Swearing Punchball

No matter how much you love or hate your job there's always someone who works there who's guaranteed to get right on your wick. You can't really risk losing your job by telling them what you think, so what you really need is someone or something for that matter to do it for you. That's why are hearts skipped a beat when we saw this brilliant piece of desktop gadgetry. The Swearing Punchball is a must for every over stressed worker and will solve the problem of telling your colleagues exactly how you feel.

So next time you have an ‘issue’ with a work mate or you've had a ticking off from your boss, should you take it calmly and rationally – or simply whack your finger on the Punchball to make it blurt out ‘Eat sh*t'? (We don’t have to tell you what we think). This Mini Punchball will also utter sweet nothings such as ‘You're an asshole', ‘F**k you' and ‘F**king jerk'. Ok, so flicking a desktop toy to make it swear might not be the most mature way to settle things, but it's brilliant fun and deeply satisfying!

The Mini Swearing Punch Ball is a hilarious must have for all of those overworked individuals out there! It stands at around 6 inches in height and comes in a little presentation box. Whether you're buying it to relieve some of your own stress or getting a gift for someone else you know who needs relieving, it's a brilliant excuse for swearing and hours of endless fun!

Horse Racing Challenge

A day at the races. Those who haven’t had the chance to dress like a silly toff, don a crazy hat and swig copious amounts of champagne whilst making bets on horses then shouting at the aforementioned equus caballus as it loses, don’t know what they’re missing.

If however you do know what you’re missing but still want to feel the buzz of incertitude and warm glow of hope all rolled into one as those great beasts thunder towards the finish line, then get a load of this. The name of the game is Horse Racing Deluxe and the aim is to crush the opposition and win, win, win!

Okay, calm down dear, it’s only a race but that’s the point. This may only be some tabletop circuit with some pretend horses sprinting around but it truly is exhilarating stuff. We were taken by surprise as everyone started shouting and egging their horse and rider on towards the finish line. Lots and lots of shouting. Tons of swearing too but that’s naughty so we won’t recount what was said.

First thing you must do once everything is set up, is to feed the horses. Forget hay and sugar cubes, these equestrian lovelies have a staple diet of juice. Rechargeable battery juice. It only takes a couple of minutes to charge each horse on the Charging Station (2 horses at a time) but they’ll then be good for a few laps of the four-lane oval course.

Next choose your jockey. This selection is made via a spinner a bit like with the game Twister. Each Horse Racing Deluxe jockey has a different weight ranging from tiny Frankie Dettori dimensions to a humongous post-burger binge Elvis Presley. Now this may sound a little unfair but remember the spinner chooses the jockey for each player.

But that’s not all. Each horse can be fine-tuned via a tiny hole on its thigh. Insert a special key allows you to determine the speed of your horsey’s front legs. But don’t crank 'em up too much. That will make your rider topple over. It’s all about carefully finding the right balance between speed of horse and weight of jockey.

Once everything is ready, it’s time to race. Place the horses behind their barriers, press start and off they trot. As your thoroughbred gallops down the racetrack, you’ll hear horses neighing, hooves clip clopping, and the William Tell Overture playing Brilliant! Not to mention your friends getting up to all sorts of foul-mouthed mischief as they encourage their horse. The horses never race in the same way, so you never know if Hoof Hearted is going to slow down on the last corner or if Mint Choc Chip will overtake Yo Mama on the back straight. This leads to much yelling, screaming and general mayhem as the four horsemen charge to the finish line. So imagine the fun if everyone is a bit tipsy… Thrilling stuff.

So get those combination bets coming thick and fast and ready yourself for some serious equestrian action with Horse Racing Deluxe. You heard it here, straight from the horse’s mouth.

Cricket Plug 'n' Play

If you’re in to swinging you’re gonna love this. We’re not talking about that thing some couples get up to, no we’re talking about swinging bats and more importantly cricket bats with Plug 'n' Play Cricket, a great way to spend the day at home with a bat, a ball and a TV screen.

Nowadays you don’t need a perfectly mowed lawn and a load of immaculately pressed cream-coloured trousers to play cricket. A video game will do. But where’s the fun in using a joy pad? Well never fear, Plug 'n' Play Cricket is here. It’s a standalone system that includes a real bat and ball and plugs straight into your telly for instant satisfaction. No need for any separate console. Okay so the bat isn’t made from willow and there is no leather on that red sphere but that doesn’t matter. They both have highly-sensitive motion sensors that pinpoint their own position in respect to the little micro wicket placed on the floor.

Swing the bat over this and the system recognises the speed and direction at which you are batting. But that’s not all. There are handy 'Block' and 'Run' buttons for added realism. Bowling is even more intricate. Speed is determined by the amount of force you use, so listen up people: brush up on your bowling skills and prepare for a gentle shoulder work-out! The length of your throw is determined by a power-up bar that shows when your on-screen bowler runs up to the crease. But even better, the ball itself has three buttons and a multi-directional keypad to regulate spin and seam.

