So it’s Black Friday and the new Star Wars movie – Star Wars: The Force Awakens – has officially invaded your household to the point that you now have to somehow make sense of it all weeks before the film hits theaters on December 18 because you've got toys to buy. Who is Finn or Rey, and what’s a Kylo Ren?
Is that you? Cool. Then we’re here to help.
If you’re looking to snag some sweet Star Wars merch this Black Friday, then here’s a guide to which new toys are the best to own (and play with), depending on what kind of fan you are.
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First off, how much we talkin'?
All of the toys listed below are priced under $50 (except where noted), and can be found at retail locations such as The Disney Store, Target, Wal-Mart, Toys 'R Us, Amazon and more.
A Quick Cheat Guide to Who's Who in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (from among the toys currently available)
New good characters: Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, BB-8, Ello Asty (X-wing pilot), Resistance Pilot
New evil characters: Kylo Ren, General Hux, Captain Phasma, First Order Stormtroopers, Tie Fighter Stormtrooper
Old good characters: Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2D2, C-3PO
Note: More characters and toys will be released closer to the film's December 18 release.
The Best Star Wars Toys for Collectors and Hardcore Fans
If you’ve got someone in your life who’s insane about Star Wars – like lives, eats, breathes and named one of their kids after a character in the movie – then we recommend you go straight to Hasbro’s much sought-after “Black Series” line of toys.
“They're almost double the size of the traditional figures, have better likenesses, more detail and are aimed at an older collector like me,” says io9 writer Germain Lussier, who’s a big-time fan and collector. “Someone who isn't going to play with them per se, but display them, which I am doing right now.”
We Recommend…
According to Germain, be on the hunt for both the 6-inch Captain Phasma “Black Series” figure and the 6-inch Poe Dameron figure (see above) as “they’re just coming out slowly and are harder to find.”
The Best Star Wars Toys for Gamers
Like your Star Wars served with a side of Awesome Video Game? Something... like this?
We Recommend...
Star Wars: Battlefront. This recently-released video game is the ultimate Star Wars experience for any modern gamer. Think of it along the lines of Call of Duty, but set in the Star Wars universe. There isn't an iconic character (or ship) you can't play with at some point, and based on early reactions this is a game that will keep fans busy for days. (Although we're not sure if that's actually a good thing.) (Note: This item is retailing for around $69.99.)
The Best Star Wars Toys for Little Boys
Little boys are tough… and rough.
Your best bet? Foam lightsabers from Hasbro's bladebuilders series.
As the father of a three-and-a-half-year-old budding Star Wars nerd, I can tell you that the lightsabers are by far the most popular thing in my household. And what's cool about these bladebuilders is that you can connect them to other lightsabers and create super-crazy-awesome lightsabers. Since my little guy loves Darth Maul's two-sided lightsaber from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, we have a lot fun creating much bigger lightsabers. Just be mindful of what's around you, so that expensive glass vase someone got you on their trip to Europe doesn't get smashed to pieces by an unwieldly foam lightsaber.
Pair This With..
Kylo Ren or Darth Vader costumes from the Disney Store. (Note: These costumes retail for around $60.)
Nothing gets you more in the mood for an epic lightsaber battle than wearing an epic costume. Depending on what kind of fan your little dude is -- my son prefers Darth Vader or Kylo Ren -- there are plenty of options on the table. Note that there are several different kinds of costumes available, though I've found that the ones from the Disney Store are the best in terms of their durability due to wear and tear.
We Recommend…
Ages 5 and under – Foam lightsabers. They don’t light up or make noise, but they won’t cause bruises or crying fits, either.
Ages 5 and older – Electronic bladebuilders. These lightsabers come with a plastic shell, but they light up, make noises and you can stage lightsaber battles in a more authentic way. See an image of Luke's green lightsaber below.
Just remember to take note of the age recommendations on the box and also how rough your little ones like to play.
The Best Star Wars Toys for Little Girls
Depending on what kind of fan your little girl is, any number of these toys would make a great fit. Naturally you want to zero in on her favorite characters and look for those related toys, but if she doesn’t have a favorite and just wants Star Wars toys, here’s your best bet.
