R/C toys are fun, but really, don’t we all want a high-tech toy buddy that doesn’t require a constant series of buttons pressed in order to keep us entertained? Luckily, there’s MiP, from WowWee, which can do all kinds of moves and tricks, responding to the user’s hand gestures as opposed to signals from a remote. There’s even a setting where MiP will wander around for as long as three minutes, which is great for low-key, hands-off fun (Should it, say, fall down, it automatically shuts off).
During my recent demo, what stood out most was the wide variety of play modes. In the default setting, MiP responds to hand gestures: For example, a pulling motion with one’s hand makes the robot move forward; swiping either left or right in mid-air makes it turn, etc. There are also modes that allow MiP to dance to music or chase one’s hand. But my personal favorites included the Cage mode, a game between the user and MiP, in which the former tries to cut off all of the latter’s escape routes with their hands. It’s great; MiP will turn in random directions, moving faster the longer the game lasts.
I also enjoyed the Stack mode, which utilizes the plastic tray that’s packaged with MiP. You get a limited amount of time to place objects (within certain weight restrictions) onto the tray, which hooks onto its torso. So long as time doesn’t run out—and MiP doesn’t fall over—you can keep on stacking and re-stacking objects; however, if time does expire, the robot starts spinning around so everything on the tray falls off (I do not recommend trying to stack your priceless collection of Fabergé eggs).
MiP is recommended for kids ages 8 and up, which seems fitting given that it’s an electronic toy, and therefore shouldn’t be played with too roughly. In addition, learning how to make the proper hand gestures for it can require patience. But if you’re in the right age group, MiP is a lot of fun, and has a well-crafted design to boot: It’s easy to toggle between modes using the knob on the wheel; and all the modes is coded in different colored lights. Combined with the particular noises that MiP makes—which sound like their own language—what one ends up with is a toy with its own unique personality. Given how many R/C and tech toys are currently on the market, that can’t be a bad thing.
Check out this video of Toy Insider Kid Jonah, who loves all the modes of play that WowWee’s MiP provides. He carries things (including another MiP), dances, and is a fun new friend for all kids.