If that isn’t enough to become immersed into the world of cricket then why not find a bit of white paint to draw all the creases on your carpet. On second thought, maybe you shouldn’t. That would be silly. Talking of silly, at least with Plug 'n' Play Cricket there is no need to wear what resembles a great big white mattress on each leg while batting. In fact you could play naked at home… just keep the curtains closed as you bowl a googly or thwack the ball full-blooded all the way to the boundary. There is a whole array of batting and bowling styles to contend with. As former cricket commentator Navot Singh Siddhu once said: "A pitch is like a woman...you never know how she will react each day".

Plug 'n' Play Cricket is a game for 1 or 2 players and offers the choice of either playing at club, county or international level. Select a 1-day match, a 5-day test match or go the whole hog with a world tournament featuring 16 international sides randomly split into 4 groups to kick of the championship. In no time at all you’ll be fast bowling, spin bowling and destroying those stumps like the best of 'em.

So all wannabe Atherton's, Gough's or Flintoff's, iron-out your flannels, don your sleekest of sunglasses and smother your cheeks in perfect rectangles of ridiculously fluorescent sunblock. Forget about the Pimms, it’s cricket o’clock!

SSX Snowboarder Plug 'n' Play

Ever fancied sliding and grinding down the snowy slopes of the world on a snowboard? Well now’s your chance. Forget couch potatoing it with a control pad, that’s far too easy. No, get on your feet soldier and jump aboard the amazing SSX Snowboarder plug & play system. You’re guaranteed some disgustingly sick action.

This cheeky little gaming device puts you directly on the board itself and straight in the thick of it. All the SSX Snowboarder action is controlled by you, your feet and your natural ability to balance like a ninja. But if you are the sort of person who falls over at the mere sight of a bicycle, this may train you to become a rock-steady Freddie, Pete or Katie or whoever. Move or lean on the board and your on-screen character will do exactly the same. You literally ride the board like Seabiscuit, er no, sorry, just like the real thing, tilting left and right to pull off some bad boy tricks, while controlling your speed by leaning backwards and forwards. And in case you’re wondering, it’s not actually hard to stay on the board as you dodge trees and rocks and hurtle through gate after gate at silly speeds.

Choose your crazy character and let the great graphics and ultra-realistic board action take you through four exciting events. You can give everyone an eyeful of your free-styling skills in Show Off, attempt to clock the best time in Time Challenge, ride the half-pipes of your dreams in Pipedream and catch some serious air in Tokyo Megaplex. The more you play, the more ridiculous tricks you’ll be pulling off on the powdery perfect slopes of SSX Snowboarder.

As always with plug & plays, just connect it straight to your TV and you’re away. There’s no need for a separate games console. Just plug in the little box and get your snow plough boots on ready to dish out those phat moves while blasting down the hill with this exciting and addictive game. It’s either stay slumped, hunched and slouched in your grotty armchair or get right amongst it - leaning, twisting and grabbing your board.

Take a wild ride on the SSX Snowboarder plug & play system. It will save you spending plenty on a crazy kamikaze holiday and all the hassle of waxing and tuning your board. Extreme sports from the comfort of your living room all year round, any season? That’s how we like it. Just try not to fall off...

Golden Tee Golf Plug 'n' Play

Golf is assuredly a mystifying game, but no more mystifying than 18 holes and a driving range jam packed into a tiny plug 'n' play unit. We’ve all played the Golden Tee Golf stand -up arcade version in the pub, but now you can drive, chip, welly and putt like a Tiger Woods all from the comfort of your own settee! Ahhh... Modern technology's just terrific, isn't it?!

The Golden Tee Golf Plug ‘n’ Play unit is definitely one of the most revolutionary games consoles that we have ever come across. Just like the arcade version in the pub it still has its signature piece – the unique trackball control, which assists you in recreating the atmosphere of the classic Golden Tee coin-op! It has all of the features of the arcade version including club selection, backspin button and shot manipulation to perform hooks and slices.

To begin play simply click in 4 x AA batteries (not included) and connect the AV lead into the back of your telly. Once you've got it tuned in, you're pretty much ready to tee off. Using the tracking ball on the main unit you will be able to scroll through the different game modes you can choose from (Play Round, Match Play, Tournament and even DrivingRange). Once the game mode is highlighted press the select button and you're ready to play!

Golden Tee Golf Plug ‘n’ Play is one of the most realistic and effective golf games around. You can play with 1-4 players exactly like the stand up version in your local! It's officially licensed by Incredible Technologies, the makers of Golden Tees unique trackball interface and offers exciting game play of the hugely popular arcade-style golf game. Order yours now and get out of the Pub and on to the couch!

