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Imaginative kids sure to enjoy summer's new Batman toys

Submitted by SHNS on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 13:47

Another summer blockbuster, another gaggle of toys. This time it's the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," that gives kids a chance to play the Caped Crusader. After seeing the reviews, it does appear that the toys will be all that you will want your tots and preteens to see of this movie. But some of the toys are lots of fun. Here's what two 6-year-olds thought of four toys we tested."The Dark Knight" Bruce Wayne Shift Attack Sports Coupe (ages 4 and up, $19.99): By far the favorite toy of the bunch. Remember in "The Incredibles" where Bob Parr lies down in his car and then magically his car converts to a lean, mean, crime-fighting machine and he changes into his Mr. Incredible costume? Well, this car is like that. It comes with a Bruce Wayne character (the kids thought it was Alfred the Butler) and a Batman figure that fit into different compartments of the car. When you pull it out, it transforms from slick Wayne sports car to Batmobile with battering rams, missile launchers and turbo engines. One word from both kids: Awesome!"The Dark Knight" Wayne Tech Mega Cape and Cowl (ages 4 and up, $39.99): It's a good thing that this toy is marked "Not a flying toy'' in its packaging because it looks like your little one could take off in it. One 6-year-old tried on the cape and mask, but he was out of it pretty fast. You have to make sure the straps on the harness are on just right so that he can pull the lever that extends the wings of the cape. It's not difficult, but you need to be there in case the lines get a little tangled and the cape won't open or close correctly. Otherwise, it's good for kids with active imaginations."The Dark Knight" Quick-Fire Battle Belt with Cape (ages 4 and up, $19.99): This one is like most toys that fire darts: Prepare to buy a second one when you lose the darts. Not only can kids wear the belt, but also it can transform into a handheld rapid-fire blaster. The cape, which fastens with Velcro, is just a piece of plastic that seems a bit heavier than one of those large garbage bags you use to collect leaves. They liked the blaster, but this might be a good one for a favorite uncle who likes Batman to buy."The Dark Knight" Crank and Launch Bat-Pod (ages 4 and up, $19.99): The advertising for this one says this motorcycle toy with a poseable Batman action figure can pop wheelies and do fantastic stunts. But the two 6-year-olds didn't have the arm strength to really rev it up for the maximum speed. When the motorcycle did come off the pod, it wasn't really speeding. They liked the bike anyway and used their imaginations instead of the pod to play.(Sherry Robinson can be reached at robinson(at)sptimes.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)