Earth Day Giveaway: Win a Xeko Pals 'Hairy' Lemur Doll (ends 4/22)

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Considering its Earth-friendly angle -- think Pokémon with a green-centric purpose -- we're thrilled to be working with trading-card game Xeko on an Earth Day giveaway, the prize for which is this adorable "Hairy" Xeko Pals doll.

A hairy-eared dwarf lemur from Madagascar, Hairy is life-sized (around the size of a softball, to be exact) and made from a soy-based fabric and filled with soy stuffing. Like its fellow Xeko Pals, Hairy also comes with a mission code, which gives you unlimited play of the "Hairy the Nibbler" game at xeko.com.

To enter, simply email your name, address and daytime phone number to babblecontest@gmail.com. One lucky winner will be selected at random from the pool of entries on Earth Day, which is next Wed., April 22.

Even if you don't score a free Hairy of your own, you can still save with this exclusive coupon code for Babble readers: Enter "gogreen" at the Xeko Store to save 15% off your entire order between now and Oct. 31, 2009. (The code can be used more than once, so keep it handy.)

Check out our past coverage of Xeko to help you get in the mood for Earth Day '09 -- and good luck!

7 Days of Indoor Toys: Xeko, the Eco Trading-Card Game

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:03:00 GMT

Even though it plays a lot like Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering, Xeko trumps other trading-card games by having a social conscience beneath its surface. That's not to say kids will be turned off by Xeko's attempts at turning its players into activists. One look at the packaging -- a (sustainably farmed!) wood shipping crate with a "secret mission" inside -- and they'll be too jazzed about breaking into Xeko to question its makers' m.o.

And that's where Xeko is really clever: It uses a style of gaming with which kids are already familiar to school them on serious environmental issues. The objective, in ultra-simplified terms, is to build the strongest "Xeko-system" in one of several real-world ecological hotspots. You face off against opponents in the standard draw-and-battle style of Pokemon (demo here) and win by amassing the most "Eco-points" in your environment. The beautifully illustrated cards also teach you about the rare and endangered species you're saving.

Priced at $30, with 4% of proceeds going to Conservation International, Xeko starter sets include 40 booster cards, a rulebook, larger learn-to-play cards, and an oversized play mat/map. Kids can also send back the cards' wrappers for recycling and in exchange earn "green points" redeemable for landfill-sparing junk like screensavers and wallpapers. And, not only is Xeko's packaging made from recycled/recyclable materials, but if you order online from the company, you're likely to receive your game packed in a box that's been reused from a previous order.

droolicious : xeko

Earth Day Giveaway: Win a Xeko Pals 'Hairy' Lemur Doll (ends 4/22)

7 Days of Indoor Toys: Xeko, the Eco Trading-Card Game