droolicious : nickelodeon

SpongeBob SquarePants Watches: Sorry, Kids, Get Your Own

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Just in time for SpongeBob SquarePants' 10th anniversary, Nickelodeon and Nooka have teamed up for two high-end, SpongeBob-inspired watches, and despite what you might think, neither one is aimed at the kids.

Due in stores this July, the $275 ZUB ZENV Aluminum (left, above) and $170 ZENH 20 mm (right) take their geometric design inspiration and bold color pallets from Bikini Bottom's most prominent resident, but the execution is purely Nooka. We haven't actually held one yet, but given Nooka's track record (and really, just look at those things), we're giddier than Patrick with a bucket of ice cream about the chance to get one on our wrist.

Read more about the SpongeBob watches at Nooka creator Matthew Waldman's blog.

Nick Jr. to Get Filthy on Feb. 27

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:30:00 GMT

The Backyardigans Fight Filth in “Robin Hood The Clean," Feb 27 on Nick Jr.

If we were handing out prizes for best-named children's promotion, Nick Jr. would (ahem) clean up with its upcoming "Filthy Friday" playdate. Debuting Friday, Feb. 27, at 9 a.m. ET, the lineup brings together three brand-new, cleaning-themed episodes of The Backyardigans, Olivia and Yo Gabba Gabba!

Straight from Nick's press department, here's what's on tap for Filthy Friday. Don't forget to wash your hands before settling down with a snack:

9:00 a.m. – The Backyardigans “Robin Hood The Clean”
It's the annual Festival of Dirt in the village of Filthingham where Mayor StinkyPants (Austin) reigns supreme. The townspeople (Tasha, Tyrone and Uniqua) are at their wits' end when the Mayor confiscates their last bar of soap and locks it away in the dungeon with their other personal hygiene items. Fed up, Tyrone sets off through Purewood forest to find Robin Hood the Clean (Pablo) to free them from StinkyPants and his foul ways. The music genre featured in this episode is Countrypolitan (i.e. Patsy Cline).

11:30 a.m. – OLIVIA “Olivia Paints a Mural/Olivia's Day at the Office”
Olivia is inspired after a visit to the museum with her family and decides she's going to become a great painter herself. She gets right down to business, painting a portrait of Ian. Each time she paints, she gets dirty and has to take a bath. When she sees a mural painting on a building wall, she wonders if she'll ever find a space big enough for her big ideas!

When Father takes Olivia and Ian to “bring your kids to work day,” Olivia is looking forward to a fun day with dad at the office. But when Father is given a new deadline for a big project, Olivia hatches a plan to help him out. First, however they have to track down Ian's missing frog.

1:30 p.m. – Yo Gabba Gabba! “Clean” (Guest Stars: Rachel Dratch, Chromeo, Biz Markie)
The Gabba gang learns the importance of cleaning up. They all play with toys and are reminded to clean up when they're finished. They learn to wash their hands, brush their teeth and sing a fun bath time song playing with bath toys. Musical guests Chromeo perform “Nice and Clean.” Other featured songs include: “Tiny Ugly Germs,” “Bath Time” and “West Dubb.” In this episode Rachel Dratch teaches a “Dancey Dance,” Chromeo performs and Biz Markie teaches his “Biz's Beat of the Day.”

Olivia's been a great series so far, and a Patsy Cline-style Backyardigans soundtrack should be just as impossible to get out of our heads as any other music from the series. If we end up having to set the DVR for just one episode, though, we'll shoot for getting hygiene lessons from Chromeo and Biz Markie.

Keep an eye on your local listings, and check Nick Jr. for all the latest.

UPDATE: Yo Gabba Gabba (Adult-sized) Giveaway

editors — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:35:00 GMT

Muno is out - Brobee is in!

