Star Wars gift guide: How to unleash the savings force
In honor of 鈥淪tar Wars: Episode VII鈥� we鈥檝e listed seven of the best gifts, toys and gadgets that fans will want this holiday season.
Fans dressed as Star Wars characters shop at a toy store at midnight in Hong Kong as part of the global event in September called "Force Friday" to release new toys and other merchandise from the new movie 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.'
Kin Cheung/AP/File
As fans flock聽to see聽鈥淪tar Wars: The Force Awakens鈥� on movie screens nationwide, kids and adults alike all over the galaxy hope they awaken Christmas morning to find the most popular movie-related聽gifts under the tree. In honor of 鈥淪tar Wars: Episode VII鈥� we鈥檝e listed seven of the best gifts, toys and gadgets that fans will want this holiday season.
The manufacturer鈥檚 suggested retail price聽for聽these items is shown when possible. But it pays to comparison shop, as some stores may have them聽for a lower price. We recently found the best 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� deals on toys and merchandise at Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Target, Sears, and聽Kohl鈥檚.
鈥楽tar Wars鈥� Lightsabers
Lightsabers have come a long way since the last batch of 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� movies, and some are now equipped with two little crossguards coming out of the side of the lightsaber handle. The most exquisite 鈥� and expensive 鈥� version is Hasbro鈥檚聽聽($199.99). But a USA Today study found this model too confusing for kids to use, calling it 鈥渕ore man-cave/fanboy fantasy collectible tool than really fun toy for kids.鈥� Kids (and parents鈥� budgets) might prefer the more modest Hasbro聽听($29.99).
BB-8 Droid
This is the droid you鈥檙e looking for in the new movie 鈥� a roundish little imp called BB-8. The聽聽($149) is the high-end, high-tech version that can be controlled by your smartphone, responds to voice commands and even records and plays holograms. Fans of low-tech and a lower price will look to Target鈥檚 exclusive聽聽($79.99) that moves around via remote control, or the聽聽(generally priced from $8.99-$9.99).
Lego
One of the most enduringly popular lines of 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� toys has been Lego鈥檚 franchise, and there鈥檚 a slew of new聽. Using the Jedi mind tricks of our聽聽tool, you can find the聽.
Air Hogs Remote Control Millennium Falcon and other spaceships
The drone craze has created some buzz in the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� toy universe too. Drones and 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� are two of the hottest gift ideas this holiday season and the聽聽combines the two with little aerial versions of the Millennium Falcon, X-Wing Fighters and Tie Fighters. Prices range from聽$30 to聽$50 for the most affordable models, and $89 to $109 for the fancier numbers, so it pays to comparison shop.
鈥楽tar Wars鈥櫬燼ction figures and big figs
Action figures always figure to be popular 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� gifts, and the reboot offers corresponding action figures of many sizes. The traditional 3.75-inch聽聽($7.99) feature many of the characters from the new film;聽聽($99) stand 4 feet tall and can talk and make out-of-this-world 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� sounds.
鈥楽tar Wars鈥櫬燽edsheets
Kids will love awakening in 鈥淔orce Awakens鈥� sheets or comforters, and a wide range of聽are available through many online retailers. Nostalgic grown-ups may yearn for the classic聽聽at Pottery Barn ($69/twin, $99/full, $119/queen) that faithfully re-creates the 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� bedsheets from the 1970s.
PlayStation 4 鈥楽tar Wars Battlefront鈥� 500GB Bundle
The dark side has never looked as聽good as on the deluxe聽聽video game console. This limited-edition console is emblazoned with Darth Vader鈥檚 visage and comes with a Vader-themed DualShock wireless controller, a copy of the 鈥淪tar Wars Battlefront鈥� game and a voucher for four other classic 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� video games. This deluxe set has a suggested retail price of 聽$449.99, but we found it for $299.99 at聽听补苍诲听.
Prices and availability on these items are current as of publication.
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