Real Swing Golf

Every golf fan will tell you that there's nothing quite like heading out on a sunny day and belting a few balls up the fairway. But if its cat and dog weather or you just can't be bothered to get your fat backside off the couch, golf gets put aside to the following weekend and so it goes on. But what if you could play in the comfort of your own front room? We're not joking, now you can with Real Swing Golf!

The 18-hole course featured in Real Swing is ultra realistic and has all the classic characteristics as your expensive toffee nosed golf club just off the M25. Radica’s ultimate plug ‘n’ play system will introduce you to a pixellated world of greens, roughs, lakes and bunkers.

Ok, so you could play golf on any new age console you like, but where's the fun in button bashing and joystick pulling when you could be swinging a real club and shouting birdie?! The clever part of the Real Swing Golf game lies in the ultra sensitive CMOS camera installed into the main unit that detects the swing, speed and path of the golf club that comes with the game.

But don’t be fooled into thinking you can get away with hacking the ball, Real Swing Golf’s CMOS camera is ultra sensitive and can detect hooks, hacks, slices and all round ball thumping. Up to four players can enter competitions by using the control buttons on the sensor pad, or, if you don’t fancy a full 18 holes you can just welly some balls down the driving range, switch clubs depending on the terrain and even scroll through a selection of different shots that you want to take.

Real Swing Golf is ideal for any golfer, but it's also perfect for anyone who's ever wanted to smash a ball on a golf course without shedding out £500 quid on a new set of clubs and dodgy trousers! It's extremely addictive and once you've got used to the super clever club you'll be putting like Tiger and smacking balls the length of... erm... a fairway... Fore!

Micro Mosquito Helicopter

Introducing the smallest, lightest, most ridiculously brilliant RC flying thing out there. It’s called the Micro Mosquito and guess what, it’s definitely micro-sized and looks like a mosquito. Okay so you won’t be mistaken it for one of those annoying blood-thirsty insects that we all love but it definitely bears a resemblance despite being. In any case, this is a mozzie that you get to control for once.

The Micro Mosquito is another marvel of technology built for indoor fun and frolics. It’s so darn small and light (30 grams), it can take off from the palm of your hand and if you have the skill, it will land on your sweaty digits too. Featuring a coaxial contra-rotating design just like the bestselling Bladerunner 2 , the Micro Mosquito is a doddle to fly for novices and experienced types alike. If you are a beginner with this sort of machinery, you should take it slow when learning to fly. Begin with mastering a hover and then the rest will come quickly. It doesn’t take long to learn the basics.

Indeed, the Micro Mosquito is high in fly-straight-out-of-the-box goodness and low in Vitamin B (that’s B for boredom), making it a very healthy substitute for the XBOX and Playstation. We don’t know if real mosquitoes are high in fibre and all the rest of it, so we definitely don’t recommend you try finding out.

This is one of the world’s smallest helicopters but that isn’t to say it is small in quality. The Micro Mosquito can take quite a few bashes despite not being made from foam, so untrained hands needn’t worry too much. The main body is one single unit that proves rather solid unless dropped from a 10-storey apartment block. The rotors can also withstand many a crash but like most RC helicopters, are replaceable. Which is nice.

In the spirit of authenticity, this miniature flying marvel has a pair of eyes (LEDs which light up and enable night flight), four spindly little legs (which in this instance are very flexible and help with smooth landings) but best of all, the beast’s abdomen is rippled like the real thing! Complete this with the buzzing sound of the engine and you’ll be in control of your very own hovering haemoglobin-hungry heli.

Feed him some nice juice straight from the included landing pad which doubles as a portable charger and in around 45 mins, he’ll be ready for quarter of an hour’s worth of buzzing buffoonery at the hands of its human owner – namely you.

The Micro Mosquito is a brilliantly original concept for a remote control helicopter. It’s small, light and very easy to use. What more could you want?! We love it and have slyly kept one in the office in case we get bored. Let’s hope the boss doesn’t read this…

Walkera 5-6 Genius Chopper

There are helicopters and then there are helicopters. Sounds like a silly statement but when you take a look at this particular example of technical wizardry, you’ll notice that it is pretty much the real thing. The Walkera Deluxe HM 5#6 RC Helicopter combines a coaxial contra-rotating blade design with an ultra-compact size and chopper styling to make a great home gadget. And one that just happens to fly too!

Yes you can certainly amuse yourself at home with games consoles and such like but there is an alternative. Ever fancied flying a heli indoors? Slightly more original it has to be said and certainly a lot more three-dimensional and real.

The Walkera Deluxe HM 5#6 RC Helicopter disposes of all myths that helicopters aren’t meant to fly indoors. Of course, a full size one would be completely silly but the remote control variety is something else entirely, this tiny specimen sits neatly in the palm of your hand, ready for action.

