Hunting round for batteries to power "batteries not included" toys is a common problem on Christmas morning. If there are none to be found then you'd better hope junior likes playing with the box because that new whizz-bang gadget can be decidedly underwhelming without any juice. The Solar Pegasus Flying Horse solves this problem by incorporating a solar panel in the mythological winged horse's carriage to harness energy from the sun, or nearest available lamp, to power its batteries and keep the kids entertained long after traditional batteries have run flat.
The Solar Pegasus comes in kit form – which should help keep the kids, or more likely Dad, busy for around two hours – and can be arranged in three different configurations: Pegasus flying above the carriage, Pegasus riding around the carriage in circles, and Pegasus drawing the carriage along in a straight line. The toy could be the perfect gift for any child looking to get their Perseus on and do their own remake of Clash of the Titans without the time-consuming Harryhousen stop animation technique used in the classic 1981 film.
When outside, the mythological creature's movement will vary according to the sunlight conditions, while inside a 60w bulb at a distance of around 10 cm (3.9 in) will be enough to keep the horse prancing.
The Solar Pegasus measures approx. 96 x 235 x 172 mm (3.8 x 9.3 x 6.8 in) and is available from Japan Trend Shop for US$56 with an additional $19 worldwide shipping cost.
