odd toys

Today we're having a peek at a crossover between two of our most favorite media: big-name games and tiny interlocking block toys. Today we're preparing for Halo 5 by taking a closer look at several of this season's Halo-brand toy sets from the folks behind Mega Bloks. Just like the Halo video game franchise, these toys strike a place between childhood and adulthood - a pressure point in the body of the gamer. After your Master Chief experience but before Halo 5, here you'll find something very different.

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A simple laser light is a surefire way to entertain cats (and most dogs), but it gets tiresome for the human operator after a while. As with most thing in life, the old toy has received a modern "smart" update, this one in the form of Obi, a small cylindrical toy that sits on a mantle or shelf and zips a laser around on your behalf. If you want to get in on the action, there's an app to take control.

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People often ask, "Why would you do that?" when presented with odd fascinations and unusual exploits. The appropriate answer is and always will be, "Why not?" Perhaps that was the thought process behind one man's very unusual DIY creation -- Guitar Boy, a guitar instrument that is also a massive functional Game Boy. The device was created as a submission for a forum's 2015 Game Boy classic build off.

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Not interested in a smartwatch, but still desire something cool and unique for your wrist? Well, if you're into the look of leather, brass, and rivets that defines steampunk, you're definitely in luck today. ThinkGeek's new Tesla Watch not only features a winding key for setting the time, but two vacuum tubes on top with LEDs that can be activated with a switch. While these features may not add much functionality to a watch, the same could be argued about reading emails from your wrist.

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Items modeled after Star Wars characters are nothing new, and we've seen the number of gadgets grow as the next movie's premiere grows nearer (not that there was ever a shortage of such items). The newest one to surface is a bit of a misstep, though, at least if your fashion sense has reached the adult level: Chewbacca-themed Crocs. Yes, Crocs still exist, and these ones are toeing the line crossed by fuzzy Ugg boots, only with a side order of spongy and hole-filled foam.

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Kick-Varibike is a bicycle like no other -- in fact, it is more akin to a giant scooter than anything else (a "kickbike"), but with the addition of pedals placed near the handle bars, which also makes it a hand bike. You can ride it like a scooter if that's your preference, pushing off the ground with your foot to propel it forward; or, you can pedal with your arms and build some upper body strength while traveling around. The model managed to catch the public eye at Eurobike 2015 recently.

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Star Wars parents, remember that hand designed and built X-wing rocker from a few months ago? Well, another craftsman has just topped it. An Australian father has come up with an amazing custom rocking horse that looks just like the Speeder Bike from Return of the Jedi. While you look at the pictures below (including the one of his daughter in that adorable Princess Leia hairdo knit cap), don't be discouraged that it isn't for sale, as the craftsman has detailed the construction process on the Instructables website, under the username "Tez_Gelmir."

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Today's LEGO review of Palpatine's Throne Rome, otherwise known as the "Death Star Final Duel", we're going to do something different. Instead of just getting up close and personal with all the little bits, we've gone ahead and captured a number of emotional, colorful recreations of the most epic scenes from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, the film from whens this LEGO set and its minifigures originated. Prepare yourself for the most intense and highly dramatic LEGO review we've done so far!

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Don't have time to take a lunch break, but need a sandwich? That's how you get crumbs on your desk, and a crumby desk is no way to work. Thanks to Firebox, you can have R2-D2 nearby to make things right -- it is, in this case, a miniature vacuum that rolls across your desk and gobbles up the remnants of your lunch. The mini-vacuum is powered by a USB cable, the power source of choice for desktop environments, and you can pop his head off when it’s time to empty his belly reservoir.

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SDCC exclusive toys begin to appear with Toys"R"Us at the helm, bringing on everything from Batman to Mortal Kombat X to Star Wars. What we're seeing here is a number of "exclusives" that aren't entirely exclusive to the event, thank goodness, including one massive toy set from the Star Wars Black Series from Hasbro. That's the most elite of the US-based Star Wars action figure lines here in the United States, coming correct with 3 3/4-inch inch figures and an ever-so-slightly-taller Rancor. What a beast.

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It's time for International Sushi Day, and as they're prone to do, ThinkGeek has made with the appropriate gear to mount up. This year's celebration of this rather fishy event is joined by one Star Trek-themed accessory and a couple from the Star Wars saga. First up is the Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise Sushi Set, complete with a wood sushi plate, chopsticks, and soy sauce dish. This is no simple affair - it's real wood and real metal - officially licensed by the folks behind the original Star Trek TV series.

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The first three toys from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens collection are revealed. They're all stormtroopers. You're going to see one LEGO set, one Hotwheels car, and one Black Series action figure from Hasbro. These are amongst some of the most widespread, popular brands that'll be carrying Star Wars toys now and when the time comes for The Force Awakens to be released. Expect to see these toys in every department store across the planet by the end of the year.

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