Trading Cards BY
NANCY LOMBARDI
Trading cards have long been a staple of the toy industry. Whether kids follow their favorite athlete, play games centered around superheroes, or learn about history, this genre will always have a place with kids as they spend time with friends collecting, trading, and sharing.
´ Pokemon
Spin Master Redakai is the newest innovation in gaming, taking trading cards to the next level with what Spin Master calls 3Dmatik technology. These trading cards have 3-D and animation effects by using a lenticular card design. In addition, new game technologies automatically track a player’s progress. Redakai is coming to Cartoon Network in 2011. Ky, Boomer, and Maya are three teens on a quest to gather mystical Kairu energy from across the globe. The fate of the world rests on their mission to collect the energy, harness its power, and defeat the evil forces of Lokar. The incredible Kairu energy gives them immense powers and the ability to transform into the galaxy’s most powerful warriors.
Konami Super Heat Games, the maker of the new trading card game, announced it has finalized a distribution agreement with Konami Digital Entertainment. The first release in the multiyear agreement will be the Super Heat Skateboard Card Game starter decks and booster sets in early May. The Super Heat Skateboard Card Game features more than 30 of the top professional skaters in street and vert, as well as the legends who helped build the sport to worldwide prominence. Super Heat Games, a division of Ahead of the Game, Inc., designs, develops, and markets collectible action sports trading card games, showcasing the world’s top professional athletes in action sports including skateboarding, snowboarding, motocross, surfing, and BMX.
With the Pokémon (trading card game) TCG: Black & White expansion, kids can discover a legion of more than 70 never-before-seen Pokémon from the newly explored Unova region, including new starter Pokémon Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott, as well as powerful new Pokémon such as Zoroark, Galvantula, Reuniclus, plus many more. The expansion comes battle-ready with more than 110 cards. Three Pokémon TCG: Black & White theme decks arrive at retail— Green Tornado, Red Frenzy, and Blue Assault—which will include a special code to unlock an identical digital deck for play in the recently announced Pokémon TCGO: Trainer Challenge online game. Use any of the three new theme decks to battle against 14 virtual TCG players in leagues.
U.S. Games Systems U.S. Games Systems introduces a new series of playing card games featuring the American Revolution. Similar to the company’s popular Civil War series, the new American Revolution series consists of four 54-card decks.
Topps Topps has granted Abrams, publisher of illustrated books, an exclusive license to publish books inspired by Topps’ long-standing presence in sports and popular culture. The multi-year arrangement is expected to yield an array of nonfiction and fiction sports- and entertainmentthemed books and calendars, which will be published across all of the Abrams imprints. The first line of books is slated to release in spring of 2012. The scope of the new venture is also expected to include electronic books. A fiction series geared primarily toward 7–10-year-old boys is also on the agenda. The new fiction will serve as potential media content, consistent with Topps’ strategy to expand into film, TV, and other media platforms.
MARCH 2011 TOYS & FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT 37