Donkey Kong Bananza for Switch 2 Details Released!

Get ready to go BANANAS! The jungle beat is BACK with Donkey Kong Bananza, hitting your brand new Nintendo Switch 2 with a vine-swinging vengeance! This ain't your grandpa's Kong adventure – we're talking fresh faces, mysterious foes, gameplay that's layered like a delicious jungle parfait, and the awesome ability to share the fun with friends on both Nintendo Switch and the new Nintendo Switch 2!

Pauline Swings into Action! (And Sings!)

Hold up, did I just say Pauline? Yes, THAT Pauline! Nintendo has officially confirmed that Mario's original damsel-in-distress-turned-fierce-songstress is joining the Kong crew in Donkey Kong Bananza! Initially appearing as the mysterious "Odd Rock," Pauline is a talented young singer whose vocal abilities are key to the adventure. She's not just a companion; she's bringing her own brand of platforming prowess and singing-based powers that can even trigger DK's transformations, adding a whole new dimension to cooperative play and solo adventures alike. Get hyped to see how her unique abilities intertwine with DK's!

Trouble Brewing: Enter VoidCo!

But it’s not all coconuts and chill vibes. A shadowy new threat has emerged: the enigmatic Void Company (VoidCo)! These villainous miners are not only responsible for the tempest that sent Donkey Kong underground, but they also trapped Pauline and are digging deep for nefarious purposes at the Planet Core. It's up to Donkey Kong and Pauline to unravel their plans and send them packing back to wherever they crawled out of. Expect some seriously creative and challenging encounters as you face off against VoidCo and its leaders like Void Kong! Void Company members each have their own spunk—Grumpy Kong, Poppy Kong, and leader Void Kong must be stopped!

Layers Upon Layers of Fun! Race to the Planet Core!

Donkey Kong Bananza takes level design to a whole new level – literally! The game is built around intricate layers within the vast Underground World of Ingot Isle, offering dynamic gameplay where the environment shifts and changes around you. The graphics and scenes are stunning giving each layer their sense of character. Discover hidden pathways, uncover secrets, and master the art of navigating these multi-dimensional stages using Donkey Kings various abilities and power moves. The ultimate object of the game? To race against VoidCo to the mythical Planet Core, rumored to grant wishes, and of course, collect a whole lotta bananas (specifically Banandium Gems!) along the way! Each level is packed with interactive elements and surprises, keeping you on your toes from start to finish.

Move It Like Kong: New Abilities and Bananza Transformations!

Get ready to unleash a barrelful of new moves! Donkey Kong retains his classic ground pound, rolling attacks, Dive Punch, Hand Slap, and even "Turf Surfing" to smash through obstacles and uncover secrets. Plus, the exciting new Bananza Transformations, fueled by Pauline's singing and Bananergy, will have you smashing through obstacles and soaring through the skies in style. We're talking powerful forms like Kong Bananza (super strength), Zebra Bananza (super speed and water dashing), and Ostrich Bananza (flight and egg bombs)! Pauline, meanwhile, can be controlled by a second player in co-op, using her vocal blasts with Joy-Con 2's mouse controls to assist DK and break barriers.

Share the Bananza: Cross-Generation Multiplayer with GameShare!

Get ready to team up, no matter which console your friends are rocking! Donkey Kong Bananza offers robust multiplayer options, including local co-op where one player controls DK and the other controls Pauline. Best of all, it features GameShare functionality, allowing you to play with your friends seamlessly across both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 consoles with just one copy of the game! Whether you're on the original Switch or the shiny new Switch 2, you'll be able to join the cooperative fun. Dive into the layered levels, take down VoidCo together, and experience the whole adventure side-by-side with more friends, more fun, and more banana collecting mayhem!

Amiibo Alert! Get Ready to Collect (and Dress Up Pauline!)

Calling all collectors! A brand new Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo figure will be launching alongside the game! This collectible figure will not only look fantastic on your shelf but will also unlock special in-game content, specifically Pauline's fabulous Diva Dress from Super Mario Odyssey! Additionally, scanning other Donkey Kong series amiibo will grant you explosive KONG tiles, and even other amiibo will provide useful in-game items. The amiibo era lives on!

Mark Your Calendars! Release Date is Locked In!

Get your banana hoard ready! Donkey Kong Bananza and the accompanying Donkey Kong & Pauline amiibo are officially set to release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17th, 2025! Prepare for a jungle adventure packed with thrilling platforming, memorable characters, and enough banana-fueled fun to last you until the next great ape escapade! And remember, you can swing into action with your friends, no matter which Switch they have, thanks to GameShare! Get ready to go truly BANANZA! 🐒🎉

Toy Reveal! New Bluey Toys Summer 2023 with Shopping Links {Amazon Affiliate Links}

Bluey toys update fellow Bluey fans! Moose Toys has bestowed upon us more Bluey toys for growing collection of our favorite pups from Brisbane. Get ready for the feels, because these new Bluey toys are pulled right from the screen to your toy box.

