Wicked Cool Toys is relaunching Teddy Ruxpin next fall, 25 years since the bear originally made its debut.
Released in 1985 as an animatronic storytelling bear, Teddy Ruxpin told stories through a rear-loading cassette based system that was synced to the bear’s speech pattern. There were 60 original stories with 10 to 15 new stories released each year over a 5-year period, and the bear featured a motorized mouth and eyes.
Wicked Cool’s 14-inch bear will still have the core features of the original, and will read stories to kids with a motorized mouth. However, the new version will feature Bluetooth technology, LCD eyes with more than 40 animated expressions synced with the stories, and touch sensors in its hands to let kids start, pause, and fast forward. With two modes of play—with or without the companion app—kids can read along to the stories Teddy is telling on their smart devices.
Teddy Ruxpin was a best-selling toy in the 1980s and was named one of the “Top 100 Toys of All Time” by Time Magazine.