Under the category of For Them? No, For You! comes this super giveaway from Yo Gabba Gabba. A lot of us have gone on and on about our love for the quirky, energetic and yes - hip - kid show that has captured the attention of college students and two-year-olds alike. As the Yo Gabba soundtrack hits iTunes the chorus of "Party in my Tummy" will be forever ingrained into our pop culture lexicon. Think ahead to 2024 where our grown toddlers are sporting Brobee tees and playing a "Be Nice To Animals" cover in their indie band.

If you’re ready to show the world your appreciation for the Dancey Dance Bunch you are in luck. Babble is giving away the Kid Robot produced adult ~~Muno hoodie in men’s size XL~~ limited edition Brobee hoodie in men's size L (retails for $150) as a grand super prize. But that's not all! You can also win the Nickelodeon hoodie featuring the whole crew (except DJ Lance – that guy always gets the shaft) in gender-free size L.

Check out the Yo Gabba Gabba soundtrack on iTunes, the gang’s latest adventures on Nick Jr. and send your entry to babblecontest@gmail.com with the subject line Yo Gabba is for Me Too. Grand prize goes to the first person who can tell us where they first heard "Happy Birthday" before The Ting Tings did their thing on Yo Gabba Gabba. Hint – Molly Ringwald was involved. Second prize will be picked at random, US entrants only. Good luck! – April Peveteaux

5 Kid-Friendly Music Games That Aren't Rock Band or Guitar Hero

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:04:00 GMT

Kicking out the kid-friendly jams with Wii Music.

I'd probably heard the Donnas' "New Kid In School" 500 times before my kids decided it was their new favorite track in Rock Band 2. It wasn't until my 5-year-old started belting out the song's lyrics, though, that I realized there was a naughty word in the second verse. Now, I'm hardly a prude when it comes to T-rated games, but there's something about hearing a kindergartener sing, "Better start kissing some ass!" that makes you understand why ESRB ratings exist.

While such moments are rare, they prove why edgier music games like Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero World Tour aren't always appropriate for family game night. So, for any parent looking for a safe-but-fun alternative this holiday season, here's a round-up of some of the more kid-friendly music titles out there -- at least one of which may surprise you.

Wii Music (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E
System: Wii
Unlike most music games, which force you to hit notes (or just hit, period) at precise moments in order to get ahead, Wii Music is almost totally free-form: Using the Wii Remote, Nunchuk and Balance Board, you can tweak tempos, add flourishes or otherwise alter the arrangements of up to 50 different songs using a veritable orchestra's worth of instruments. And unlike, well, every other game featured in this post, there's no such thing as a mistake in Wii Music -- in fact, the more you can improvise to create happy accidents, the more enjoyable the game becomes. It's easy enough that a 3-year-old could start jamming, but the possibilities (you can create and share your own improvs over Wi-Fi, for instance) are big enough that Mom and Dad will never get bored.

Rock University Presents: The Naked Brothers Band The Video Game (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E
Systems: Wii, DS, PS2, PC
The Naked Brothers Band's first music-rhythm game was built on a good idea (join Nickelodeon's flagship kid rockers on a world tour) and a fan-enticing soundtrack, but for anyone used to Rock Band-style gameplay, the game can feel lacking: The Wii version has you gesturing in thin air to play the band's six different instruments, while the PS2 version requires various joystick combos. (Unlike the DS version, those two editions also include an external mic.) That said, my Naked Brothers-obsessed 5-year-old amazingly had less trouble adjusting to this game than he did figuring out Guitar Hero or any other title requiring "real" fake instruments. That may be because, given the target audience's age, the room for error on The Naked Brothers Band The Video Game is unusually wide.

Boogie SuperStar (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E10+
System: Wii
What teen pop sensation worth his or her weight in gold albums can't dance and sing at the same time? In Boogie SuperStar -- the follow-up to last year's Boogie -- kids can release their inner Fergie, Maroon 5, Fall Out Boy or Natasha Bedingfield (just some of the stars who've lent tracks to the game), singing into the included microphone while using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to bust their best dance moves. Though it's a great game to play solo, the competition gets a lot more fun as you add up to four friends to compete for pop-star bragging rights in the American Idol-style "Boogie Star Show." Oh, and budget-minded parents, take note: If you have a mic, you can save $10 on the bundle pictured here and just get the core game.