In addition to the Hammerbarn play set (see my previous Bluey blog) coming out this summer 2023, we have new beach play sets slated to release this fall (or this spring for our Aussie friends). Have a look below, and leave a comment with your favorite set. Keep this page bookmarked and follow me on social media for more updates to this page, and for more Bluey-related news!

**This post contains affiliate links.**

The new Bluey toys slated to be released this year give us a glimpse in the long-awaited season three of Bluey! New episodes of Bluey will be released on Disney+ and other channels on July 12, 2023. 

Bluey and the Heeler crew are on the move in your living room! New vehicle sets will make playscapes larger giving kids even more room for imaginative play!

Bingo’s Helicopter is new vehicle being added to the fleet of Bluey toys. This imaginative set includes Bingo and accessories to bring the episode, Escape, to life! Available now on Amazon for $14.99.

Beach Quad with a surfboard, Bandit wearing sunglasses, and a cool quad. Another new vehicle in the Bluey line, I’m not quite sure which episode this play set celebrates, so let me know in the comments below! Hopefully, we’ll find out soon. Available on Amazon now for $14.99.

There will be a release of two new figure 4-packs celebrating various episodes and new poses and facial expressions. 

Pass the Parcel set includes Lucky’s Dad (Pat), Lila, Bluey, and Bingo bringing to life the heartwarming and nostalgic episode Pass the Parcel. Poor Pat was just doing the right thing in teaching kids how to accept disappointment. My son, Rocco, isn’t a fan of this episode because he’s still little. I think each time he watches it though, he learns the power of acceptance a little more. It’s tough being a kid! Available now on Amazon for $15.99.

Family Beach Day figure set includes Bandit, Chilli, Bluey, and Bingo all dressed in beachwear. Order on Amazon now! $14.99

Bluey & Family figure set is still available if you're looking for just the Heeler family. You can find this set on Amazon now for $14.99. 

Hammerbarn play set is a multi-story toy based off of the store of the Bluey episode of the same name, Hammerbarn. You can buy this amazing playset now on Amazon for $89.99.

Bluey’s Beach Cabin is a fun play set that includes different rooms for pretend play. It includes 10 accessories plus a Bluey figure! Plus you get a pool-like area where you can fill with real water just like the original Pool play set. Available now on Amazon for $34.99.

As reported back in March, there will also be a new game to be released this summer celebrating the episode Keepy Uppy. This endearing game will keep preschoolers and Bluey fans totally engaged!

Bluey Keepy Uppy game takes the one of the first Bluey episodes and puts it on the gaming table! Try to keep the motorized balloon up to win! Available in July or August 2023. Shopping link coming soon!

What do you think of the new sets? Will you be watching new episodes of Bluey this July? Let me know in the comments! As always, stay in tune without wandering and reporting about toys and other family joys! 

This post contains affiliate links. 

New! Million Warriors by SpinMaster 100+ Mini Battle Figs! Sponsored Post

Get ready to battle with Million Warriors by SpinMaster. 

Buy Millions Warriors at Walmart now and get them in time for the holiday season. With 110 Million Warriors to collect, your little one will be able to build an epic collection to battle and trade with their friends. 

This is a Sponsored Post for Million Warriors by SpinMaster. All opinions expressed are my own!

Play Beyond Unboxing 

My sons, Marcello and Rocco, love unboxing toys. What kid doesn't? What I have noticed though is that once the unboxing experience is done, the toys often go into the toy box or get lost in the couch. Million Warriors may be tiny, but this collection carries a big punch! Not only is there a fulfilling unboxing experience, but kids (and big kids at heart!) can join in on the action on battling their Million Warriors figures.  

Build a Huge Collection of these Miniature Million Warriors!

These highly detailed Warriors are so fun to collect! With 110 to collect, you can collect them all to have the ultimate battle royale or trade with your friends. Every pack has a guaranteed rare warrior! There’s even a super awesome rare made of 20% gold—we’re still hunting for him. In this video, the boys each unboxed the 20-pack Million Warriors; the 20-pack also comes with a super easy to build launcher. The boys took turns knocking down each other's armies using the launcher. The player with the most Warriors left standing wins the game! So easy and fun! You can also try the advanced game using points, which is why collecting rare Million Warriors is so cool—Rocco pulled a Million Warriors figure worth 100 points! 

