets and Refills Itself

Until the Super Soaker came along in 1990, water guns hadn’t changed much in over a century. But the Super Soaker was 28 years ago, and a group of German engineers and designers think it’s finally time for water guns to evolve again. They’ve created the self-filling Spyra One that fires quick bursts of water…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski

Nerf’s New Laser Tag Blasters Ditched the Darts, and I Don’t Miss Them

Over-the-top Nerf battles are a fun and (mostly) painless way to determine who in the office has to buy the donuts this week. What’s not so fun is having to hunt down every last missing dart afterwards. Hasbro’s eliminated that hassle with its new Laser Ops Pro blasters; an updated version of laser tag that…

Other Gadgets Andrew Liszewski

This Kit Uses a Motion-Sensing Wand to Teach Kids Code – No Hogwarts Required

Kano’s first product was a computer that kids could build as easily as a Lego set, helping to demystify the technologies we obsess over. The company’s next product is a buildable, motion-sensing wand that swaps spells for simple programming making it easy for kids to conjure up magical interactions with a flick of the wrist—and…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski

All of Saturday’s Spectacular New Trailers and News From San Diego Comic-Con 2018

Saturday is always a huge day at Comic-Con, and this year was no exception, as Warner Bros. came to rule the roost with an earth-shattering Hall H panel, including trailers for Aquaman, Godzlla, Shazam, and more. But that wasn’t all—as ever, there was so much news, and io9 is here to help you catch up…

io9 James Whitbrook

All of Friday’s News, Trailers, and More From San Diego Comic-Con 2018

You guys, so much happened at Comic-Con yesterday I’m not even sure I know what’s going on anymore. What is time? What is space? What is existence? I don’t have the answers to these questions, but I do have every bit of news, trailers, and all the rest of io9’s coverage of everything that happened…

io9 James Whitbrook

Homestar Runner’s Trogdor Is Coming to Burninate Board Game Night

The Brothers Chaps’ Homestar Runner cartoons are one of the few good things to ever come from this internet thing. It introduced the world to countless quotable characters, but few became as immediately popular as the S-shaped, one-armed, flying, burninating dragon called Trogdor, who’s now starring in his very own board game. In the aptly-named,…

Games Andrew Liszewski

Mego Makes a Nostalgic Return, and More of the Best Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s weekly round up of the toys that we’ll be buying immediately after we’re done staring at everything at San Diego Comic-Con next week. While there’s all that ahead of us, right now we’ve got Lego Movie 2 sets, a very stylish Half Life hero, and, as always, adorable porgs.…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski

After 60 Years, Brio Has Reinvented Its Toy Trains for the Future

Brio’s magnetic wooden trains are as iconic a toy as Lego bricks or Hot Wheels cars. Traditionally kid-powered, a few years ago electric motors were introduced to the line, but this year Brio trains are being upgraded with smart features that allow them to interact with tracks and playsets. Don’t hit the panic alarm just…

Other Gadgets Andrew Liszewski

A Cavalcade of Gorgeous Marvel Hot Toys, and More of the Fanciest Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular roundup of all things toys. This week, San Diego Comic-Con marches ever closer with even more exclusives, Batman Ninja strikes at your shelf, and Nerf is getting into laser tag. Check it out! Hot Toys Ant-Man and the Wasp Sixth-Scale Wasp Figure Evangeline Lilly… is that you? We…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski

I’m in Awe of This Four-Foot Nerf Bazooka That Fires Pool Noodle Rockets

In recent years, Nerf has added some gigantic blasters to its lineup, at times necessitating the need for a shoulder strap. But they still can’t compare to one of YouTube’s Ryan & David’s recent creations: a four-foot long custom-built bazooka that fires oversized darts made from pool noodles. It’s reminiscent of Mark Rober’s world’s biggest Nerf…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski

