UK toy company Fizz Creations was breaking open the fizz after scooping a top award at the Spielwarenmesse Toy Award ceremony.
The independent won in the Teenager & Adults category at the event held on the second day of the Nuremberg fair, Wednesday January 31, for its Tetris & Pac Man Arcade in a Tin.
The judges praised the creation, a handheld video game that comes, as its name suggests, in a tin and is ideal for teens and retro gamers alike, for its new approach to an old favourite.
ToyAward organisers said: “The games are sure to win the hearts of all retro game lovers. The two arcade classics are hidden in a cute tin box with a mini display and the typical controller buttons for gaming on the go. The resolution of the small screens is good and the volume of the unmistakable sound can be adjusted. The retro concept is right on trend, which is reason enough for the jury to award it first place in the Teenager & Adults category. They were also impressed by the low price, the fun packaging and the workmanship of the miniature games.”
Presenting the award to Fizz national account manager Caroline Hedges, one of the judges, Jean Youn, head of toy business at Kakaokids, South Korea, said: “Retro is back! Congratulations!”
Caroline Hedges told TnP: “We’re delighted to win and really pleased with the award. It’s great to get recognition, we spent a lot of development time getting it right and working closely with the licensors.
“Retro gaming has become massive in the past 12 months and sales of the tins have been booming.. This is a real seal of approval.”
And, she noted, it is likely to give credence as the tuns go worldwide – they’re now available in territories across the globe, including the UK, US and Europe.
Other winners at the event – with comments from the judges and organisers – were:
Baby & Infant – Basic Building Blocks – Multicolored (HABA): “The jury particularly liked the high quality and bright colors of the Basic Building Blocks from HABA, which they chose as the winner in the Baby&Infant category. The robust building blocks can be easily combined with other products from the company and are sure to keep their place in the nursery for a long time.”
Preschool – Stix (OPPI) “Rotating joints made from hemispheres and silicone tubes allow the Stix building game to create unexpected constructions that inspire creativity. Preschool children use them to explore the behavior of different shapes and the stability of small and large structures in an even more differentiated way. It also promotes children’s analytical skills and foresighted planning when building. The mix of wooden and silicone building blocks, the differently shaped elements and the subtle, modern color scheme also impressed the jury, who chose Stix from OPPI as the winner in the PreSchool category.”
Schoolkids – Adventure Puzzle – The Light in the Enchanted Forest (Franckh-Kosmos-Verlags-GmbH & Co.KG): “The story unfolds through the puzzle, which is only placed piece by piece. The players then receive the tasks via point & click elements. They have to read the story, collect items and solve many tricky tasks. The jury was impressed by the innovative approach and the brilliant combination of book, interactive game and puzzle.”
Startup – Artist (Hoppstar) “The Artist instant camera from Hoppstar is the ideal starter for young star photographers aged 6-10 years. It looks cute, takes high-quality pictures and comes with great features such as automatic image correction, filters and frames. The integrated printer delivers black and white images, which the little artists can then colour in. In this way, the camera not only promotes fine motor skills, but above all the creativity of children.”
Sustainability – Feber Recycle Eco House – Famosa by Giochi Preziosi: Judge Sharon Keilthy, a sustainable retailer at jiminy.ie, said that too often outdoor toys didn’t use sustabailable materials, but not only was this made of 90% recycled plastic, it also taught kids about sustainability. She said it was truly “pioneering, adding: “We love that it’s fun, it’s not boring and really engaging and exciting.”