Great Gift Idea for the Holidays

Million Warriors ticks all of the boxes for a great gift—the unboxing experience is long and exciting, there are lots of different variants to collect like Astrals, Ancients, and Heroes all with different rarities, and you can play a fun game, which keeps these Million Warriors working over time, and your little Warriors busy! 

Where Can I Find Million Warriors? 

Find Million Warriors by Spin Master in stores and online at Walmart now! Stay tuned for more unboxing videos featuring Million Warriors!

Thank you so much SpinMaster for sending us this awesome battle box of Million Warriors to unbox and play!! This post contains affiliate links.

The Toy Insider's Sweet Suite 2022 Was a Sweet Success!

For the first time since 2019, Sweet Suite was in person and it was so much fun. 

It was July 2019, The Toy Insider hosted Sweet Suite 2019 -- their 10th year in celebrating the biggest night of play. Press, YouTubelebrities, influencers, and no-name bloggers (ahem, me) walked the show floor of Pier Sixty in Chelsea Piers without realizing that the fun that summer would be the last in person event for three years. The pandemic wiped away in-person events faster than the Tik Tok #WipeItDown challenge. Finally, The Toy Insider's Sweet Suite 2022 welcomed hundreds of press, influencers, no-name YouTubers (ahem, me) once again in person July 13, 2022. In between the gap of in-person events, The Toy Insider created an amazing virtual show floor that was a great placeholder, but it was not the same energy that Sweet Suite in person has. 

LEGO NEWS! LEGO ATARI 2600 COMING THIS SUMMER!

I can still smell it. I can still feel it. The woodgrain plastic. The toggles. The ATARI 2600 had a weight to it. A look like no other. 

I was born in 1982, and the ATARI was already 10 years old when I entered the world, but it was indeed my first ever gaming system. I lived in a family that handed down toys, and this was one system that my sisters and I inherited. We played PONG and FREEWAY. We played CENTIPEDE. We played Q*BERT. The joysticks and even the round controller was just a little wobbly from overuse. The ATARI 2600 was a staple, along with our VIC-20 personal gaming computer, we were like Queens of the gaming age. Then came Nintendo and that rocked our worlds some more, but there was always ATARI, and now ATARI will be immortalized in LEGO form.

Check out the '80s set up complete with a new wave poster, Indiana Jones style poster, mini TV, mini ATARI, microfigure, stereo, even a VHS tape!

Here's the front view of it!

They should have included ET for his 40th! 

I am seriously floored by this news. LEGO announced this morning that the LEGO ICONS ATARI 2600 will coming August 1. 

Is it worth it? 

Yes, totally! This is the perfect LEGO build, especially for nostalgic gamers — it even comes with a memorable 80s living room set up, cartridges, and joy sticks. 

At 2,532 pieces this iconic piece of gaming history will be yours for the cost of $239.99. Good thing I have some LEGO VIP Points saved up! It will be available in stores and online at LEGO.com on August 1, 2022.

What do you think of this new set? 🕹

This post contains affiliate links!

#legoatari #legoatari2600 #legonews #legocommunity #afol #afolcommunity

Share Your Stories with Schleich! Exclusive In-Store FAO Schwarz Event + More Contest!

Are you a die-hard Schleich® collector? Do you have a love for storytelling? Do you have a smart phone with a camera? Then the latest Schleich contest is for you!

The schleich® concept shop at FAO Schwarz NYC flagship store needs a new story and we need your help!

Are you a die-hard Schleich® collector? Do you have a love for storytelling? Do you have a smart phone with a camera? Then the latest Schleich contest is for you!

The schleich® concept shop at FAO Schwarz NYC flagship store needs a new story and we need your help!
The new Schleich® contest is so easy to enter, and it's totally free. If you're in the NYC area, head over to the FAO Schwarz Flagship Store on July 13 from 11 AM to 2 PM,  head over to the Schleich® concept shop, and get expert storytelling advice from Schleich's Chief Storytelling Officer, Marcello! There will be plenty of Schleich® toys on hand for inspiration, then snap a photo, and share it here. 

If you cannot attend the FAO Schwarz event in person, then no sweat, you can do this all at home from July 5 through July 31, 2022! Just follow the same steps from the comforts of your own home, and submit your entry here. 

One winner have their winning photo reimagined by renowned photographer, Mitchel Wu and it will be displayed at FAO Schwarz in NYC! The winning storyteller will also win a trip for two to New York City for the unveiling at NYC. How cool is that?

So, in the words of Marcello, Schleich® CSO, "What are you waiting for?!" 

By the way, Marcello is my son! We are so proud of him! Schleich inspires the magic of storytelling with their realistic figurines giving children the power to create their toy landscape. 