The beast is tamed using a 4-channel transmitter with controls for throttle and directions. It's simple to get to grips with and provides a great feel. Beware of the china though! Power up your chopper using the included charger for the lightweight Lithium Polymer battery located inside the craft.

A normal helicopter has one set of rotor blades. On its own, this would create asymmetrical torque that would make such an aircraft turn on its axis if it wasn’t countered by the little rotor at the back. But in this case, the Walkera Deluxe HM 5#6 RC Helicopter uses a twin set of blades. This coaxial contra-rotating design needs a simple initial adjustment before your first flight and then you’re set for some great aerial fun! It does have a rear rotor but this is for aesthetic purposes only.

And indeed the Walkera Deluxe HM 5#6 RC Helicopter looks damn good. It’s not a foam craft, no sir, it seems to be modelled on the Bell Sioux helicopter with its no frills look and that trellis tail design.

A 20-minute charge via AC adaptor straight into the lithium-polymer battery will provide 10 minutes of flight time. In not time, you’ll be bopping and weaving this little baby around you house, dodging the cat, the dog, the trouble, the strife, the kids and all the other great things that make home living extra special. Like that over-sized oak table that takes up half of the living room...

The Walkera Deluxe HM 5#6 RC Helicopter is a great little chopper for indoor use. It looks like the real thing, probably flies like the real thing, but none of us here at the Shushhh! Heliport have actually piloted a real one so we couldn’t tell you for sure. Not that it matters of course, what could be better than controlling an aircraft, big or small? Not much really. We love it!

Flytech Dragonfly

So you like remote control playthings. You’ve got your RC car, plane, helicopter, but what is there left to buy? How’s about an insect, and what about this? The Flytech Dragonfly? Designed for indoor and outdoor use, this beautiful buzzing beast is a super-agile piece of aerial entertainment that actually flies like the insect it’s based on.

A remote control dragonfly? Just think about that for a second. Why would they?… Well why not and from having seen these little guys in action, we can safely say they are most definitely the dogs doo dahs! It actually flies by flapping its wings, which is a bit of technological breakthrough in the RC realm. The Flytech Dragonfly isn’t actually that tiny either. It’s true that some species are minuscule but others are not. In fact, the largest fossilised specimen found had a whopping great 75 cm (30 inches) wingspan. The exotic remote controllus example we have here today measures approximately 40cm (16 inches) across.

It has a big head, an even bigger abdomen, an authentic multi-wing arrangement and a long tail. It almost looks real when you see it buzzing around in the air! Of course, we know it’s not but try telling that to your cat. You may even scare your feline friend since the Flytech Dragonfly has LEDs for eyes. Attempt flight at night and all you see is a pair of eerie eyes hurtling around the airways.

This really is a fly-straight-out-the-box affair too. Using the dual-stick twin-channel digital controller, you’ll be flying and hovering in no time at all, performing all manner of tricks like a real dragonfly. You can hover, do loops and even catch it in your hand. One stunt we particularly affection is the Spiral Dive. This is where you bring your dragonfly down to earth in a tight spiral dive but then zoom off before it hits the ground. Looks great and feels great, and before we begin sounding like a shampoo advertisement, we should mention that there are also two skill settings on the controller.

The controller doubles as the charger so you won’t have to rely on the mains to power your Flytech Dragonfly. Just chuck six AA batteries its way and you can then power up your feisty fly anywhere you like. Handy or what! As with most of our airborne remote controlled gadgets, this one is constructed from foam and has durable flexible carbon-fibre wings so it can take a few bashes in its lifetime.

So there you have it, a flying remote control insect that actually uses its wings to flap about the place. Quite brilliant! The Flytech Dragonfly makes a refreshing change from the RC norm and really does look and sound awesome. Join the insect race today. Just watch out for pest control!

Ultimate Crossbow

We’ve reviewed air powered bazookas, pocket sized office artillery and water balloon launchers to name a few, but the Ultimate Crossbow has got to be one of our favourite Boys Toys to propel itself over the Gizmoles threshold. The Reason being? It’s a flipping crossbow that fires foam darts! Is that not reason enough!!!???

Ok, we know what you’re thinking – I’m 32 years old, surely I’m too old for this kind of toy right? Wrong!!! Nothing is quite as momentous as scoring 3 bulls eyes in a row with one hand, beer in the other in front of your hapless mates, who are, of course, extremely jealous of your new piece of back yard firing equipment. Brilliant!

And when we say this thing fires, it really does. The manufacturers have been making real full size crossbows for years and have jam packed this little piece of gunnery with oodles of technology and bags full of Robin Hoodery, making target finding and firing capability astounding!

Options are endless with the Ultimate Crossbow. Pick off computer nerds at work, take out disappointingly empty lager cans in the back garden or even hold an impromptu office archery tournament. Even have a game of shields and shooters, with the help of a couple of frying pans as your shields – just use your imagination!!

