Author: DEPlabs Admin

As Strategy Games Gain Popularity Among Consumers, PlayMonster Reconfigures its Line to Offer Something for Everyone

BELOIT, Wis. (February 22, 2020) — PlayMonster has created three new strategy games to appeal to various ages and interests, all featuring stunning graphics and exciting game play! These unique games will be shown at North American International Toy Fair in New York, February 22 – 25 at booth #435.

Trailz™ is the down-to-the-earth strategy game where teams of shrooms and slugs face off to out-smart and out-maneuver each other to get to the other side of the ground (board)! It’s a light-hearted and unconventional theme for a strategy game, which adds extra fun and appeals to a wider audience, making strategy games more accessible. Kids can play the game, and adults can play with kids, and use as little or as much strategy as they want! It’s a great way to get a younger generation interested in strategy play! This cleverly simple, yet challenging game is for 2 players, ages 7 and up.

The second game, Reign™, focuses on the excitement and player elimination of battle royale play, and adds the unique element of a “shrinking” break-away game board. Four different factions—Droids, Samurais, Barbarians and Super Soldiers—are each controlled by one player, and fight to be the last one standing on a tumultuous piece of land. As they race to safety and fight their opponents, natural disasters take out chunks of the land (game board) and take any players occupying that space with them. The game is different each time you play, so a strategy you used previously may not work again! It’s an innovative and unpredictable game for 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up.

Windward™ is a more in-depth strategy game that began on Kickstarter, where it was fully funded in the first 33 minutes of its campaign. The game features awe-inspiring artwork and high-quality game pieces worthy of collectors. Game play revolves around an intricate, immersive world where players strive to become the most notorious captain on the gaseous planet of Celus. They can become the master of the skies by hunting leviathans, plundering opponents, and using cunning maneuvers to harness the power of the ever-changing wind. It’s a different game each time it’s played, and strategies have to morph and adapt to that change! For 2 to 5 players, ages 14 to adult.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

# # #

 

For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Jonathan Siemens
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                    jsiemens@chizcomm.com

With a Never-Before-Seen Live Action Game and a Natural (but Hilarious) Extension of the Relative Insanity Brand, PlayMonster is Raising the Bar on Party Games

BELOIT, Wis. (February 22, 2020) — A leader in the game aisle, PlayMonster is stepping things up once again with a revolutionary new type of party game, as well as a picture-perfect extension to their widely popular Relative Insanity game. Preview these games at North American International Toy Fair in New York, February 22 – 25 at booth #435.

TAG™ combines the thrill and suspense of an elimintion game with the creativity and freedom of real-time competition to bring Live Action Gaming to the game aisle for the first time. There’s no sitting down at a table and playing nice—it’s an on-going game of trying to eliminate other players so you’re the last one! Each player is assigned a color identification, and gets a target and a method. For example, your target may be “blue” and your method card may indicate that you have to eliminate them by tricking them into standing under your method card. So, you may wedge it into the top of a door frame and call them into the room, causing them to pause in the doorway, and a-ha! You have successfully eliminated them! “Blue” is now out of the game and hands over their target and method so you now have new ones! This game can take hours, days or weeks—it depends on where you’re playing and who you’re playing with. It’s great for college campuses, offices, family vacations and more! For up to 10 players, ages 14+.

Relative Insanity® See What I Mean?!™ is the newest addition to the hilarious brand made and played by comedian Jeff Foxworthy! In this game, you now have photos—crazy ones that you’d see in family albums or posted online by relatives—and you play cards that caption those photos! Captions are written by Jeff Foxworthy, so you know they’ll be funny! There are even a few photos of Foxworthy himself in the game! It’s fun for 4 to 12 players, ages 14+.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

# # #

 

For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Jonathan Siemens
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                    jsiemens@chizcomm.com

Players “Break In” to Discover Exciting and Mysterious Places as they Solve Puzzles and Peel Back Layers of the Expanding 3D Game

BELOIT, Wis. (February 22, 2020) — PlayMonster is launching Break In™, a game line which some have touted  as a “movie in a box” due to its thrilling, immersive and entertaining experience in cooperative play. These experiential games will be shown at North American International Toy Fair in New York, February 22 – 25 at booth #435.

To escape, you must first… Break In™! It’s a collaborative experience unlike any other—and it begins the moment you lift the lid off the game box. Inside, you will see a 3D shape with graphics representing the area you are trying to break into. Your paperwork tells you to STOP and make sure you are all ready before you begin—gets your cards laid out and settle in with all the players. Read your instructions and then begin looking for clues to solve puzzles! Soon, you will be told to open the game board and unfold the first of three layers, expanding your board and revealing the next layer you have to explore to uncover clues that will lead you further inside! It’s a one-of-a-kind unboxing experience! Along the way, you see wonderful things, meet interesting characters, and complete amazing challenges using clever hints and a unique solution system. The final puzzle leads you to your goal, and then you must escape!