Disney Sing It (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E
Systems: Wii, Xbox 360, PS2, PS3
With a true karaoke-style experience that lets kids sing along to actual music videos from Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers, Aly and AJ, and other Disney stars, Disney Sing It offers kids eye candy to match its ear candy. The game packs 35 songs in all -- including tunes from Camp Rock and High School Musical -- and kids can compete solo as well as in duet, head-to-head, and team modes. The game also stresses hitting the right notes, with High School Musical star Olesya Rulin popping up as a personal vocal coach. As with Boogie SuperStar, you can buy the bundle (which includes a Logitech mic) or save a few bucks and use your existing microphone with the core game.

Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades (buy it at Amazon)
Rated: E10+
System: DS
OK, I lied about not including Guitar Hero in this roundup, but it makes sense that handheld gaming's most kid-friendly console would get the most kid-friendly entry in the Guitar Hero series. Decades follows up last year's Guitar Hero On Tour, which reduced the axe-slinging experience to a pick stylus and a fist-sized "fretboard" that plugs into your DS Lite's Game Boy Advance slot. Although there are some cool features (you blow into the DS' mic to extinguish pyro blasts, for instance) and a welcome sharing mode that lets you stream tunes across both versions of On Tour, the game's core mechanics haven't changed much. The experience, however, has: You can customize your character based on its era and shred along to 28 songs from the '70s to today (hence the "Decades"), with artists ranging from Queen to R.E.M. to Paramore. The E10+ rating is for lyrical content, but there are no truly naughty words to be found.

Grab Bag Winners – That Was Fast!

editors — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:33:00 GMT

Wow, what an amazing response to our super giveaway. As it turns out, we had enough DVDs, books, toys and bibs to give grab bags to twenty winners! And those lucky readers are:

Michelle R of Flushing, NY

Jennifer L of Chicago, IL

Carla M of Warwick, RI

Roni G of Grand Prairie, TX

Rebekah S of Reynoldsburg, OH

Ola M of Los Angeles, CA

Heather B of San Francisco, CA

Julie K of Long Beach, CA

Natalie S of Chicago, IL

Stephanie Z of Roscoe, IL

Catherine C of Brooklyn, NY

Angela G of Dayton, NV

Mary C of Ithaca, NY

Maria D of Fayetteville, NC

Jennifer H of Hilliard, OH

Sarah S of Richfield, MN

Meredith G of Roslyn, PA

Tina L of Scarsdale, NY

Carey S of Aurora, IL

Paula N of Murphy, TX

Now, if anyone has ‘tweens or teens out there, we have one more stack of books to give away to that particular demographic. So write us at babblecontest@gmail.com with the subject line ‘Tween Books! And we’ll send them to the first entrant.

Stay tuned to Droolicious for even more giveaways coming up later this week. - April Peveteaux

Babble’s Super Deluxe Grab Bag Giveaway!

editors — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:37:00 GMT

Books for Kids! Books for Expectant Mothers! DVDs! Random Toys!

This field of swag is so diverse we’re not even going to tell you what you’re getting. Maybe you’ll score a Handy Manny tool set or the latest from Nickelodeon on DVD. Or you could be the proud recipient of a random piece of material with the Bugaboo logo – perhaps you’ll know what to do with it.

No matter what your prize, we’ve got bags and bags of baby, kid and mom stuff to grab so send your entry now to babblecontest@gmail.com with the subject line – Free Stuff!!! and include your contact information so we can send you a super fun bag. Please specify if you have babies, toddlers, grade schoolers, ‘tweens or are expecting and we will try and match the prize with the age. Although, again, it’s a grab bag and we’re making no promises other than the first fifteen readers to enter will get stuff. Good luck!

Angelina’s Big Confession!

SunnyChanel — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:23:00 GMT

During the infamous Today show interview with Jack Black about their film Kung Fu Panda, Angelina was forced to make a confession and announce to the world that not just that she is carrying Brad Pitts twins but that…her kids love to watch Wonderpets!