The Ultimate Crossbow comes with three suction tipped safety darts, two targets (printed on the back of the box) and it folds away neatly for easy storage. Why not buy two and fire one in each hand to really complete your arsenal.

Popshotz Dart Gun

Just when you thought that these dastardly foam dart guns couldn’t get any bigger, they’ve only gone and made a small one. The Popshotz foam dart gun is a compact lightweight weapon that is perfect as a trusty sidearm to complement your main gun. Or if you are the sneakier type then make this your No1.

Like its big brothers (or sisters – let’s not be sexist now), the Popshotz pistol uses the magical medium of air to propel those foam darts quite a distance. You must never underestimate the power of pressurised air. But not only does this cheeky little gun fire those sucker-ended foam darts that seem quite popular with flat surfaces around the world, our tiny terror can also accommodate a large foam torpedo as well which fits over the barrel. Almost as if you had a grenade launcher attached to the underside of your M16… Not that you should actually have an M16 rifle.

It really is a portable little package and thanks to its size, you can conceal it in a large pocket in your coat, ready for any potential ambush at home or in the dangerous warzone that the office has become since the advent of the big boys toy and the office gadget. Nowadays, you get USB missile launchers lingering dangerously on desks and handguns such as the Popshotz, waiting patiently for action. No-one is safe. If you take your work to and from home, this micro shooter will also fit inside your briefcase.

One dart is stored in the barrel while the other two and the torpedo are held below it for quick access. So it may be a diminutive handgun but it will certainly pack more than one punch when you’re caught in a crossfire.A little bundle of joy makes a change once in a while. If we were talking about babies then once in while would end up costing you a lot of money. The Popshotz gun on the other hand won’t. For a smidgen below £6 who can bag yourself a little sidearm that may very well save your life should you need to quickly reach for your weapon when ambushed and under heavy fire. Maybe…

Inflatable Body Boards

Everyone loves the beach, but what could be more fun than collecting shells or going crabbing? We could think of a few more but Body Boarding was certainly our favourite. But it's not all looking sexy cool and riding massive waves. Firstly, you've got to lug the great pesky thing around with you which just seems to be a hell of a lot more trouble than it's actually worth - especially when the winds blowing! Secondly, those old foam ones just don't cut the mustard anymore and they aren't exactly comfortable anyway.

Not great when you're trying to ride those big waves like a pro!
The new Inflatable Body Boards come in a nifty little bag alongside an easy to use pump which allows you to inflate it in a matter of seconds. Because they're inflatable, the boards will ride on the smallest of waves with super fast style and ease. The bag makes them ultra portable too, so it's perfect to take travelling on planes, trains etc (especially if you're in droves!)

Not only are these Inflatable Body Boards a traveller's dream because they're so easy to get around, they're also pretty hard wearing too and a shed load more comfortable to ride on than one of those 1980s throw backs. The boards are just so incredibly lightweight so it really doesn't matter if you've been on one before or not, which in turn will still make you look like King of the beach! But, to be honest, that wasn't going to be a hard feat anyway with one of these hanging over your shoulder!

These amazing Inflatable Body Boards come complete with soft padded handles to ensure you don't lose your grip and get lost in the surf, a super quick hand pump and a handy mesh carry bag that you can store your new beach toy in - you can actually roll it up to the size of a towel! How's that for portability? Good eh? So next time your relaxing on the beach, doing butterfly stroke at the swimming pool or just lieing in the tub, whip out your brand new Inflatable body board and prepare to ride those waves! You can literally take these boards anywhere! Surfs up dude!

Waboba Ball

The Waboba ball is a beach ball with a difference. Designed to bounce on water, this ball is aimed towards the beach loving, sun-searching people of the world. Instead of the usual inflatable offerings, this funky little tennis ball-sized sphere has polyurethane innards held together by a lycra coating. It’s that blend of polyurethanes that holds the key to its bounciness but the ball also floats, which is very handy, as searching the deep for your precious fun-provider wouldn’t be our idea of entertainment.

Hit the beach or the pool, commandeer a plot of land for your towel collection and take your ball out for some action. Invent your own team games (there is already an official one) and never leave the water again thanks to your bouncy, bobbling friend Waboba. The Gizmole thought that having one person submerged with only their head showing could provide an amusing obstacle or even target. Silly. Maybe call your next pet Waboba but remember, pets probably don’t bounce on water. And most of them certainly don’t float...

It won’t take long at all to master the art of the Waboba throw. Try clipping the crest of a wave for added height or maybe just fire a cannon of a shot at a sharp angle to speed bounce, double-bounce, whatever bounce. If you are lucky enough to have a massive bathroom with the bath standing proud in the middle, then it is time for some precision bouncing. The possibilities are endless! The ball can certainly take a right proper aquatic bashing but isn’t designed for use on the ground or on walls or other similar hard surfaces. It is not recommended for children under the age of 3.

