Guide to Tonight's Star Wars Midnight-Madness Sales

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:27:00 GMT

You won't need to travel to a galaxy far, far away (groan), but you may need to sacrifice some precious sleep tonight if you want to be among the first in line to snag Hasbro's spankin'-new toys from the upcoming animated flick and eventual Cartoon Network series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Heck, keep the kids awake and make a party of it -- you can sleep in while they play tomorrow.

If money's no object and collector fever has you in its death grip, you're in luck, because depending on which major retailer you hit tonight, there are multiple exclusive items to be claimed in addition to the action figures, vehicles, battle packs and other doo-dads, such as exclusive first-day-of-issue foil packages. (Oh, the nerdiness...)

Here we've got a complete roundup -- courtesy of the droolworthy Star Wars: The Clone Wars Official Hasbro Handbook (cover pictured above), available for download at starwars.hasbro.com:

Toys"R"Us: Select stores nationwide will open at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, July 26, with exclusive Star Wars: The Clone Wars products (including the STAP Attack Battle Pack and T.I.E. Fighter with T.I.E. Pilot Figure), giveaways, and special midnight-madness items. In Toys"R"Us' case, said item is an exclusive General Grievous figure that comes free with any action-figure or role-play purchase of $30 and above (one per customer while supplies last).

Wal-Mart: Head to your nearest 24-hour Super Center starting 12:01 a.m. on July 26 for exclusive items such as the Clone Trooper 501st Legion Join-Up Figure, the Lando Calrissian & Stormtrooper Comic 2-Pack, and the blue version of the Clone Trooper Voice Changer Helmet.

Target: Get your sleep and hit up Target stores the morning of July 26 for more exclusives, in this case the Yoda & Coruscant Guard Battle Pack, the Commander Fox Figure, and the red version of the Clone Trooper Voice Changer Helmet.

Hasbro notes that not all of these exclusives may be available on July 26, so if you get to the endcap and can't find that TIE Fighter you had your heart set on, keep checking back. The movie opens Aug. 15, and we're guessing these are just the beginning of the toy tie-ins.

From TIE Crawlers to Muscle Cars: Three Must-Have LEGO Sets for the Holidays

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:32:00 GMT

Just in time for the holidays, the brickmasters general at LEGO have rolled out several new and hard-to-find sets, all of which look to be as awesome for kids in the 7+ age range as they are for the grown-ups who'll ultimately end up building the things.

While the Exo Force Combat Crawler X2 dominated the Target end cap that sent my kids into a frenzy, the TIE Crawler ($49.99, above) was the hands-down favorite. Part of LEGO's Star Wars Expanded Universe, the 548-piece Rebel-crusher brings Imperial TIE fighters literally down to earth via its working treads, flick-launching missiles and hidden cannons, as well as its two Shadow stormtrooper minifigures. It's a great way to keep the excitement going as ~~you~~ your kids count the hours till LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga hits stores.

If swords and sorcery are more your thing, the 575-piece Dwarves' Mine ($49.99, above) adds an underground world of trolls, dwarves and mystical loot to the clashing knights and skeletons at the center of LEGO Castle's universe. Transport your diamonds and gems in the rolling mine cart and bucket, and defend your haul with a working catapult.

Want something with more big-kid appeal? The 598-piece LEGO Racers Nitro Muscle car ($49.99, above) should satisfy your inner gearhead. It'll look great on a bedroom shelf, with four rotating tires (you can also use the rear wheel to turn the front tires), metallic decals, and a flip-open body that lets you show off its interior. Or, if your kids are like mine, just plan on getting an extra set so you can race 'em around the house when you're done building.

droolicious : tie fighters

Guide to Tonight's Star Wars Midnight-Madness Sales

From TIE Crawlers to Muscle Cars: Three Must-Have LEGO Sets for the Holidays