Easily one of the creepiest shows in kiddie land (okay, The Big Red Couch, Raggs and Barney are actually far creepier) the collage laden animation of the Wonderpets totally freaks me out. Oddly, the plush version of the Linny, Ming-Ming, and Tuck (a Nickelodeon Shop exclusive - the set is $56.99) are far less disturbing than the characters on the show. This trio is all about working together with their anthems like “what’s gonna work, team work!”. Being in the Jolie-Pitt clan is like being your own softball team, so actually it does seem like a perfect fit for them. Now I know what I’ll get Angelina for her baby shower.

CES 2008: Sirius Backseat TV

Chris Ford — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:27:00 GMT

Sirius Backseat TV is a product squarely focused on marketing to parents of young children. Working alongside your current Sirius Satellite Radio service, it's a system for getting children's programming to backseat video monitors.

The content is all for children - Nickelodeon, The Disney Channel and Cartoon Network Mobile - and seems like it would be something that might be worthwhile if you already have video monitors in the back seat. It costs $6.99/month (on top of your Sirius Radio subscription) and is available as a feature in some new Dogde, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles. A kit to install it into your current vehicle will be available in the second quarter of 2008.

Check out the product page at Sirius.com.

Video Game Round-Up: Licensed Fun for Everyone, Part 1

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 22:03:00 GMT

With the holidays upon us, the steady trickle of video games for kids has turned into a landslide. There's plenty of educational gaming to be found (watch this space...), but this week's focus is on licensed games -- those flashy, store-aisle eyeball-grabbers that work in characters and plotlines from kids' favorite toys, movies and TV shows. Consider it sort of like eating your dessert first and then working backward toward the veggies.

Avatar: The Burning Earth (THQ; screenshot above)
Available For: Wii, Xbox 360, PS2, DS, GBA
The Deal: Nick's animated hit about an on-the-run golden child with element-manipulating powers returns to the console; this time, you're playing as lead character Aang, as well as his friends, to hone your (literal) elemental skills and fend off a Fire Nation assault: air battles, multiplayer action and arena combat ensue. It's a fighting game, albeit a cartoonish, Zen-like one, so little kids may not be ready for it yet -- though they're sure to argue otherwise.
Who'll Dig It: Besides Babble's own Lisa Carver, fans of Avatar (the storyline, characters and Asian-style animation are straight out of season 2) and of martial-arts games in general.

Barbie as the Island Princess (Activision)
Available For: Wii, PS2, DS, GBA, PC
The Deal: A game based on a movie based on a toy based on a beauty ideal, Barbie as the Island Princess finds you playing as the shipwrecked Princess Rosella -- with the option to unlock new characters and costumes as you move toward your ultimate destination, the prince's castle. A multiplayer mode and 28 minigames, along with footage not found in the DVD, add welcome replay value.
Who'll Dig It: Barbie fans of all ages; it's also a fun way to bond outside of the castle playset with your little Barbie collector, particularly if neither of you is an avid gamer.

Ben 10: Protector of Earth (D3)
Available For: Wii, DS, PS2, PSP
The Deal: The shape-shifting 10-year-old star of Cartoon Network's animated smash (and real-life spinoff) must stop the evil Vilgax from stealing the source of his power. Play as Ben's five alien alter-egos; battle friends in combat mode; and unlock challenges as you fight to save the world. Or, you know, just watch your kids clobber their way through the thing.
Who'll Dig It: Ben 10 fans will love being able to man the Omnitrix (don't ask) and get into their hero's business. You might be underwhelmed by the basic fight-to-win action if you're not down with the series, but if that's the case, why are you playing?

Cars: Mater National (THQ)
Available For: Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, PS2, DS, GBA, PC
The Deal: Racing games are like crack for kids; throw in the characters from Pixar's Cars, along with Monsters, Inc.'s Mike and Sully (here as monster trucks) and you won't be able to pull 'em away from the set. This time, you're competing in the Mater-National world championship, vying for a shot against Lightning McQueen while veering off course in over 20 minigames and a wide-open playing field.
Who'll Dig It: See above. It doesn't blow away the original Cars game, but given how easy these things are to beat, it's a nice expansion to the series.

