Coolest NEW Games & Toys at #SweetSuite23

Hosted by the Toy Insider, Sweet Suite is a legendary toy party for members of the press and top-tier digital influencers (apparently that's me!). 

At Sweet Suite 2023, we got an up-close peak at the coolest new toys, collectibles, video games, and more. Some are yet to be released but are expected to be among the hottest best sellers this fall and holiday season. 

My boys (10-years-old) tried them out and here are the ones that stood out. 

New must-have toys and games:

Nintendo 

Nintendo's booth & lounge area was definitely the hang-out for my boys. I kept finding them rocking on a gaming chair playing new Nintendo Switch games like Pikmin 4, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land™ Deluxe and Everybody 1-2 Switch! As well as ...

Disney's Illusion Island

We are Nintendo Switch and Disney fans, so when you combine the two, yippee! My boys kept going back to this demo station to play it again and again throughout the party. They could also play with each other and they picked it up fast, which was great.

Join Mickey & Friends on a quest to explore the mysterious island of Monoth and recover three mystical books to save the world from disaster! Play as Mickey & Friends (Donald, Goofy, etc). Choose your favorite character and unlock special abilities as you perform high-flying platforming feats, solve fun puzzles, and take on epic boss battles.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza Game

This card game is fast-paced, interactive and fun for the whole family. I've also played it with just adults as a silly ice-breaker too, but it quickly became competitive, haha! 

Simply go in order saying Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, and Pizza. Then when what you say matches the card shown, slap the pile. The last one to slap has to collect all the cards. The fewer cards, the better. 

There are also 3 Special cards that spice up the game Panda, Moose, and Flapjack. When these appear you have to do correlating sounds and movements before you can slap the pile. 

Great for travel too as it's just a deck of cards. 

boop

This MENSA Select winner is a deceptively cute, deceivingly challenging strategy game for two. Or as it says on the box, "a very thinky game for 2 clever cats." 

It's like chess, but with cats and different movements. My boys played on-site with the Smirk & Dagger team, and again the next morning against each other. They already enjoy chess and anything with cats we're all for. 

Photo from @thetoyinsider & @williamthomasphoto

Basically, every time you place a kitten on the bed, it goes “boop.” Which is to say that it pushes every other kitten on the board one space away. Line up three kittens in a row to graduate them into cats… and then, get three cats in a row to win.

It's so popular that it keeps going out of stock, but only $35 once it's available again. 

Snuggle Puppy 

Snuggle Puppy is a heartbeat stuffed toy for anxiety relief. You can actually feel a heartbeat pulsing when you hug this plush.

Originally designed to calm dogs by mimicking a warm, comfortable, furry best friend, this product also comforts children with anxiety, sensory issues, etc. 

Magnatab Minis

Hear the click, so satisfying! These magnet-shaped keychains come with a mini stylus that lets you bring magnetic balls to the surface and then swipe them away to do it again. 

We got yellow lightning bolt-shaped ones to attach to my boys' backpacks, but I think I want one for my purse, especially the avocado design, lol. 

Fingerlings

Fingerlings love to hang onto your finger and respond to sound, motion, and touch. These interactive pets are adorable and come with 70+ cute sounds and reactions from singing to laughing to showing you their love.

Meet baby pet monkey Leo! 

Blow them kisses and they will kiss you back. Hang them upside-down by the tail and watch them monkey around. Pet them to sleep or make a loud noise and watch them get excited. 

Stomp Racers by Stomp Rocket 

If your home is like ours, you're probably already familiar with Stomp Rockets, where you can launch foam rockets into the air. 

Now you can send cars racing too. This new set comes with 2 Race Cars and 2 Launch Pads to stomp on to send your cars racing. Perfect for indoor or outdoor play. 

Hurry Up Chicken Butt - Kids Party Game by Exploding Kittens

Kitten Games is already known for making quirky and addictive game for all ages like Exploding Kittens, but now they are releasing new line of games designed for kids ages 4 and up. Where were these when my boys were younger? Luckily, they can still play these since it's great for the whole family. 

Hurry Up Chicken Butt is a twist on the old hot potato game, here though players must complete a goofy challenge before they’re able to pass the clucking, chicken-shaped dice shaker globe. Just don’t get caught holding it stops clucking or you're out. The instructions are easy to learn each game has an average playtime of about 10 minutes (thank you!!).

It will be available at Target on July 30, 2023, followed by a wider launch in August. 

The Floor is Lava 

It's a game a lot of kids play on their own, but this physical version of the game is even more interactive and promotes Physical Activity. Picture twister, but with more dares, leaps and challenges. 

This great game is best with 2 to 6 players who are ages 5 years old and up. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this game which comes with 25 colored foam “safety stones”, 27 challenge cards, game spinner, and instructions. For example, my son spun Yellow and had to jump to a yellow foam square as well as complete an activity like dancing, etc.

Now available from Goliath Games. 

Gift Box Ornament Decorator 

The Gift Box Ornament Decorator is an exciting DIY product that allows you to make hand-decorated ornaments for your Christmas tree! The best part is you can decorate a variety of ornament styles -  from traditional ball and teardrop to ones shaped like snowmen. 

Simply place the included markers onto the ornament as the decorator spins - creating all types of brightly colored ornaments! Plus - it’s truly mesmerizing, relaxing and fun to do. Great way for little ones to make unique holiday gifts for their family too.

Cats Vs Pickels and Pop Soft Plush

We have long since been fans of Cats Vs Pickles mystery bean bags. We have the cornhole set to and at least 30 collected so far. 

Now, the brand has Pop Soft Plush mystery bags.  Inside each mystery bag, you'll discover a surprise plush with elephants, sea turtles, and unicorns, which are super cuddly, vibrant plush toys that are covered in fantastic patterns and filled with love, beans and fluff (that's a technical term). Each PAS character has a unique colorful design and are great to snuggle with. Even my husband wanted the Sugar Skull patterned mighty elephant. They're so cute and squishy - like a mini emotional pet zoo! Find these adorable mystery bags at TARGET beginning July 30th.

Faction Gel Bead Blaster 

Gel bead or orbeez guns are already popular, but faction is a bead-blasting powerhouse where every real-world action is tracked by Facbion Battle App with GPS. Create and configure battle zones in seconds, and activate the Bluetooth-connected Smart Beacon for target practice or battle. Available on Amazon now, and in July at Walmart and Target. 

GooToobz

These nostalgic sensory games are easily portable and fun to squish and play. 

Photo from @thetoyinsider & @williamthomasphoto

Soon they are coming out with ones that are similar to the water ones I grew up with where you have to get a bead into a hoop or slot, but an updated version with more challenges and interchangeable backdrops. 

Shape Shifting Puzzle Box

Unlike other puzzles that are done once you solve them, the patented, award-winning Shashibo Sensory box features 36 magnets for an innovative design that transforms into over 70 shapes. 

I was surprised at how much my boys liked these boxes and have been playing with them since. They will put them in a complicated shape and have us solve it and sometimes I'm able to put it back into the box form quickly and other times I'm embarrassed at how bad I'm at it, lol. 

Great for car trips and fidgety hands too. 

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