There have had to be some major updates on these new interactive Furby toys for them to be accepted by today’s device-savvy kids with their iPads, smartphones, and tablets.
If Hasbro wants to impress this new generation of kids, it’s going to have to go all out and create something quite different from its previous toys.
I think they did just that by creating a totally new version of this unusual interactive toy for boys and girls.
These furry creatures have a whole new look with loads of new capabilities, including interaction with other devices like iPhones and iPads.
The Furby has a ton of new features. The fur covering the toy is thick and fluffy, much like the 1998 versions, so not much of a change there. There will be ten colors available to choose from, but only six of those colors will be released on the toy’s release dates.
The six launch colors are a pink/purple mix, white, black, a red/orange mix, yellow, and aqua blue. After the initial release, the other four colors will be released: teal, pink, purple, and light blue.
The movable ears appear to be slightly larger than the original units and are plastic compared to the material versions of the previous models. It has a plush tail that is a few inches long with a bit of fluff at the end.
In the center of its forehead is the brand shape common to all units. With Furby 2.0, this really serves no purpose other than to keep the legacy of these toys alive with their trademark shape right above the eyes. In previous versions, this was the home of the IR sensor that helped initiate certain functions of the toy.
The mouth or beak is bright yellow and moves when the Furby talks, sings, and eats. You can “feed” the cutie by pressing its tongue into its mouth. It will then make a chewing sound and the beak will open and close to simulate chewing.
Furbies will react to anything you do to them. If you tickle his tummy, he will most likely laugh, if you turn him upside down, he may tell you that he is getting dizzy. There are sensors on its head, stomach, back, and sides that react to touch.
The tilt mechanism inside the body can sense when your Furby is upside down, pushed or pulled by its tail. He will react accordingly.
All interactions will begin to change your character. For example, if you’re really hard on him (and I don’t mean throwing him across the room and hitting him with a bat!), like pushing him a lot, eventually his character may get a little upset. His LCD eyes will start to blink and change to slightly pointed pupils giving an angry expression. Not only that, but his voice will also get deeper and his movements will get faster.
Of course, that’s just one example of one of the character changes, as there are many more.
Movement isn’t the only thing that affects a Furby’s mood. Speech can also change the character, even if it comes from another Furby. The more you talk to him, the more he wants to talk, which leads him to incorporate more English words into his spoken sentences.