The Animated Justice League Assembles, and More of the World’s Finest Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular round up of the coolest toys we’ve seen on this here internet lately. This week: Comic-Con exclusive mania continues, Fantastic Beasts finds itself an extremely clever Lego set, and the best incarnation of the Justice League assembles on your toy shelf. Check it out! Lego Batman Mech vs.…

io9 Andrew Liszewski

Transforming Dino-Cassettes Join a Retro ’80s Bumblebee For This Comic-Con Exclusive

It’s hard to lament Comic-Con’s lack of focus on actual comic books when the convention also brings us some of the best and exclusive collectible toys of the year. In addition to new figures of Star Wars’ latest heroes, Hasbro will be tapping Transformers fans’ wallets with a new Bumblebee set featuring a retro gold…

io9 Andrew Liszewski

Lego’s Next Minifigure Collection Is a Harry Potter Treasure Trove

It’s time to hone your squeezing and feeling skills because Lego’s next blind-bagged minifigures collection arrives August 1 with 22 new characters from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. If only “Aparecium,” the revealing charm, worked on tiny foil bags, too. Drawing from the Harry Potter books and movies, the new collection, which will set…

io9 Andrew Liszewski

Flying Saucer Toy Recalled For Teaching Kids That Nazis Achieved Space Travel

If you’ve ever watched the History Channel at 3AM, you know that the Nazis had a secret program during World War II to develop flying saucers. The Nazi’s UFO experiments never actually flew, but the model toy company Revell recently released a set in Germany that makes it look like one of the Nazi saucers…

Tech News Matt Novak

Even More Weird and Wonderful Comic-Con Exclusives, and the Rest of the Best Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular roundup of the newest, coolest toys we want to add to our collections. This week’s entries might be a bit hard to acquire though—because truly, San Diego Comic-Con exclusive season is upon us. We’ve got creepy Yodas! Aquamen! Spaceship cockpits! Oh, and a Swedish chef. Take a look!…

Toys & Collectibles Andrew Liszewski

A World of Toys Comes to Life in Robert Zemeckis’ True Story Welcome to Marwen

The true story that inspired Welcome to Marwen is a harrowing one. A man was nearly beaten to death outside of a bar and lost most of his memories. During recovery, he used handmade dolls to create a fantasy world in his backyard and took photos to document its story. It’s a sad but interesting…

io9 Germain Lussier

You Can Rearrange the Letters and Spell Out Any Message On This Scrabble Tile Rack Lamp

The most effective way to tell your co-workers you don’t want to be bothered is to close your office door. But if you’re stuck in cubicle purgatory, that’s not an option. Instead, try this Scrabble tile rack desk lamp that lets you spell out seven-letter warnings like ‘GO AWAY’, ‘NOT NOW’, or other, blunter messages…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski

The PS4 Spider-Man Heads to Your Toy Shelf, and More of the Most Spectacular Toys of the Week

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular round-up of all the shiny things we’ve wanted to spend our savings on recently. This week, we’ve got some very cool Voltron, Star Wars, and Batman Beyond toys heading to San Diego Comic-Con, a lovely little Pokémon pal, and a most impressive Sith Lord. Check it out! Hasbro Marvel…

io9 Andrew Liszewski

You Can Build This Creepy, Crawly Robotic Centipede Yourself—and Then Stomp It Back to Hell

Jell-O’s New ‘Special Recipe’ Kit Lets You Make Jiggly Blocks That Stack Like Lego

Now There’s a Water Gun That Shoots Liquid Bullets and Refills Itself

Nerf’s New Laser Tag Blasters Ditched the Darts, and I Don’t Miss Them

This Kit Uses a Motion-Sensing Wand to Teach Kids Code – No Hogwarts Required

All of Saturday’s Spectacular New Trailers and News From San Diego Comic-Con 2018