Dora Saves the Mermaids (2K Play)
Available For: DS
The Deal: Though it's clearly aimed at the littlest gamers, Dora's new adventure -- in which she and Boots team up for a fun, simple journey to restore a mermaid's magic crown -- has some cool features: You can use the stylus to sweep garbage off a beach, or call to dolphins through the DS' microphone. And with basic counting and puzzle-solving activities included, it's got some educational perks, too.
Who'll Dig It: Dora fans, of course.

THQ's Halloween Treats for Kid Gamers, Part 2: Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:02:00 GMT

In lieu of treats this Halloween, our friends at THQ are sharing with Babble.com some exclusive cheats to two of their newest kid-friendly games. Earlier today, we showed you how to beat SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis; this time, it's Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots (Wii, PS2, DS, Game Boy Advance), another Nickelodeon-themed action game rated "E" for Everyone. Suit up as one of your Nicktoons favorites -- Tak, SpongeBob, Timmy Turner, Jimmy Neutron and Danny Phantom -- and battle against Professor Calamitous' army of evil Nicktoon clones.

Spoiler alert! Don't go any further if you want to uncover the game's bonus content on your own. We won't hand-hold you through the individual levels, but if you're interested in finding the unlockable characters, read on...

You'll find unlockable characters in some of the many Master Model Chambers in the Evil Toy Co. Factory, each of which is guarded by the factory's evil toys. Before you can activate the switch to free the trapped/unlockable characters, however, you've got to defeat all of the evil toys in the chamber.

To find Stimpy (above; unlockable character and collectible Master Model):
Go to Factory Zone 1, entry point 3; play as SpongeBob SquarePants to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find the Angelica Master Model:
Go to Factory Zone 1, entry point 6; play as Timmy Turner to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find the Arnold Master Model:
Go to Factory Zone 3, entry point 2; play as Danny Phantom to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find Rocko (above; unlockable character and collectible Master Model):
Go to Factory Zone 2, entry point 3; use Danny Phantom to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find the El Tigre Master Model:
Go to Factory Zone 1, entry point 2; play as Danny Phantom to enter the nearby branch; defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

To find Jenny/XJ9 (unlockable character and collectible Master Model):
Go to Factory Zone 3, entry point 5; play as Tak to enter the nearby branch, defeat the evil toys in the Master Model Chamber at the end.

THQ's Halloween Treats for Kid Gamers, Part 1: SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:02:00 GMT

In lieu of treats this Halloween, our friends at THQ are sharing with Babble.com some exclusive cheats to two of their newest kid-friendly games. First up, SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis (Rated "E" for Everyone) for the Wii, PS2, DS and Game Boy Advance. Based on the upcoming David Bowie-guested TV special starring everyone's favorite absorbent, yellow, porous kid, the game finds SpongeBob, Patrick and friends taking a magical mystery tour of the lost city of Atlantis, with action-packed treasure hunting and bumbling evildoing (courtesy of Plankton) abounding.

Spoiler alert! Don't read any further if you want to make it through the game on your own. There's also a whole other world of minigames awaiting you in the unlockable Amoeba Arcade, but we had to give you something to look forward to. Let the cheats commence...

Level 1: Tanklantis Plankpantis!
Blast everything in sight as you move through the level; some of the buildings hide valuable pickups inside. Also, if the tank takes too much damage, you’ll need to repair it to keep playing: Watch for the on-screen instructions whenever the tank breaks down.

Level 2: Amulet Adventure!
If you get stuck here, look for any pickups you haven’t collected yet. They may hide clues on where to head next.

Level 3: Snap Happy! (pictured above)
You can lob stale Krabby Patties at people to get them out of your way, but don’t stop taking pictures; that’s why you’re in the museum in the first place! Wake the sleeping curators by hitting them with a Krabby Patty; then, when they way up, snap a picture of them to get bonus points.

