ToyCyte: Toy Culture Collected

Think of it as a ‘Build-a-Bear Workshop’ with lasers instead of asphyxiating cuddling or the word ‘wuv’.

At three locations in New York and New Jersey (including the mighty Times Square Toys ‘R’ Us), Robot Galaxy shops have opened, allowing robo-thusiasts to assemble their own unique mechas out of a large pool of parts from a dozen different robots. Not only are the plastic parts durable (as one would expect from a $40+ robot), but the robots include programmable voice functions, motorized parts, launching missiles and LEDs. It’s hard to argue with mechas that have interchangeable parts and internet connectivity. And a drill hand. I wish I had an optional drill hand.

The aesthetic of the pre-built robots spans a wide visual berth, from Rescue Heroes to Crystar to Cylon, so creating amalgamations of these robots could be either wondrous or disastrous, but undoubtedly a neat experience. Putting the ‘designer’ into the hands of pre-teen kids is a good start towards something even better.