Robots and flying paint top kids' wish list

The Roboraptor

Parents, brace yourselves. This year's must-have Christmas present guide for kids has been released, following intensive trialling of more than 50 toys by 90 children nationwide.

Top of the New Zealand Toy Survey pack is the Roboraptor, a remote-controlled dinosaur complete with touch sensors so he wags his tail and bites - the next generation up from last year's winner Robosapien.

At $149 he is not cheap, and those wanting a cheaper option could go for No 4 on the list, the $99 Robopet, a robotic dog which howls, begs, rolls over, does doggy wees and breaks wind, although without the stench.

Not all toys will bust the piggy bank though. The Buzz Lightyear Bubble Gun - a battery-powered gun that blows bubbles - is a modest $16.99 and was the fifth best toy.

The New Zealand Toy Survey, organised by Duracell, is in its second year.

Children from 5 to 10 years test toys - from board games and dolls to high-tech games - and are then grilled on their opinions.

High-tech was a pre-requisite for this year's top toys. The Playful Pup has voice-recognition technology, as does the new "emoto-tronic" Furby.

Even the old mud fight has been re-invented. Parents fed up with doing the laundry will be relieved that Mission Paintball - a Hasbro game played through the television - was at No 3 and involves virtual splats rather than the real thing.

Dolls were out of mode, and outdoor sporting items didn't get a look in. The only nod to the past was at No 10, with a reincarnation of long-standing favourite Operation - with Homer Simpson needing cures for disorders such as Bowler's Thumb and pea brain.

The results also confirmed the sugar and spice vs slug, snails and puppy dog's tails theory, albeit with a modern twist.

Girls opted for the soft toys and arts-and-crafts options, while boys went for gaming consoles and remote-controlled toys.

Duracell New Zealand product manager Leilani Cowie-Fuimaono said Roboraptor was a hit with children in its surveys elsewhere, and was voted second in the United Kingdom toy survey.