The Break In line debuts with three titles of different difficulty levels: Area 51, Alcatraz and Chichén Itzá. All are real places, with fictional stories built around them.

• In Area 51, you are an alien trying to rescue your ship that was stolen by humans and is being dismantled deep inside the facility. This game is for ages 12+ and takes about 1 to 2 hours to complete.
• With Alcatraz, you are attempting to break in to the prison in 1962 to help your friends, current prisoners, escape.
• The third title, Chichén Itzá, takes place in 1833, and in your studies of the ancient Mayans you have come across clues that allude to secret pyramids and a legendary throne. And now you go in search of them, entering Chichén Itzá!
• Chichén Itzá and Alcatraz are for ages 10+ and take about 1 to 1.5 hours to complete.

Each game is different, and will be a thrill for game nights for up to 6 players. In the end, you’ll be left with a 3D plastic “trophy”!

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

# # #

 

For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Jonathan Siemens
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                    jsiemens@chizcomm.com

Adorable Fuzzikins Craft-and-Play Sets Deliver Creative and Fun Play Value for Children with Line Extension

BELOIT, Wis. (February 22, 2020) — PlayMonster’s Fuzzikins™ line has gained popularity quickly and will now feature extensions for 2020! There will be new animals as skaters and babies for children to color, design and play with on their own or with other Fuzzikins sets. Also new will be a Fuzzikins Ice Cream Parlor, with an adorable penguin character! They can all be seen at North American International Toy Fair in New York, February 22 – 25 at booth #435.

Fuzzikins are 3D adorable, fuzzy animals. They are covered in white flocking, and come with special washable markers that children use to design, color and decorate their new animal friends. Children love creating toys that look like their own pets or favorite animals, and using their imagination to make colorful and unique animals! The best part is that the creativity can be endless because the color easily rinses off when the character is placed under running water. Once it’s dry, children can start a new creation!

• Fuzzi Skaters adds new play value with cool skater characters, and they’re new and different animals, too (koala, elephant, pig)! Each comes with a skateboard for children to design and decorate using stickers they color, as well as a fun accessory!
• Fuzzi Babies adds new play value with baby animals—hamster, lamb and monkey! Build and design their beds, design and color the animals, and then tuck them away for their nap!
• The Fuzzi Street Ice Cream Parlor comes with an adorable penguin shop owner and an ice cream parlor with accessories that children can design, color, and then play with! Fuzzikins sets are fun for girls and boys, ages 4 and up.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

# # #

 

For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Jonathan Siemens
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                    jsiemens@chizcomm.com

Magnatab Becomes More Kid-Friendly with a Larger Drawing Area, Improved Grip and Easy Stylus Storage!

BELOIT, Wis. (February 22, 2020) — PlayMonster has updated the Magnatab® line after working with parents and retailers to determine what aspects needed improvement to keep Magnatab a favorite among kids and parents! The new Magnatab will be unveiled at North American International Toy Fair in New York, February 22 – 25 at booth #435.

In 2020, Free Play Magnatab and Jumbo Glow-in-the Dark Magnatab will keep their distinct coloring, but feature a white back for 2-tone visual interest. They will also have a larger drawing area, along with an easier-to-grip stylus that acts as a “drawing” tool and “eraser”, and stores easily inside a top slot. Soft edging, a padded back “feet”, and gripper back handle indent make the toy more comfortable to hold and easier to carry. The alphabet and number Magnatabs will feature the updated stylus, edging, feet and handle indent as well. All items will feature updated packaging that calls out distinct features.

Magnatabs were designed with the Montessori learning style in mind, creating a sensory-based learning and play experience. Using the magnetic stylus, children pull the beads up to the surface to make letters, numbers or creative images. In doing this, they feel the pull of the magnets, hear their clicking sound, and see what they are drawing. The beads are magically “erased” when pushed down by the tip of a finger or the swipe of the stylus.

The Magnatab line consists of two drawing styles, ABCs upper and lowercase, and well as numbers. Magnatab is a fun learning tool for children ages 3 and up.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

# # #

 

For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Jonathan Siemens
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                    jsiemens@chizcomm.com

 Children Grow Real Plants to Create Their Own Fairy World that now Includes Fun Light Play, Too!

BELOIT, Wis. (February 22, 2020) —PlayMonster LLC is glowing with excitement over its newest additions to their popular My Fairy Garden® line, which add a new element of play—lights! The lighted series will shine bright at North American International Toy Fair in New York, February 22 – 25 at booth #435.