What story will you tell with Schleich? Good luck to all of the entrants!

If you cannot attend the FAO Schwarz event in person, then no sweat, you can do this all at home from July 5 through July 31, 2022! Just follow the same steps from the comforts of your own home, and submit your entry here. 

One winner have their winning photo reimagined by renowned photographer, Mitchel Wu and it will be displayed at FAO Schwarz in NYC! The winning storyteller will also win a trip for two to New York City for the unveiling at NYC. How cool is that?

So, in the words of Marcello, Schleich® CSO, "What are you waiting for?!" 

By the way, Marcello is my son! We are so proud of him! Schleich inspires the magic of storytelling with their realistic figurines giving children the power to create their toy landscape. 

What story will you tell with Schleich? Good luck to all of the entrants!

Toy Reveal! Disney Doorables 2022 More Sets Added with Pre-Order Shopping Links

ALERT! Disney Doorables Series 9 is available now on Amazon! Learn more on my latest blog post here. 

Disney Doorables fans are going to be very, very happy with what Just Play Products has in store for this year. From new themed Collector Peeks, Series 8 scented exclusives, Let’s Go vacation themed Doorables, and more, there will be plenty to add to your, I’m sure, adorable collection!

Here are the latest links that I found on Amazon, and I also have a Series 8 pre-order link. If it’s not active yet, just keep checking! As always, if you’re unsure about buying, check out my unboxing videos right when the new Disney Doorables drop—I already pre-ordered! You can find me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Tik Tok, and of course, here on my blog!

The links in my post are affiliate links where I get a small kick back from each sale at no cost to you!

Follow me on Amazon for livestreams, gift guides, and more shopping fun!

Disney Doorables Coming Out Summer 2022

Disney Doorables Series 8 - Amazon ASIN # b09napbdh3

Keep searching, the preorder link should be live soon! Series 8 will include multi peeks, and newly redesigned mini peeks featuring peel and reveal surprises!

Disney Doorables Movie Moments -- Look for this series at Walmart! We have an Andy's Room Movie Moment from Toy Story, which will be a hit! Walmart

Disney Doorables Movie Moments is a new series, and looks like it will be continuing in the future. Each Movie Moments box includes two exclusive Disney Doorables figures and a display scene. I am not sure if the film will coincide with the character, or if this is pretend play. 

Here are also some images that I found on Reddit about the new Movie Moment series! Pretty cool!

Disney Doorables Pixar Fest — $16.99, Amazon - Release Date July 11, 2022

Disney Doorables Snow White Collection Peek — $16.99, Amazon Release Date July 11, 2022 -- The mystery Doorable looks like it is Prince Florian!

Disney Doorables Stitch Collection Peek — $16.99, Amazon Release Date July 11, 2022

Could the mystery be Jumba?

Disney Doorables Coming Out Fall 2022

Collect cards to complete the map!

Disney Doorables Let’s Go Around the World Peek - $12.99, Amazon September 8, 2022 — There are 40 to collect, so these look like series 9 to me, but we will see! 

Disney Doorables Let’s Go Road Trip Vehicle - $19.99, Amazon Release date October 18, 2022 — This set includes two vehicles and corresponding Doorable. There is also a mystery vehicle that looks like Tinkerbell. This is such a cute series, and I love how Just Play is expanding the imaginative play! 

Disney Doorables Olaf Presents — $21.99, Amazon Release Date November 1, 2022

SERIES 5 CASE SHOWN

Disney Doorables Storage Case with three exclusive Doorables — this is not new, but it’s very useful and holds a ton of Doorables. Check out my unboxing video on a series four case. These cases hold 40+ characters when placed inside with the inserts. You can remove the inserts and free up some more space. You can also display that nicely using these removable adhesive dots that I found on Amazon, so you can create a nice collector aesthetic. 

The price varies on Amazon, but you can snag it for as low as $16 sometimes. Just Play's cases are truly the best!

Disney Doorables Sets Holiday 2022

Perfect for the holidays is the holiday themed Disney Doorables Collection Peek that includes eight figures, and it is Mickey's Christmas Carol themed. I am so stoked for this series because this is my all-time favorite Christmas movie to watch. I would guess the eight characters included are Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck),  Jacob Marley (Goofy- most likely in chains and as a ghost), Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse), Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket), Ghost of Christmas Future (Pete), Ghost of Christmas Present (Willie the Giant), Tiny Tim (Morty Mouse), Mrs. Cratchit (Minnie Mouse), and possibly Isabelle (Daisy Duck) as the additional mystery figure. 

What are you grabbing to add to your Disney Doorables collection? Let me know in the comments below!