So grab your ball (or balls if you want to have a crazy multi-player moment) and hit the water with your floater while flexing your muscles under the sun. Go on, get a bit of exercise with The Waboba Ball’s fast-paced fun for two or more.

Bop It Extreme 2

From the makers of the legendary Bop-It Extreme, Bop-It Extreme 2 takes memory games to a whole new level. Now you can BOP IT! TWIST IT! PULL IT! SPIN IT! to a mix of four different music styles and with the new advanced version the longer you play, the more the beats change and evolve.

If you can remember the release of the original Bop It game, a few years back, you will also remember how addictive and just how much fun that was to play. So when we heard about the release of Bop It Extreme II you can just about imagine our excitement!
Not only does this version of the game work exactly like the older one it's also jam packed with loads of other new functions and characteristics! It's got four new music styles and you can also unlock new beats when you start getting really good!

This newer and more advanced version has an earphone jack if you want to do a bit of personal bopping or you could just run a lead directly from your Bop It Extreme II straight to an amplifier, crank it up and really annoy the neighbours!

You can play with an unlimited amount of players, which is generally a bit more fun than bopping it alone. Or, why not add a couple of pints to the equation and really test your memory. Bop It Extreme II is the ultimate in fast action memory games and only time will tell who is top of the bops or just the flops!

PAL-V

The PAL-V is the stuff dreams are made of. Standing for Personal Air and Land Vehicle, this technological marvel offers you the convenience of a car blended with a aircraft. It’s actually a hybrid of a car, a gyrocopter and a motorcycle! Now who hasn’t wanted one of those once in their life. Does anyone remember the M.A.S.K. cartoon series all those years ago where men in masks would drive around with transforming land and air vehicles combating bad guys with similar means of transport? Great stuff.

Starting at ground level, the PAL-V is a 3-wheeled car with a comfortable enclosed cockpit, windscreen wipers, rear-view mirrors and all the rest of it. Just like a car except for the fact that it tilts, thanks to its patented cutting-edge system which leans the vehicle into corners! This technology was first unleashed on the world in 2002 with a similarly designed car and it actually creates quite a comfortable ride with the agility of a motorbike. As anyone who has ridden one will known, leaning into those corners negates any sensation of lateral G-force. Nice. It looks great too.

But the biggest feature of the PAL-V is its air capability. While in car mode, the single rotor and propeller are folded away. But when it’s time to take to the skies, unfold ‘em and you have yourself you very own gyrocopter. Just like a helicopter, it has a Very Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (VSTOVL) capability making it possible to land practically anywhere. It can be driven to the nearest airfield or helipad and, because it flies below 4,000 feet (which is the ceiling for non-commercial aircraft), can take off without going through the rigmarole of filing a flight plan.

Despite its crazy appearance, the PAL-V really is destined to be an everyday user-friendly vehicle both in the air and on the ground. To give you an idea, when you’re running low on fuel, simply turn in to the next petrol station and fill her up with unleaded. Couldn’t be any easier! And take a look at the table below - you’ll notice that the PAL-V, with its environmentally-certified engine, has the performance stats of an everyday automobile. You do need a special license to fly but being a Recreational Pilot License, it’s much easier to obtain and only requires up to 20 hours of training.

On the safety side, the autogyro technology means that it can be steered and landed safely even if the engine fails as it descends vertically rather than nose-diving. Lift is generated by the forward speed produced by the foldable push propeller on the back.

Now, who is going to be using what could easily be described as the gadgetiest gadget on the Gizmole website? The obvious consumer is the professional who needs to get to that meeting quickly and effortlessly. He may even need to take a client around with him. Imagine the impression that would make… But who knows, maybe this transforming transport tool will be used for surveillance or even for some aid campaign in a badly-accessible country. Or perhaps you’ll simply buy it for your own personal enjoyment.

Either way, the PAL-V is definitely the shape of the future and could pave the way to a new era of personal transport. And after work, when you hit the pub, put on your most annoying boasting voice and say to friends or colleagues: ''Today, I drove a car, a motorbike and a gyrocopter. What did you do…?''

Streetfighter 2 Plug 'n' Play

Think back to a time when all the good games were in the arcades and none were more innovative than the Streetfighter series. This is where beat ‘em ups really took off but things went stratospheric when they made their way on to games consoles. One that did just that was the hugely popular and all-time classic Streetfighter 2: Special Champion Edition. The 2-player Plug & Play system we have here is about to bring it all back to your telly!