My Fairy Garden is the first of its kind: A toy that’s also a real, live garden! Children love kits that allow them to plant and grow plants at home because it gives them a connection to nature and a sense of satisfaction at having nurtured a living thing. My Fairy Garden takes it to a new, exciting level by allowing children to interact with it as a part of an entertaining play set!

In 2020, a new series will be launched that features light play. These lighted gardens can be connected to and played with the existing My Fairy Garden sets so that children can collect them and create fairy communities!

The Fairy Light Garden will feature a charming fairy house that, when children blow on it, lights up like magic! To turn off the light, children can blow on it again! The lighted house sits atop a rocky base amongst the gardening area, where children grow plants and play with their fairy friend! There’s also a small pond, working water wheel, and two lovely swans for added play! Ages 4 and up.

The Light Treehouse is reminiscent of a lighthouse—it stands tall and has a bright beacon light on top that can rotate! The base acts as a fairy home, and the top lighted area is also a small play area. Children grow their garden at the base, where they play with their fairy and woodland friend! Ages 4 and up.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

# # #

 

For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Jonathan Siemens
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                    jsiemens@chizcomm.com

Series 2 Will Join Last Year’s Launch of Series 1 to Create a More Robust Plant Island Song!

BELOIT, Wis. (February 22, 2020) —In 2019, PlayMonster joined forces with Wind Sun Sky, in partnership with Skybound Entertainment and Big Blue Bubble, as master toy license in North America for the top-grossing mobile game My Singing Monsters. Since then, PlayMonster has been busy developing singing figures and adorable collectible babies! Series 2 of the multi-year program will be unveiled at North American International Toy Fair in New York, February 22 – 25 at booth #435.

In the My Singing Monsters mobile game, players young and old add Monsters to their islands to create songs. Each Monster has its own personality and part in the song, so the song changes as more Monsters are added. Along the way, players feed and breed their Monsters, and add structures for hours of fun. The game has 90+ million players worldwide, and fans have loved seeing the game and its characters come to life in PlayMonster collectibles.

For 2019, PlayMonster launched six singing figures from the popular Plant Island, plus a 3-pack and two Spooktacle exclusives. The articulate 3D figures each sing on their own, and also harmonize together when multiple are collected. For 2020, six more will debut that can harmonize with the Series 1 Monsters. Series 2 will include Drumpler, Fwog, Bowgart, Potbelly, Pummel and Tawkerr.  Each Monster is sold separately, and comes with one of its favorite accessories from the mobile game.

Also launching in 2020 will be Series 2 of My Singing Monster Babies, which are baby versions of the popular Monsters. Each Baby Monster comes inside its unique and colorful egg and makes adorable collectibles. PlayMonster plans to release eight, joining the existing eight of 2019.

 

 About My Singing Monsters:

My Singing Monsters is a beloved and critically acclaimed top-grossing game on the App Store and Google Play, with more than 80 million players worldwide. The free-to-play family-friendly title explores rich intriguing worlds as players are engaged in discovery, creativity, and delight by breeding and feeding Singing Monsters to build unique melodies. Each Monster has its own unique sound, so players can mix and match Monsters to create different melodies.

 

About Wind Sun Sky:

Wind Sun Sky Entertainment is a Canadian multimedia entertainment company led by former

LucasFilm executive, Catherine Winder (Invincible, The Angry Birds Movie 1 & 2, Star Wars: The Clone

Wars, Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics). Based in Vancouver Canada, Wind Sun Sky

Entertainment (WSS) builds franchises with a focus on creator-driven content for the global

marketplace producing in all mediums including interactive, film, television (live action and

animation) and games. Under the WSS umbrella is Skybound North, who use expertise in building

global brands to expand IP from Skybound’s vast library as well as new IP into the right forms of

content, merchandise and beyond. WSS is currently in production on an animated TV adaptation

of Invincible for Amazon, and in development on the successful Canadian mobile game My Singing

Monsters, which is being adapted into television, interactive, merchandise and more.

 

About Skybound Entertainment:

Skybound Entertainment is a multiplatform content company that world-builds across mediums

including comics, television, film, tabletop and video games, books, and more. The company works

closely with creators to bring their stories to a wider audience, while ensuring creators can maintain

intellectual property rights and creative control. Skybound is the home of notable properties

including The Walking Dead, Invincible, and Outcast. On screen, Skybound holds a first-look

television deal with Amazon Studios and a first-look movie deal with Universal.

