We thought you might want to know how well (or not so well) some other toys did in our test:
Beat Blenders: These colorful boxes let you push buttons to create a variety of beats and tunes. Kids thought they looked very cool, but the directions were hard to follow, making this toy frustrating. (Wild Planet, $9.99 to $19.99, ages 8 and up)
MGears Remote Control Racers: Build your own RC racer using interlocking pieces. Sounds like fun, right? Not if the directions aren't clear and the cars don't respond very well, our testers said. (Learning Resources, $29.99, ages 7 and up)
Terrain Twister: You've probably seen this toy on TV. Our testers thought it was cool the way this RC car twists and turns, but just about everyone complained about how hard the batteries are to put in. (Mattel, $64.99, ages 8 and up)
Play It Now: It's not quite an iPod, but it doesn't have an iPod price, either. The portable music player can store up to 30 minutes of tunes and play six games. Some kids thought this was pretty cool, while others thought the instructions could be clearer. (Hasbro, $29.99, ages 7 and up)
Tangle: Kids loved the small, twistable toys that you can wear as a bracelet or just fidget with, but thought the Tangle lamp wasn't nearly as much fun. (Tangle, $1.50 to $25; ages 7 and up)
Girls Living in Style Mini Room Mates: A little light, fan and radio in bright colors -- just perfect for a girl's room. Girls loved that the tiny toys actually worked and that they were small enough to take with you. (Wild Planet, ages 8 and up, $19.99 to $24.99)
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