All of Friday’s News, Trailers, and More From San Diego Comic-Con 2018

Homestar Runner’s Trogdor Is Coming to Burninate Board Game Night

Mego Makes a Nostalgic Return, and More of the Best Toys of the Week

After 60 Years, Brio Has Reinvented Its Toy Trains for the Future

A Cavalcade of Gorgeous Marvel Hot Toys, and More of the Fanciest Toys of the Week

I’m in Awe of This Four-Foot Nerf Bazooka That Fires Pool Noodle Rockets

The Animated Justice League Assembles, and More of the World’s Finest Toys of the Week

Transforming Dino-Cassettes Join a Retro ’80s Bumblebee For This Comic-Con Exclusive

Lego’s Next Minifigure Collection Is a Harry Potter Treasure Trove

Flying Saucer Toy Recalled For Teaching Kids That Nazis Achieved Space Travel

Even More Weird and Wonderful Comic-Con Exclusives, and the Rest of the Best Toys of the Week

A World of Toys Comes to Life in Robert Zemeckis’ True Story Welcome to Marwen

You Can Rearrange the Letters and Spell Out Any Message On This Scrabble Tile Rack Lamp

The PS4 Spider-Man Heads to Your Toy Shelf, and More of the Most Spectacular Toys of the Week

Even the ‘Avatar’ Fighting Game Is Disrespecting ‘Legend of Korra’

Bluesky Has a New App, and It’s All About AI

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor And an Action Figure!

Whatever Just Happened with ‘Fruit Love Island,’ Nobody Won

AMC Puts a Stake in ‘Talamasca’ After One Season

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

2027 Is Shaping Up to Be a Great Year for Big Sci-Fi RPGs

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...

Toys

You Can Build This Creepy, Crawly Robotic Centipede Yourself—and Then Stomp It Back to Hell

Jell-O’s New ‘Special Recipe’ Kit Lets You Make Jiggly Blocks That Stack Like Lego

Now There’s a Water Gun That Shoots Liquid Bullets and Refills Itself

Nerf’s New Laser Tag Blasters Ditched the Darts, and I Don’t Miss Them

This Kit Uses a Motion-Sensing Wand to Teach Kids Code – No Hogwarts Required

All of Saturday’s Spectacular New Trailers and News From San Diego Comic-Con 2018

All of Friday’s News, Trailers, and More From San Diego Comic-Con 2018

Homestar Runner’s Trogdor Is Coming to Burninate Board Game Night

Mego Makes a Nostalgic Return, and More of the Best Toys of the Week

After 60 Years, Brio Has Reinvented Its Toy Trains for the Future

A Cavalcade of Gorgeous Marvel Hot Toys, and More of the Fanciest Toys of the Week

I’m in Awe of This Four-Foot Nerf Bazooka That Fires Pool Noodle Rockets

The Animated Justice League Assembles, and More of the World’s Finest Toys of the Week

Transforming Dino-Cassettes Join a Retro ’80s Bumblebee For This Comic-Con Exclusive

Lego’s Next Minifigure Collection Is a Harry Potter Treasure Trove

Flying Saucer Toy Recalled For Teaching Kids That Nazis Achieved Space Travel

Even More Weird and Wonderful Comic-Con Exclusives, and the Rest of the Best Toys of the Week

A World of Toys Comes to Life in Robert Zemeckis’ True Story Welcome to Marwen

You Can Rearrange the Letters and Spell Out Any Message On This Scrabble Tile Rack Lamp

The PS4 Spider-Man Heads to Your Toy Shelf, and More of the Most Spectacular Toys of the Week

Even the ‘Avatar’ Fighting Game Is Disrespecting ‘Legend of Korra’

Bluesky Has a New App, and It’s All About AI

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor *And* an Action Figure!

Whatever Just Happened with ‘Fruit Love Island,’ Nobody Won

AMC Puts a Stake in ‘Talamasca’ After One Season

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

2027 Is Shaping Up to Be a Great Year for Big Sci-Fi RPGs

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor And an Action Figure!