 

Also under the Skybound Entertainment umbrella is Skybound North, the Vancouver-based office

expanding the company into animation and the children’s space; Skybound Games, the home of

tabletop and videogames alike; and GammaRay, a video-content brand focused on pop culture and

presented by Skybound. Skybound is also a partner in Skybound Galactic, a television studio with

the capabilities to finance the development and production of scripted series.

 

About Big Blue Bubble:

Big Blue Bubble is an established mobile gaming company with more than a decade of experience creating fun, innovative, and accessible titles. They develop mobile games that inspire creativity and encourage people of all ages to embrace their playful side. Big Blue Bubble is a pioneer in the mobile gaming industry and has developed more than 100 video game titles since 2004. Having entered the field long before the days of smartphones, they maintain a proven track record of being the first to market with a variety of innovations in technology and game design, including original gameplay mechanics and revolutionary cross-platform game engines. These milestones have solidified Big Blue Bubble as a long-standing industry veteran. Big Blue Bubble’s commitment to producing fun, engaging games has earned the studio recognition from prestigious organizations around the world, including awards from Deloitte, BAFTA, and IGN for economic growth, people’s choice and editor’s choice, respectively. Big Blue Bubble continues to produce award-winning titles that stand the test of time, including our top-grossing flagship franchise, My Singing Monsters.

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

# # #

 

For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Jonathan Siemens
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                    jsiemens@chizcomm.com

More than Just a Building Toy, Snap Ships Incorporates Figure and Battle Play Supported by an Epic Story and Content

BELOIT, Wis. (February 22, 2020) — Welcome to the future, where the world is under constant attack from a brutal alien threat… But with Snap Ships™, we will escape and battle our way across the galaxy. Are YOU ready to build to battle?!

Buckle up and enjoy the ride! PlayMonster is launching their all new construction system, Snap Ships™, along with a YouTube animated series and an app to support the play pattern and the epic story behind it. Snap Ships lands at North American International Toy Fair in New York, February 22 – 25 at booth #435.

At its core, Snap Ships is a collectible, versatile, modular building system that allows kids to build multiple crafts. All of the sets are interchangeable so you can combine pieces to create different, larger builds. Each set has patent-pending cube pieces that snap together to be the core of the ship, allowing for versatile and quick builds that can be easily modified. Also included are unique pieces that differentiate sets from one another, offering different specs for play. Each craft features real shooting weapon play so kids can Build to Battle! Each package also features a plastic lid that is used as a stand when displaying ships when not playing.

The first nine sets being released are split into two groups: Forge and Komplex. This follows the storyline of the Snap Ships universe, in which the Komplex—an alien species determined to annihilate all life—invades with no warning. To fight back, an elite team—the Forge—is assembled to pilot a fleet of versatile and specialized attack craft called Snap Ships. Along the way, the Forge discovers mysterious UJU tech, left behind by an ancient civilization, which can be added to their Snap Ships to give them unheard-of abilities. Each product will come with an UJU tech piece that holds special value, and is hidden inside the box.

Snap Ships is a solid play experience with quick, versatile building and many variations. It’s also built for longevity with a broad universe with narrative-driven repeat builds. Not only do sets come with instruction books, but they link to an app that will have a character in the universe talk to you and walk you through building your ships! You can register on the app and keep track of your builds, as well receive missions and experience virtual reality play. The app is an added value, and is not required to enjoy Snap Ships.

PlayMonster will also be releasing a YouTube animated series with exciting, engaging characters and stories that introduce and dive into the Snap Ships universe. Season 1, Dawn of Battle, follows the Forge characters—Klik, Dex, Dee La, 2Bells and Atam—who use the mysterious UJU tech to battle the evil Komplex forces and their villainous leader, The Truth. The series expands the appeal of Snap Ships and supports the play pattern. Snap Ships is geared toward boys ages 8 and up, but can be enjoyed by nearly anyone.

 

 

About PlayMonster LLC

Beloit, WI-based PlayMonster is a toy and game company that believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Delivering great play value by designing, manufacturing and marketing innovative, fun products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti® and “TOTY Doll of the Year” Wonder Crew®, along with other award-winning toys and games like The Game of THINGS…®, 5 Second Rule®, Relative Insanity®, Mirari®, Farkle, SET® games, OK to Wake!®, My Fairy Garden®, Automoblox®, Marbleocity®, Kid O® and Super Spinner® is how PlayMonster helps keep play alive for all ages.

# # #

 

For More Information, Please Contact:                                        

Lisa Wuennemann                              Jonathan Siemens
PlayMonster LLC                                Director, Marketing and Communications – ChizComm
(800) 524-4263 x1275                        (416) 551-0822 x330
lisaw@playmonster.com                    jsiemens@chizcomm.com