In essence a game where one kicks the beejeezus out of ones opponent in a frenzy of martial arts madness, this video game is part of one of the biggest franchises known to humans throughout the gaming galaxy. It all started with the little known Streetfighter but took a dramatic turn when this second version came out. The game helped introduce the aspect of multiple special moves, plotlines and history. Did you know that Ryu and Ken’s master was the late Gouken and that he is interred at Suzaku castle, which is Ryu's stage in the game? Something you may have missed if you’d only played the original!

Back in the day, Streetfighter 2: Special Champion Edition caused humongous shockwaves amongst schoolboys and girls alike. In the playgrounds, no-one would talk about anything else and conversations like “can you do a Hadoken?”, “of course I can silly, can you do a Shoryuken or a Tiger Uppercut?” would lead to massive Megadrive playoffs and such like. Ahhh the Sega Megadrive… What a great console that was. Thing is, it only had 3 buttons on the controller, where as arcade machines always had around 6. However, problem solved with this Streetfighter 2: Special Champion Edition Plug & Play version. You get two pads for your money, each with 6 action buttons and of course that directional button thing on the left and the whole shebang plugs straight into your TV for instant classic gaming action.

The first Streetfighter 2 version was brilliant, this one was even better and now you can play it again in the comfort of your own home. The original allowed control of 8 main characters Ryu, Ken, Blanka, E.Honda, Guile, Chun Li, Zangief, Dhalsim but here they have added the 4 bosses Balrog, Vega, Sagat and of course the double ‘ard M. Bison. That makes 12. And if you and your friend/sparring partner want to choose the same warrior, you can. One of them will simply have different-coloured attire.

If you were around when this game came out, then you’re gonna love delving back to your youth, just as we have. It may be a 2D blast from the past but this game still looks and feels brilliant. So If “TatsuMakiSenPuKyaku!” (hurricane kick) means anything to you or even if it doesn’t, why not go solo in Arcade mode or bash a friend in Versus mode with Streetfighter 2: Special Champion Edition Plug 'n' Play. FIGHT!

A little post scriptum: the Streetfighter 2 Special Championship Edition Plug & Play also comes with an added bonus game, classic platformer Ghouls & Ghosts. Here you play as the powerful King Arthur armed with just a bottle of holy water on a sacred quest to recover his bride from the evil Lucifer. Brillant stuff!

Football Monopoly

Back in the good old day’s professional football was about sweep over haircuts, half-time oranges, rinky dinkys (very tight shorts) and crappy wage packets. Things have certainly changed. Now it's all about multi- millionaire managers, zagillionaire portaloo designer chairmen and players with silly earrings. Despite football's cash flow obsession it is still the most popular sport in the world. Some of the games aren’t bad either – when you’re not watching England!For that reason being, the makers behind original Monopoly have created a footie-based board game.

Football Monopoly is just as brilliant as the original, the only difference here is that instead of selling fancy hotels on Park Lane you’re now selling superstar players, stadiums, and stands. The Community Chest and Chance cards have even changed to Home and Away cards!Every edition of Football Monopoly features all of the current players, real heroes from all those years ago and all of the stadiums are exactly how they are today. Exactly like the original Monopoly players have to get rich quick in order to build the perfect portfolio. The best thing about Football Monopoly is that it’s a little bit more exciting buying Highbury than it is buying some ropey old hotel in the Old Kent Road. When we were reviewing this product most of us haven't played Monopoly for donkeys but we all soon got right back into the swing of things, simply because the glitzy football angle makes it so much better than the original.

Sonic Gold Plug 'n' Play

Another timeless classic gets the plug & play treatment here, this time it’s the turn of Sonic the Hedgehog. The Sega Megadrive’s spiky blue mascot is back for another spin on your telly with Sonic Gold Plug ‘n’ Play. The system includes Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic 2, Sonic and Pinball and Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine. Four games for the price of one. Brilliant!

Launched in 1991 on the Sega Megadrive (Genesis in the United States) to roaring acclaim, Sonic the Hedgehog became Sega’s mascot in the war against arch-rival Nintendo and its Super Mario character and spawned a series that is still popular today and has sold something close to a whopping 45 million units to date!!!

In the first two games, Sonic has to prevent Dr. Ivo Robotnik (aka Dr. Eggman) from collecting the Chaos Emeralds in an attempt to rule the world. You speed through the levels bashing the baddies and collecting golden rings in a race against the clock. In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, our cobalt blue buddy enlists the help of his friend Miles “Tails” Power to defeat the evil doctor. If you select two-player mode, a split-screen will appear and you’ll race Tails to the finish of each level. However, as this is a plug & play version with only one controller, Tails is controlled by the computer.

What Sonic did for platform games was unprecedented. He introduced the element of high speed to the platform genre and also other unique features such as those good ol’ loop the loops, springboards, and speed-increase devices that raised speeds even further, and all of this without a slowdown in framerates. Oh and don’t forget those rings… You can almost hear the ping they make each time you collect ‘em. These elements are all now permanently associated with the game series.

