What makes a good toy? Survey help

[tokyochojin]

Hey guys I'm putting together a survey for an essay to compare the Japanese and Western toy industries.

What do you think makes a good toy and what do you think is the best toy ever and why?

[merf]

no doubt in my mind Lego wins, its creative, lasts forever, all sets are compatible with each other and has entertained generations of children for years (my son played with my old box of lego that had sat in my parents loft for years).

its a pretty rare child that can't sit down with a big box of creator lego bricks and find some entertainment.

as a parent I've usually favoured cool creative stuff like this and geomag over trendy dolls & tie in characters that whilst looking pretty don't do much. that said not all sets of stuff that let you make stuff are good, never could stand fiddly meccano.

[jimmbob]

To tick all the boxes for me, the packaging has to be discrete, it should not go through batteries too fast, and ideally it should come with some complimentary lube.

[112]

I think a good toy needs to be........

- Pleasing to the eye so the very sight of it attracts you and entices you.

- It also needs to be robust, in that it does not shatter into pieces when you use it incorrectly, like when you transfor Megatron series 1 and his arm snaps off.

- Simple, over complicating things is human nature, but what I have learnt is thatgoing back to basics makes life easier for everybody.........

- Personality/Charm/Charisma, a toy needs to connect on a personal level with its user, like Woody in Toy Story

- Affordable. Depending on the age range, not all parents are willing to shell out X amount of monies on something, unless it does someething unique and has a justifiable value to it........

In terms of a 'best' toy and why, Id say the football/ball in general is the best, as its entertainment value is only limited by the users creativity........ It is simple, long lasting, and affordable....... In terms of aestetics, you only really need to apply a pattern, colour scheme and market it with a celebrity to really sell it........ There is a reason it has been around for so long and will continue to do so in the future.......

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[kernow]

Robot - tick
Transforms into something - tick

[dataDave]

I like anything that changes colour.

I still buy Hot Wheels.

[J0e Musashi]

Robot - tick
Transforms into something - tick

Like a skyscraper that turns into a robot? Where's the fun in that?

[Darwock]

I suppose the classic definition of a good toy would be anything made by Tonka.

(although I just checked the wiki on Tonka and it seems they diversified into dolls and action figures, so I guess I don't really mean 'anything')

[112]

Like a skyscraper that turns into a robot? Where's the fun in that?

I don't get it!

What you need is an electronic book where you can buy different stories for kids to play on......... oh and get to grab boobies whilst designing the thing! WIN WIN if you ask me!

Oh and if you get stuck for inspiration, jus jump around on a trampoline or something......... and go to bed with a glow in the dark ring so you don't get lost

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[abigsmurf]

Gah, I was going to do the Big reference.

[QualityChimp]

Obviously, Tom Hanks never had Metroplex.



What was wrong with that Empire State robot anyway? He just wasn't thinking outside the box. Maybe it could have come with some kind of Gorilla pilot or something? Maybe cars could come out of the carpark?

[abigsmurf]

It was a bit rubbish as a transformer. it only folded out arms legs and a head so it transformed from the empire state building to the empire state building with limbs.

All the best transformers were cleverly designed and changed a lot in appearance between forms.

[112]

Obviously, Tom Hanks never had Metroplex.



What was wrong with that Empire State robot anyway? He just wasn't thinking outside the box. Maybe it could have come with some kind of Gorilla pilot or something? Maybe cars could come out of the carpark?

lol......... I still have Metroplex, minus a fist He is actually quite nimble as he can do some decent kung-fu style poses.......

To be fair Metroplex is more of a horizonal toy, where as the sky Scrapper was very much vertical

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[QualityChimp]

Yeah, I've got Metroplex somewhere too and Omega Supreme!

There were a bunch of robot bases in Transformers weren't there?
Trypticon, Scorponok and Fortress Maximus, for example.

I think this looked ace!



Besides, what was Tom Hank's idea? An interactive touch-screen pad that lets you read comics on it? What a daft idea! People will never queue overnight to be the first to get their hands on such a device! *cough*

[112]

lol........ The look on Tom Hank's face says it all........ lol that doorway/crotch on it is like 5 storeys tall! O_o

Ive never seen fortress Maximuss, but i have seen a prototype of Unicron........ which looked uglier than the skyscrapper robot/toy/thingy-ma-bob.........

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