Furby is back! The must-have toy of 1998 will return this holiday season, but this isn’t your father’s Furby. is re-launching the furry character for the digital age, with apps, new sensors and more.
You may remember Furby from his first incarnation, the chatty five-inch-tall robot that found its way under countless Christmas trees in the late ’90s. Furby was equipped with robotic eyes and ears, simple sensors and the ability to speak. A lot.
The new Furby takes the idea of a talking electronic sidekick to a new level: Covered in blue-green fur, its body is more active, with the ability to wiggle its ears and dance. In an interesting design choice, Hasbro opted to replace Furby’s classic white eyes with LCDs.
Like the first generation, Furby 2.0 has the ability to communicate with other Furbys. When Furby speaks, and another is nearby, it can discern the “Furbish” language and respond, apparently. It can also respond to human voices, and even pick up on tone. There’s even a Furby iOS app, which sends inaudible sound codes to the toy.
Another way the new Furby is like its predecessor: There’s no off switch. The only way to get him to shut up, apart from completely isolating him, is to remove one of the four AA batteries. Furby will be back in stores for the holidays for $60.