Level 4: Magical Musical Journey!
You just need to push the commands as they reach the marker on the screen: the fewer mistakes you make, the better the Atlantean Amulet you’ll earn.

Level 5: Bus Building Bonanza!
Collect spanner pickups to keep the bus going, and be ready to repair the bus if it breaks down: Just follow the on-screen instructions, and remember: Driving over the "boost” strips makes the bus go faster.

Level 6: Tour Trouble!
Don’t wait around here: Push the commands as soon as you can see them!

Level 7: Money Krabbing!
To rack up big scores and earn an Atlantean Amulet, you need to get combos. To do that, collect three falling gems of the same color in sequence.

Level 8: Squidward the Poser! (pictured above)
The faster you complete each sequence here, the more points you score; the more points you score, the closer you are to Alantean Amulets.

Level 9: Paparazzi Patrick!
When the Knowledge Machine asks Patrick a question, help him by throwing a Krabby Patty at the button with the correct answer on it. Earn extra points by throwing a Krabby Patty at the Bus Robots you see around the level. If you snap a photo of the robots after they’ve been hit, you’ll get a bonus.

Level 10: Hide and Sneak!
As you learned in Level 2, the pickups can reveal areas you haven’t been to yet, so if you get stuck, be sure to use pickups for clues on where to go next.

Level 11: Armory Antics!
If you push the commands exactly in the middle of the marker, you can lower the alarm level here and make Plankton’s sneaking even sneakier.

Level 12: Squidward Super Shooter!
You don’t want to run out of shots with Atlantean Guards around, so be sure to reload often! Also, shoot every container you see here: More destruction = more points.

Level 13: Super Tank Showdown! (pictured above)
If you want to get rid of an ice-cream vat here, you need to blast all the nearby buttons first. Next, get rid of all the nearby turrets, and then finally you can splat the vat! Remember that some buildings hide valuable pickups, so if you want to find them all, splat everything you see.

Level 14: Operation: Trash Dash!
Push the commands as they reach the guard. Get enough right, and you’ll earn an Atlantean Amulet.

Xbox 360 Now in $280 Family-Friendly Size

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:32:00 GMT

I'd posted a while back about the apparent positive increase in family-friendly games for the Xbox 360, but in an official release last night, Microsoft confirmed that it's embracing families in the console wars, as well. The rebranded 360, now in Arcade edition, hit stores today at a Wii-clobbering $279.99 MSRP, complete with a wireless controller and hi-def cable, as well as five popular family-friendly games -- Uno, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Boom Boom Rocket, and Pac-Man Championship Edition -- and 256 MB worth of storage. Xbox Live Arcade subscribers can also grab two new kid-oriented games through the service -- SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam and Shrek-N-Roll -- starting today.

Additionally, Xbox 360 owners can expect the number of "E"-rated games for the console to spike in time for the holidays, with Viva Piñata: Party Animals, Bee Movie Game, and a cool-looking, console-oriented twist on the Scene It? DVD game among the new titles on the way. Warner Bros. and Nickelodeon have also added new exclusive video content to Xbox Live starting today, so between Blue's Clues, The Backyardigans, and the 50-plus classic "Looney Tunes" shorts now in HD (offered in both English and Spanish), that hard drive ought to fill up quickly.

Nickelodeon, Imation Team Up for Pre-Holiday Gadget Blitz

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 20:27:00 GMT

Not that there aren't already plenty of consumer electronics products aimed at kids, but Nickelodeon and Imation have just announced their Npower line, which features Nick-branded gizmos ranging from Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! 7" digital photo frames ($99.99 MSRP; pictured) to a SpongeBob SquarePants 1.3MP flash digital camera ($49.99 MSRP). Npower -- which will also include MP3 players, LCD TVs and other items branded with Dora, SpongeBob, Diego and the Naked Brothers Band, aims to have around 20 products in stores starting in October.