We Recommend…
BB-8 -- Probably the most popular new character being introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, this little rolling droid is already a hit. You have a bunch of options when it comes to BB-8, but we really love the BB-8 from Sphero. Not only does it roll around thanks to an user-controlled app, but it'll also create nifty holographic images, too. This thing just rocks. (Note: This item is retailing at around $150.00)
And if your little girl likes BB-8, she may also dig the franchise's new heroine, Rey. You can dress up as Rey (she also has a costume available at the Disney Store), or you can create your own adventures with various Rey action figures -- both 3.5-inch and the 6-inch version via the "Black Series."
Fandango fan Kevin Olson says his 11-year-old daughter is all kinds of obsessed with both BB-8 and Rey. “[She] loves BB-8, but she always seems to be using Rey's speeder,” he tells us. “BB-8 will get trapped by Captain Phasma, and Rey will save BB-8 and zoom away on the speeder.”
Don't like action figures? Check this out.
If action figures aren’t her thing, my six-year-old daughter absolutely loves the game Loopin’ Chewie (see below), a great little interactive game (for both girls and boys) that’s not difficult and could involve multiple players.
The Best Star Wars Toys for Teens
Buying toys for teenagers ain't easy. They either want it all, or they just want a gift card. Most of today's teens were very young the last time a Star Wars movie was in theaters (2005's Revenge of the Sith), and none of them ever got to experience a new Star Wars movie featuring classic characters like Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess, er, General Leia in it. So why not go a little old school...
We Recommend...
For the teen dreamers -- The battle-action Millennium Falcon (see above) is just... I mean, it's the Falcon. That's one of the coolest Star Wars toys you could own, period. For those teens who still like to tinker with toys and have 'em showcased on their shelves, the new battle-action Falcon is the one to get. It also includes a miniature BB-8, Finn and Chewbacca. (Note: This item retails for around $111.00)
For the teen hipsters -- Lots and lots of Star Wars clothes. Clearly Kylo Ren is inspiring the coolest duds this season. (Hit up spots like TheForceGifts for more.)
For the teen cosplayers -- Darth Vader voice-changer helmet (see below). There's all kinds of amusing scenarios you could find yourself in with something like this. Just think about how much more intimidating they'll be at the dinner table! ("Bring all of your roast beef to me!" -- but, ya know, in a Darth Vader voice.)
The Best Star Wars Toys for People Who Just Like to Take Pics of Them for Instagram
Yes, this is a strange category, but you know exactly who I’m talking about. There does indeed exist a number of people who are too old to play with the toys and not really big enough fans to collect them. But they want Star Wars toys because... who doesn't want Star Wars toys?
So what do they do? Well, they pose their toys in witty Instagram captions… like, um, this one from your truly.
We Recommend…
Kylo Ren 3.5-inch action figure. As you can most obviously see, Kylo Ren is the best toy to take on wild Instagram adventures with you. He’s cool to look at and mysterious enough that you can create just about any backstory for him on social media -- and when it starts snowing out, you can snap Kylo out and about on all sorts of wintry adventures... and watch those "likes" pile up!
Plus, that plasma lightsaber just rocks.
But what if I can't find any of these toys? What do I do then?
The one downside to these new Star Wars toys is that they're in hot demand. For advice on how to track down your favorites, we went back to our pal Germain Lussier, who probably spends way more time than you ever will hunting down all things Star Wars.
"While driving around looking for toys is fun, it's also frustrating," he tells us. "My advice is to stay home. Lots of online stores update their stocks pretty frequently, so I recommend checking Amazon, Target, Wal-Mart and whatever other stores you frequent at least once or twice a day to see if they've added new stock. Some even offer email/text alerts, which is a good option too."
We hope this mini guide helped give you a feel for some of the new Star Wars toys, but make sure you look around at your favorite retailer because there's a ton more out there. May the Force be with you this Black Friday, folks!
Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters on December 18.
