YoYo Related News From Around The World
Our friends at Rotofugi have just announced the release of a new colorway of the Dredge, a vinyl figure designed by Chicago artist Brian Morris and produced by squibbles ink + rotofugi.
Only $60 gets you this amazingly creepy 8″ vinyl figure to full up your shelf and creep out your friends. The last release of a Dredge was two years ago, so snap this one up quick before it’s gone! Available only at Rotofugi.com.
Doomsday – As you may or may not have heard, 12/21/12 marks the end of the Mayan calendar and many have speculated that this also marks the end of the world as we know it. TERRIBLE as this may be, YoYoFactory has decided to turn this bad news into something SO big that it may actually eclipse all of the potential up and coming tragedy. On 12/21, YoYoFactory will be releasing the Doomsday Genesis, an entirely new version of one of the most popular metal yo-yos that we have ever produced. This version of the Genesis is manufactured out of ultra high grade 7075 aluminum, making it stronger and more durable than any other Genesis ever produced. Slight design alterations yield a slightly different weight distribution, a flat face on the yo-yo rather than an axle hole, and brand new laser engravings on both halves of the yo-yo. YoYoFactory and the Mayan’s can agree on one thing: Doomsday is coming!
Specs:
67.9 grams
42.75 mm wide
56.42 mm diameter
Yomega has released images of the newly redesigned Crossfire YoYo on their Facebook page…they didn’t list any specs, but we’ll update this post as soon as we have more info.
In 1998, Alex Garcia was the closest thing to a rock star that the yoyo industry had ever seen. Players were awestruck by him, and in Japan he was quite literally treated like a rock star…being rushed out of venues after demonstrations into waiting cars, and mobbed for autographs. The Hyper YoYo craze was in full bloom, and when 20,000 people show up for a yoyo contest in Tokyo, someone has to take the brunt of their adoration…and Alex Garcia was the king of Hyper YoYo.
Alex Garcia THP Trading Card (courtesy Doc Pop’s Flickr)
Alex was young enough that all the kids knew that with just a *little more practice*, they could be him. He was old enough to have that instant “my awesome big brother” charm that the younger kids fell for instantly, and he was good looking enough that all the girls swooned and sighed and giggled when they saw him. And aside from all of that, he was a really damn good yoyo player…he was fast, he was accurate, he had a great on-stage charisma, he played with his audience, and every time he strapped on a pair of Raiders he looked like he was having more fun than anyone in the world.
Cover for the Alex Garcia “Warp Speed” Mini CD Single
So, of course, he got his own theme song that actually charted in Japan. Produced as a Mini CD Single (hey kids, remember that format? Of course not. It was obsolete in the US almost as soon as it was introduced) and recorded by the obvious-marketing-ploy of a band called “Forty Four Hyper”, Alex’s nickname and theme song was “Warp Speed” and when he started performing to it the crowds went nuts. Back here in the States we were still fighting for the attention of suburban moms at mall demos, but in Japan Alex was coming out on stage to huge crowds chanting his name.
So, for the listening pleasure of everyone who remembers when Hyper YoYo ruled the toy industry and when the Teal Tide ruled the contest scene, here’s the complete song of “Warp Speed” by Forty Four Hyper. Enjoy!
Click to hear “Alex Garcia (Warp Speed)” by Forty Four Hyper
YoYoJam is releasing the new “Ringmaster” yoyo, a signature model for long-time player AJ Kirk, on Friday, December 14th. Available at your favorite yoyo retailer, the Ringmaster is designed to be a great all-around player for both 1A and counterweight play. No word on if it will ship with a counterweight.
Specs:
Weight: 65.8 grams
Diameter: 2.29 in / 58.15 mm
Width: 1.565 in / 39.75 mm
If you’re in the Delaware area, YoYoJoe’s Toys is having a special release party on Friday, December 14th from 6 – 9 PM. AJ will be there showing off his new yo-yo and there will be a trick contest with a prize for the winner.
YoYoJoe’s Toys
Concord Gallery Shopping Center
3654 Concord Pike
Wilmington DE 19803