As late as October, Bakugan Battle Brawlers were flying off North American shelves at a rate of one every 2.5 seconds, so if your little one seems to have the anime-inspired, Pokemon-on-steroids line on the brain this season, it's not just coincidental.
Like Pokemon, Digimon and seemingly every other trading-card game originating in Japan, Bakugan emphasizes collecting, trading and battling, but the game's real hook for kids is the way it literally jumps off the playing surface. You roll the Bakugan marble toward a metal card, and the magnet inside the Bakugan causes it to open up, morphing your marble into a Bakugan warrior. That's the basic idea, at least: Kicking butt at Bakugan requires a bit more advanced strategy and spinning skills, as everything from the placement of your cards to the way you roll your morphing marble (hint: spin it like a top) affects the outcome of each battle.
Budget-minded parents (is there any other kind this year?) may also dig Bakugan, at least initially -- booster packs can run as low as $4.99, although since three Bakugan are required to have a game, your best bet is to hunt down the $12.99 starter pack (three marbles and three cards) pictured above.
Unfortunately, given the way the things are selling -- Amazon, Target.com, ToysRUs.com, and Wal-Mart.com, for instance, are fast running out of reasonably priced Bakugan -- your best bet is to hit stores in person or watch eBay to nab some of the better sets. Once your kids start hoarding, though, you can expect a bigger drain on your wallet -- or at least a lot of begging.
In the meantime, download the Bakugan rules (PDF) to brush up in time for the holidays, and you won't look quite so out of touch when the kids start dropping terms like "Gate cards," "G-Power" and "Field-Open!"
