Will Sing-a-ma-jigs Be This Year's Zhu Zhu Pets?

Mattel's Loopz is a memory game that sells for $29.99 and combines both music and movement to get families up off the couch.

Players must mimic the lights and sounds by waving their hands through corresponding loops. Motion sensors read each action and score each performance. The longer each player lasts, the faster the light and sound sequences get.

There are several versions of the game, and it can be played solo or with a group.

Hasbro's Cuponk—which is essentially beer pong for kids minus the beer—also made the list.

Priced at $14.99, the aim of the game is to bounce a ping-pong ball into a cup using a variety of tricks. Players start by selecting a card that presents a challenge. If you succeed, the cup lights up and makes a sound.

Lego also has rolled out a number of board games this year, combining two toy trends: the growing interest in Legos and the surge in the popularity of board games.

Toys 'R Us has selected the Minotaurus game, which sells for about $26.99, for its "Fabulous 15" list.

Composed of 211 Lego pieces and 12 figures, players of Minotaurus must first build the game board then play the game. The winner of the game is the first player to reach a hidden temple, but players can drop walls to prevent their opponents from following them.

The list also has a number of fresh takes on other traditional toys, once again continuing a theme from last holiday season where parents stuck to tried-and-true children's toys.

These include the Calico Critters Luxury Townhouse from International Playthings, a dollhouse with animal characters; Jakks Pacific's Disney Princess & me dolls, 18-inch dolls for Disney princess fans; Fast Lane Wild Fire RC, a remote-controlled toy car from Toys 'R Us' own label; Hasbro's Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS, an automatic blaster that launches a continuous stream of foam darts up to 25 feet; Tomy's Tomica Hypercity Mega Station Set, a train station set, and Ontel Products' Pillow Pets plush animals.

Several of these toys are available only at Toys 'R Us as the retailer is putting a big push behind the exclusive products it sells.

In the electronics category, LeapFrog'sLeapster Explorer, an electronic hand-held device for kids ages 4 to 9 years old, made the cut, but this holiday season it will be interesting to see if sales of Microsoft's Kinect for Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation Move Bundle can move the dial for the videogame business.

Both Kinect and Move made Toys 'R Us' "Hot Toy" list, but not its "Fabulous 15" list.

Rounding out the "Fabulous 15" was Monster High's Cleo DeNile and Deuce Gorgon doll set. Monster High is a new fashion-doll franchise from Mattel. Think of it as Barbie's edgier cousin.

One notable observation: Cepia's Kung Zhu didn't make the cut. The company introduced ninja- and military-themed versions of its Zhu Zhu Pets earlier this year in an attempt to continue to fuel the hamster craze, but these pets are no longer on the Toys 'R Us list this year.

It will be interesting to see if any of the other hot toys lists include these pets.

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