"Ben 10 is without doubt the hottest boys' brand of the moment". The Ben 10 10cm and 15cm Action Figures were selected as the "2009 Toy Of The Year" and the Ben 10 brand also scooped the "Boys' Range Of The Year". So what are Ben 10 toys all about and are they worth buying?
1. What are Ben 10 Toys?
Ben 10 is the superhero from the Cartoon Network show of the same name. Young fans all over the world are going wild for the merchandise relating to their hero and he now has his own toy range. The watch like object called the Omnitrix gives Ben his super powers and is central to the toy range. It allows him to transform into 10+ different superhero aliens, who form the action figure toys available.
Ben 10: Alien Force is the sequel to the original show. The trusty Omnitrix has evolved, resulting in new aliens to transform into. The toy range has been updated accordingly with a new Ultimate Omnitrix and new alien action figures.
2. For what age group are Ben 10 Toys suitable?
The range is primarily aimed at boys aged 4 to 12.
3. Are Ben 10 Toys any good?
Ben 10 toys are exciting, good value toys that entertain and inspire creativity. They are realistic to the cartoon, well detailed and well made. In this time of financial crisis it is all about trusted brands and the makers of the Ben 10 range, Bandai, are the world's third largest producer of toys. If you are looking for high quality, durable, multi-purpose toys that can be played with in different ways - Ben 10 delivers.
4. How much do Ben 10 Toys cost?
You can get some good action figures starting from about £5.
The best 'Omnitrix' watches cost between £15 and £20.
The new Alien Force creature vehicles cost about £15.
The video games start at about £15 depending on platform.
You can find a nice selection of books for around £3.
You could perform a great Ben 10 bedroom make-over for around £60, to include curtains, a duvet cover & pillowcase, wall stickers and a lightshade.
5. Which is the best Ben 10 Toy?
The must have toys for any Ben 10 fan are an Omnitrix and some action figures.
The Omnitrix comes in many different versions so beware of the cheaper forms that are less playable. The two best Omnitrix watches are the Deluxe Omnitrix and the new Alien Force Ultimate Omnitrix. They are realistic to the cartoon series and are ideal for superhero role play.
The best value for money in action figures are the 10cm versions as they are poseable, well detailed and hard wearing but also cheap enough to buy a few. Ensure you are buying the 'right' alien though as your Ben 10 fan will undoubtedly have their favourites. Take advantage of multi figure packs to get your Ben 10 fan's collection started. The Creation Chamber figures also offer great creative play allowing children to mix things up and make new Ben 10 aliens.
If you don't mind shoot-em up games, the Ben 10 video games are great. They are fairly easy to play, challenging but not too much so. There's great sound and story line and you have to solve problems. The best bits for young Ben 10 fans are:
another player can join or leave and help at any point in the game; and
you start from where you run out of life so you don't have to go back to the beginning of a level.
6. Which is the worst Ben 10 Toy?
The playsets are typically expensive, cumbersome and have too many parts that get lost. Generally they also require you to buy the rest of the product range to use with it, so are often not worth the money. The adverts and the packaging are always very tempting but once the box is opened and the first play frenzy is over, disappointment sets in.
The cheapest versions of the Omnitrix (the Omnitrix FX and the Alien Viewer) have limited appeal. Check out my other article "Ben 10 Omnitrix Watches - The Differences Every Parent Needs To Know" for more detailed information.
With the action figures you need to avoid the smallest and the largest. The Transforming Alien Rocks or figures from Planetary Powder sets are tiny, mono-coloured and badly detailed. At the other end of the scale, the 30cm Epic Alien Figures are not poseable and made of inferior quality plastic.
7. What toys and merchandise does the Ben 10 Toy range include?
As well as the Omnitrix and Action Figures, the Ben 10 range includes:
games and puzzles;
vehicles;
playsets;
DVDs;
video games;
clothes & shoes;
school equipment;
dressing up costumes;
arts & crafts;
sports equipment;
furniture;
party supplies;
bedroom accessories;
books.
8. What educational value does the Ben 10 Toy range provide?
The toys encourage imaginative play with your child starting as Ben 10, meeting a villain and then transforming into one of the hero aliens simply by switching toys. They also help develop moral reasoning by identifying the good from the bad characters. When used to interact with other children, they will engage in cooperative and dramatic play.
9. Which toy should I buy for a child that has most of the Ben 10 Toy range already?
Take a look at some of the sports equipment, such as the skateboard or the scooter.
10. Where can I buy Ben 10 Toys online?
Everywhere! Ben 10 is so popular you can find the toys for sale at most online toy retailers such as Amazon, The Toy Shop and Toys R Us.
© 2009 Chloe Alice Wilson
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