Those big, green eyes. That soft, golden fur. The adorably ferocious roar.

Be still, my heart.

I didn’t think it would be possible to release a FurReal Friend nearly as cute as last holiday season’s Torch My Blazin’ Dragon, but cynics, be warned. While Torch will always be near and dear to me, when Hasbro introduced the newest edition to the FurReal family, FurReal Roarin’ Tyler, The Playful Tiger pet, the baby cub roared his way right into my heart. Thank you, Hasbro, for this beautiful gift to mankind.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “This chick is certifiably crazy,” wait until you have your first interaction with the cub and tell me you disagree. I dare you.

What’s so special about Tyler, you may ask? For starters,  I could easily spend (read: I have spent), an entire workday simply stroking his striped fur. While Tyler is made of hard plastic, his soft fur covers his entire body. Certain areas, such as his chin and ears, also consist of a fluffier material—perfect for nuzzling.

With lifelike features and motions, Tyler gives kids the thrill of having a real life tiger right in their playroom. Once kids turn him on, he lets out the most adorable yawn and flashes his mouth full of teeth, crouches down to stretch his body, moves his neck to get those pesky kinks out, and blinks away the sleep from his big, green eyes. With responsive sensors on his forehead, back, and muzzle, Tyler is now ready to play.

This jungle pet comes with a bright yellow, squeaky chicken toy, which he will instantly respond to after hearing it. When kids give the toy a squeeze, Tyler’s ears perk up and he crouches into a playing stance. For a special treat, Tyler will chew on the toy when kids press it into his mouth.

Just like Simba, Tyler is also working on his roar. The ferocious friend comes with more than 100 sound and motion combinations, including spontaneous roar sounds when he feels a little feisty. And, when kids make a loud noise or give their best roar, Tyler will join in on the fun and respond with his own rambunctious roar.

Every baby cub gets tired at some point. Though Tyler will keep kids busy with his responsive actions, he loves to cuddle after a long day of play. Kids can snuggle up close to him and nuzzle his check to trigger an adorable response.

Needless to say, Tyler, The Playful Tiger is sure to be a hit with girls and boys this holiday season—and likely most parents, too.

About the author

Stephanie Grassullo

Stephanie Grassullo

Stephanie Grassullo is an associate editor at Adventure Publishing Group. In addition to handling toy and licensing news and updates for The Toy Book and The Licensing Book, Stephanie also writes toy reviews and commentaries for the Toy Insider. When she’s not binge-watching old episodes of Gossip Girl, Stephanie is always game for Boggle tournaments—she’s the titleholder Boggle champion in her family, and proud of it! Stephanie firmly believes that there is no awkward moment that can’t be remedied with the help of Bop It. To get to know her better, follow her on Twitter @steph_grass.

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