Deka Bakugan (Bakugan May Vary)

Deka Bakugan are nearly the size of a softball for super-sized fun. View larger.

Inside the plastic sphere is a fearsome warrior apparatus. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Wide variety of Bakugan make them fun for kids to trade and collect The Bad: No instructions with some toys In a Nutshell: Clever and exciting interactive game that kids will enjoy even if they're not familiar with the TV show At a Glance Ages: 6 to 12

Ready, Set, Play!
The mission of Bakugan game play is to battle against other Bakugan to win the points awarded on the cards by getting your Bakugan to land on card. Players will love pretending to be one of the various characters in the show, such as the fiery 12-year-old leader "Dan" or the wise "Marucho," and they gain a deeper understanding of the cards and warriors as they play.

The Bakugan Deka doesn't come with instructions. The Starter Pack and Battle Pack both have instructions, however, so if your child is a newbie, it might make sense to get one of these first. You can also consult the Bakugan Web site, which does a good job of explaining the different types of cards and warriors. The game itself is fairly straightforward but if your child has never played before, you might have to help him or her to understand the rules -- after reading and understanding them yourself.

The bad boys of the Bakugan world, the Dekas are bigger and even more fun to play with than the standard Bakugan. Almost as large as a softball, but much lighter, the bigger, beefier Dekas add a new dimension to Bakugan play. Though not pocket-sized like the other Bakugan, your child will still love battling with the Dekas and collecting the different warriors.

Exciting Magnetic Action
The Bakugan come in lots of colors and varieties that make them fun to collect and trade. Most of them are pocket-sized and easy for your child to carry around and bring over to their friend's houses. The Dekas are are much bigger than the standard Bakugan, but still lightweight. Having a magnet that activates the warriors is a clever idea that adds excitement to the game. The optional Bakugan Launcher (sold separately) is a great accessory, with three shooting modes ("curve," "angle, and "distance"), but it doesn't come with any instructions.

Room for the Imagination
We like that this that this game combines skill (aiming your Bakugan) with strategy (placement of the cards). We also enjoyed the way the warriors pop open on the magnetic cards -- although sometimes they do it even when they don't land on the cards. Being unfamiliar with the TV show, we felt a little lost at first in the world of Bakugan. But with the help of the colorful, animated Bakugan Web site, we got the gist of what the game is about and how to play. Our attempts to fire the launcher proved somewhat difficult and instructions would have helped. But the launcher isn't necessary. Kids can simply roll the Bakugan like marbles for a fun and action-packed game with their friends.

What's in the Box
One Bakugan Deka warrior.