These games still look glorious today and that sensation of speed still remains with Sonic Gold Plug ‘n’ Play. The graphics are fluid, fun and extremely playable but it doesn’t end there. As if having two of the biggest gaming classics in one little joypad wasn’t enough, they’ve only gone and squeezed 2 more games in there as well, Sonic Pinball and Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine.In Sonic Pinball, you combat Robotnik again but this time in a giant pinball machine.

The gameplay is therefore mainly from the pinball genre. Mean Bean Machine is a modified version of the addictive Japanese puzzle game puyo puyo where you match coloured beans to erase them from the screen.Bearing in mind that back in the day a Megadrive with one bundled game would have cost £200, a smidgen under £25 for Sonic Gold Plug ‘n’ Play is really rather nice. Order yours now before you get your ‘Tails’ in a spin!

Sensible Soccer Plug 'n' Play

It’s not often that you see England thrash Germany 5-1 or watch Chelsea give Barcelona a good old fashioned 4-2 botty whooping on your new fad computer games system, let alone on the telly. In most of today’s super advanced football games you’ve got about as much chance of scoring as you have signing Ronaldinho in a bidding war with Roman Abramovich.In the good old days this amazing feat wasn’t such a rarity and Sensible Soccer ruled the waves.

Simply because the Mega Drive version of the cult classic football game was all about fantastic goals, David Beckham-esque set pieces and deranged sliding tackles. The Graphics weren’t exactly cutting edge and you were viewing the pitch from ‘the wings of a sparrow’, but this jaw dropping butt clenchingly addictive game was the mere beginning of the soccer sims you are playing today.

So imagine our excitement when the creators decided to pack this terrific game into two replica Mega Drive control pads. All you do is plug them into the back of your TV and you’ll be scoring crowd cackling goals in minutes with players like Peul Once, Riberto Battio and Tuny Edams to name a few. Who said there was no banter in the eighties? You can take control of your favourite club and take part in cup and league competitions, exactly how it used to be.

Not only will you receive the full version of the classic eighties football games, The Sensible Soccer Plug ‘n’ Play is also preloaded with two other classic games: Mega-Lo-Mania, one of the most captivating wrath of god games ever made. Develop your civilizations as you progress through the ages, from rock chuckers to nuke bearers and Cannon Fodder, where you guide your heroes through 24 missions in the ultimate cross between strategic thinking and mindless machine-gunning!

Mega Bi-Plane

Forget about flying kites, why not learn to fly a real plane… Okay so the Mega Bi-plane won’t allow you too breathe in the cloud like a real pilot but this is the closest you can get to controlling your own aeroplane.

The Mega Bi-plane is an ultra-lightweight, compact, easy to use package that will have you soaring to the stratosphere in no time at all. It really is very simple to use, there is no fiddling with awkward controls or adjusting ballast/trim settings and you really don’t need any qualifications to power this double-winged thing through the air - it’s ready to fly straight out of the box. Made from highly-durable EPP foam, this little baby can take a bit of battering as you get to grips with the aircraft. The manufacturer has even been nice enough to provide two spare rotors just in case. Thank you very much!

Regarding those rotors, the Mega Bi-plane features two tiny ones that both sit behind the top wing, one on each side. These really do spin at a mad rate and give some serious thrust to her when she needs it. Speed and banking are overseen by the included 40-Mhz remote control. The plane obviously runs at this frequency too so if you fancy some dogfight action with a friend; make sure you are both on different frequencies. This is where you can start honing your flight skills. Ever seen those mad pilots that perform all sorts of stunts at ground level while racing at Red Bull events with highly manoeuvrable little planes? Mad but so impressive!

Forget those great big petrol-powered remote controlled planes of old, this is definitely the way forward. Thanks to the Mega Bi-Plane’s tiny size and lack of weight, you can take this cheeky little flying monkey just about anywhere and enjoy the freedom that aerial flight provides to use mere land-dwelling beings. Indeed, if you have a good sized interior space, why not get some practice done indoors?! Just watch out for your other half’s prized African mask on your travels.

If there is a chance that the mahogany masterpiece may teeter, tip over, fall and shatter on the floor then head off outside. The Mega Bi-plane is actually also designed for outdoor use, just take care of wind speed and obstacles like power cables or low-flying sheep…

An 8-minute charge will provide enough power for approximately 10 minutes of aerial acrobatic silliness. The controller actually doubles as the charger. All you need to do is insert six AA batteries into its cavity and they will provide the juice. The very, very complete instruction manual offers a rather useful insight into the workings of this miniature aeroplane so even a complete and utter novice will have no trouble getting started.

Jump head first in the the action with the Mega Bi-plane, there really is a whole new world to discover up there in the big blue sky (or just the dining room mezanine - you decide). Just don’t fly this little gravity-defying gadget too high…