Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

StarWars.com took a brief (almost too brief) look at this Star Wars Electronic Laser Battle Game that dates back to A New Hope. The article mostly talks about the differences between the prototype pictured on the bottom and the final release version of the game pictured in the packaging above. While I would have preferred a few more shots of the actual game in action, and maybe even a video, the packaging shot still provides plenty of retro eye candy, and makes me appreciate all of my modern ‘electronic’ gaming consoles even more.

[ StarWars.com - Prototype Gallery: Electronic Laser Battle Game ] VIA [ TheForce.net ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Being the huge Star Wars geek that I am, I’m always on the lookout for cool new merch to show off my geeky pride. I’m actually rather selective as to what I’ll set out, which means that something really has to catch my eye. This set of bookends would definitely fall into that category.

When set together, the pieces depict the famous garbage compactor scene from A New Hope. However, turn them around and the gang is struggling to keep your books (or movies) from toppling over. Don’t get too excited about these. They aren’t going to be hitting stores until April of next year, though you can pre-order them already for the salty price of $190.

[ Star Wars Shop ] VIA [ FoolishGadgets ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Well it looks like Lucas has completed yet another trilogy. First we brought you the Plush Yoda backpack way back in 2006, followed by the overly hairy Chewbacca Backpack in 2007, and now it looks like the Sith Lord himself, Darth Vader, is finally getting the backpack treatment. Unfortunately there’s just something about seeing a 3-foot version of Vader hanging off of someone’s back that makes the character seem a whole lot less menacing. If you only knew the power of a nice understated courier bag…

StarWarsShop.com has them for pre-order for $39.99, and they’re expected to ship sometime in August of this year.

[ Star Wars Darth Vader Back Buddy ]

By Andrew Liszewski

It’s not uncommon to find a real sword with a back-up dagger hidden in the hilt, so it only makes sense that the Jedi and Sith would keep a similar ace up their cloak’s sleeve. These new Duel Action Electronic Lightsaber toys available for pre-order on StarWars.com feature a miniature lightsaber tucked away in the hilt, perfect for stabbing, shivving or looking really bad-ass while eating an apple. They won’t be available until August at the earliest, but you’re welcome to shell out $46.99 now and just wait it out.

[ Sith & Jedi Duel Action Electronic Lightsaber ]

By Andrew Liszewski

There’s no surer sign that Summer is just around the corner than the stores filling up with beach and water toys. And what better way to have fun in the sun (or suns, depending on where you live) than with a collection of Star Wars inflatable toys? These come courtesy of Jakks Pacific and include everything from the Millennium Falcon, to an X-Wing, to Anakin’s and Obi-Wan’s starfighters from the prequels. (Not pictured.) And as StarWars.com asks, why has it taken 31 years to get an inflatable Death Star beach ball?

Sadly, that R2-D2 floating drink holder won’t be out until next year, but you should be able to find the rest of them at Target stores in the US, or Walmart stores in Canada, though I have no idea on the pricing.

[ StarWars.com - Blow Up The Death Star! ] VIA [ TheForce.Net ]

By Andrew Liszewski

The photo you see on top is a speeder bike ride-on toy created by Huffy in 1984 as part of a toy store sweepstakes. Not only does it actually look like the speeder bikes featured in the Endor chase scene in Return of the Jedi, but it also has a bit of retro 1950’s charm to it. In other words, I’d proudly ride one of those around, even today.

But the photo you see on the bottom is an updated version of the speeder bike ride-on toy created by an Australian company called ToyMonster. Not only is it completely lacking any of the charm of the original, but it barely even looks like a speeder bike. On the plus side it’s apparently faster and handles better than the original, but it’s yet another reason why I feel that today’s kids have gotten royally screwed in the toy department.

[ StarWars.com - The Return of the Speeder Bike Ride-On ] VIA [ TheForce.Net ]

By Luke Anderson

The Rebel forces might not have quite the resources of the Galactic Empire, but they can usually get the job done. The other day we saw an Imperial sound system, the AT-AT Boombox. That left me wondering what exactly the fearless Rebels had to counter such a menacing audio output device. The answer? An R2-D2 sound system.

It appears that our favorite little astromech droid was hiding a few more surprises that we didn’t know about. It looks as though he’s actually a Transformer, or at least he has a cousin that’s a boombox. This piece is a part of the Hype Hustle Rip-Off exhibition by Bill McMullen. I haven’t had a radio that big in a very long time, maybe if it had looked like R2 I wouldn’t have gotten rid of it.

[ TheConstantGallery ] VIA [ Technabob ]

By Luke Anderson

I’ve always thought that the Empire had pretty cool style. Just look at how menacing Darth Vader was, and the stormtroopers too. Do you think they’d have been half as awesome had they not been wearing their cool armor? Probably not. I was always a little baffled at the practicality of the AT-AT walkers shape, but it’s obvious that the Galactic Empire had style in mind when creating them.

Well someone decided to take an AT-AT and crank its awesome level to 11 by installing a boombox. Sure it’s only got a tape deck, but with looks like these, who needs MP3s?

[ Zen ] VIA [ Technabob ]

By Andrew Liszewski

The Force Trainer from Uncle Milton Industries uses the same concepts and principles as the Mindflex game that Mattel was demoing at CES this year. The Jedi-in-training wears a simple wireless headset that measures their EEG brainwave activity, which in turn causes a ball inside the 10-inch “training tower” to rise or fall. So no midichlorians needed here. Like with the Mindflex game, you’ll need to concentrate on something in order to activate the trainer and manipulate the ball, though it seems to me like you could be easily distracted by the Star Wars sound effects and audio clips that will let you know how you’re progressing from a lowly Padawan to a Jedi Master.

The Force Trainer is expected to be in stores this Fall, and will set you back about 90 to 100 republic credits.

[ USA TODAY - Toy trains 'Star Wars' fans to use The Force ] VIA [ TheForce.Net ]