The Ben 10 Ultimate Alien toys have been in shops over in the US for a while but at last we are seeing some in the UK now too. With this third installment of the popular Ben 10 series having aired on Cartoon Network on 10/10/10 (nice date!), you should be expecting your Ben 10 fan’s Christmas list to include a few of these new goodies.

The Ben 10 toys range is not going away any time soon as 2009 saw it continue to dominate boys action toys. 2010 is set to be another good year for all those fans of this popular Cartoon Network show as the highly anticipated new series will be launched. Even this early on in the year we are seeing new Ben 10 action figures being added to the hugely popular 10cm figure range as well a whole new collection of Ben 10 Lego. There are quite a few new additions to the 10cm range including new characters such as Grandpa Max and Albedo as well a whole new line of Defender aliens.

“Ben 10 is without doubt the hottest boys’ brand of the moment”. This quote from Turner Broadcasting is hard to argue with. The Ben 10 10cm and 15cm Action Figures were selected as the “2009 Toy Of The Year” and the Ben 10 brand also scooped the “Boys’ Range Of The Year”. So what are Ben 10 toys all about and are they worth buying?

These Ben 10 Alien Force 15cm (6 inch) DNA Action Figures are realistic, robust and well detailed but come with a unique battle feature that sets them apart from their smaller counterparts. These features, whilst cool, crank up the price somewhat and probably offer more short term interest than lasting fun. The toy then reverts to being good for imaginative play. On the downsides some of these toys can come apart quite easily and the parts are hard to move. For your money you are probably better off getting a larger collection of the 10cm figures.

These figures are great for children to ‘mix things up’. They encourage imagination as each alien they make is a new creation. They offer that bit more than your standard action figures as they are need interactivity. They do though still allow the usual role play fun with the ‘creations’ once made. They are perfect for children who are creative but are not limited to one-time creativity as they can be pulled apart and a whole new alien be made.

There has been much acclaim for the Ben 10 brand this month. According to NPD, the market research company, Ben 10 10cm Action Figures were the “Best Selling Toy of 2008″. The 15cm Action Figure range and the Omnitrix F/X Watch also featured in the top 10. The Ben 10 10cm and 15cm Action Figures were also the WINNERS of the “2009 Toy Of The Year” with Ben 10 also scooping the “Boys’ Range Of The Year”. These awards back up Bandai America’s recent press release where they claim their “Ben 10 Alien Force toy line is a top-selling mega brand”. Barnaby Dawe, VP of marketing and communications at Turner Broadcasting could not have been wrong when he commented: “Ben 10 is without doubt the hottest boys’ brand of the moment”.

As with the original 10 cm Action Figures, for only £5 (RRP) you get a well made, poseable figure complete with an alien information card. But also each Alien Force figure includes a mini translucent alien figure to attach to your child’s Ultimate Omnitrix. Combined with the Omnitrix these mini figures reveal the alien’s voice and name, so it is like getting two toys in one box.

We were really hoping that this Ultimate Omnitrix from the new Ben 10 Alien Force range was going to rock our childrens’ worlds. It will no doubt be a must have for any Ben 10 fan addicted to role play fun but it’s not quite as good as we’d hoped. The accuracy to the watch in the new show is fantastic. You attach the mini translucent alien figures to the top of the watch to activate each alien. This reveals the alien’s voice and name, like on the show, and is super cool.

Fantastic, entertaining and robust. It will send the imagination into overdrive. If you want to keep your Ben 10 fan busy using their imagination for play then this is the toy for you.

Build wise the quality is higher than that of its predecessor the Omnitrix F/X. The thick fabric strap fastens with velcro so is easy for a young child to put on and off. The main watch part is made of chunky plastic and comprises a black and white LCD screen. It can be quite large on the child’s wrist and is larger than the F/X.

We moved abroad in search of a ‘better life’. ’Better’, we hoped, was to involve more fun, family time. ‘Fun, family time’, our son hoped, was buying and playing with the boys toys advertised on television! Purchasing these ‘must haves’ from an ever dwindling nest egg, inspired Son Time Now. We want to share our thoughts on these toys for boys, hoping you can avoid our mistakes and enjoy our successes. We also hope to chat about hot tips, practical ideas and funny stories on spending quality toy time with your son.