Here’s a great idea made better. We all remember the old Rock’em Sock’em Robots (by Marx!) and spent many an afternoon pummeling our opponent. But what if you could open that "arena" up and REALLY get to some robot bashing?!?!
That’s the idea behind Johnny Lightnings new BATTLE WHEELS. These are collectible remote controlled,fighting robots and as you’ll see from the video below they are a ton of fun and really draw a crowd.
After trying these out I think my new rule in 2008 at the AFI offices and at work that ALL disputes will be settled by Battle Wheels! May the best ‘bot win!!
The press kit on these is an amazing idea and more companies should take note. Getting one of these was fun, but to really get the full flavor of them you need at least two of them so they can FIGHT!
Here’s some more info on Battle Wheels:
· Each Battle Wheel warrior comes with five removable pieces of armor, two weapons, a controller, and a cardboard training dummy
· The fully articulated warriors can be strategically positioned for attack or defense depending on the style of combat chosen
· Five removable pieces of armor (2 shoulder pads, 2 wheel blades and a shield), as well as the individual character’s battle weapons, accompany each warrior into battle
· Fallen armor wreckage is left strewn around the battlefield at the end of a match
· Body armor and weapons can be interchanged between Battle Wheel warriors to outfit the ultimate champion
· Play one-on-one, or as a team with the multiband feature allowing up to six warriors to battle at the same time.
Wave I
VUL “The Savage Protector of Venus”
Born of fire and untamed like the flames of Venus, he decimates his opponents with his lightning sword and chain mace
TYR “The Cold arm of Pluto’s Justice”
Cold and calculated, Tyr is heavily armored with a shield that staves off any opponent and a relentlessness that will stop nothing short of victory
BASHAMON “The silent enforcer of Saturn’s law”
Lurking in the misty shadows of Saturn’s ring, Bashamon is ready to deliver a quick end to his unsuspecting foes wielding a sneaky cat-o-nines and powerful mallet
KAGU-TSUCHI “The fury of Mercury’s fire”
Explosive rage like the molten springs of Mercury, Kagu-Tsuchi’s combat skills are a testament to his furious battle rage and crushing blow at intense speeds
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EMERYVILLE, Calif.–(
Just in time for the holidays! We have an exclusive interview with Round 2 Corp, the new company that brought Rudolph and Charlie Brown back to store shelves, and started off strong with their brand new Frosty products. 
As many of you know I was a HUGE fan of Playing Mantis’ holiday "Memory Lane" lines of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Peanuts lines back in the day. As a result theirs was always one of my favorite showrooms to visit each year at Toy Fair, not just to see the new product, but for the elaborate displays they would build each year. A few years back Playing Mantis was sold to RC2/Ertl and the lines lasted a year past that, but eventually . 
In this amazing new feature our pal SpyMagician makes things personal! He takes us step by step on how he turned a 1/64th scale version of his own car into a happy, smiling version of his Scion that fits in perfectly with Mattel and Disney/Pixar’s CARS line. 
