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Halloween Countdown 08: Spooky Magic 8-Ball!

After an unimpressive string of Magic 8-Ball branded spinoffs ranging from Count Olaf to Hannah Montana, Mattel finally got it right. Introducing: The Halloween Magic 8 Ball!


In preparation for this review, I did a little research. For all the time I've spent making important life decisions by way of Magic 8-Balls, I really didn't know too much about them. Here's a crash course...

The Magic 8-Ball was invented in 1946. The all-knowing die inside actually has twenty sides, which is around triple the amount I would've guessed had I been spontaneously ushered onto the set of a game show and forced to answer trivia questions in return for trips to Mexico. The eerie blue liquid inside each Magic 8-Ball is apparently nontoxic, but several fringe researchers have concluded that its effects as an edible aren't exactly pleasant, citing headaches and nausea. Magic 8-Balls are not food.

My most important finding was that it's woefully incorrect to shake a Magic 8-Ball before searching for its response. You're just supposed to turn it gently and allow the die to float to the small window. When you shake it, all of the dyed water foams up and makes the answers hard to read, and what's worse, there's virtually no way to rid a Magic 8-Ball of "shake foam" once it gets in there. Magic 8-Balls are not maracas.

Blessed with this further education on Magic 8-Ballosity, I'm in a better position to sum up Mattel's new Halloween edition: It's exactly the same as a regular Magic 8-Ball, only the ball is purple, and the answers are a little cheekier. Does that justify its ten dollar price tag? Let's ask the Magic 8-Ball:


Hmm. "You have a ghost of a chance" doesn't really confirm if my Halloween Magic 8-Ball was worth ten bucks or not, but any grievances I may have had with this non-answer were eradicated upon noticing that the ball has a green monster mouth painted on it. I have a soft spot for arbitrarily positioned green monster mouths, especially when they're slapped on items that bear no resemblance to monster faces whatsoever.

The die's twenty faces provide a mix of classic Magic 8-Ball responses along with a few custom, pun-filled spooky answers. Its potential as the primary tool in some malformed drinking game notwithstanding, it's a neat decoration that will make your living room feel 3% more Halloweeny.

I approve of this item, but I dunno -- the normal, black Magic 8-Balls just feel a tad bit eerier, and I think I'd prefer an eerier looking ball to one that sneaks ghost puns into its little dog and pony show. I guess I half-approve of this item.

Posted by Matt on 09/17/2008. E-mail me!



Discussion Thread: 89 comments

Did you summon me, Invader Norbert?

I felt something pushing my button.

Chestnuts roasted by Rev. Back It On Up @ 09/17/2008 10:12 PM

Wait a minute – this rates a double post. Have I got some kind of reputation for a potty mouth or something? The one eyed purple monster comes bursting out and I get the call? Do I seem like some kind of sex cult minister or something?

Oh right.

Chestnuts roasted by Rev. Back It On Up @ 09/17/2008 10:14 PM

Glad to see more people getting ready to get into the Halloween spirit. Please Matt, more horror movie reviews this year?

Chestnuts roasted by Sick Fixx @ 09/17/2008 10:20 PM

finally got the halloween party invite. Wearing this cheap-ass rubber mask i got at National Wholesale Liquidators. I don’t even know what the heck its supposed to be exept inexpensive. It looks like its gonna break a minute after i put it on. Vaguely resembles BORG.

Chestnuts roasted by Xenophobe @ 09/17/2008 10:23 PM

Did I fall into a time warp?

Last thing I remember it was SNT, now there are two entries. WOWEE ZOWEE.

Chestnuts roasted by Neg @ 09/17/2008 10:26 PM

HALLOWEEEEEEN! WOOOO! It couldn’t have come soon enough man, I absolutely HATED this year so far, But walking through the hallowed Isles of Wal-Marts Halloween section just perked me right up.

Matt, seriously, Thank you for doing this EVERY year, Everytime I see this countdown, I know that the next few months are going to be awesome!

Halloween
Thanksgiving
Christmas

HELL YEAH!

Chestnuts roasted by Jester @ 09/17/2008 10:34 PM

Well, I’ve been inspired. Tomorrow I’m buying an eerie green paint marker and I’m going to put random arbitrarily positioned green monster mouths on everything I see.

Chestnuts roasted by necrozen @ 09/17/2008 10:35 PM

I think I’m gonna make some apple cider in a few days. By “apple cider”, I mean apple juice, orange juice and slices, and random autumnal spices put in a big pot and simmered for about an hour. Worked out pretty well last year.

On a more relevant note, every time I see a Magic 8-Ball, I can still hear my mom saying that they’re evil and that I’m not allowed to have one. A Halloween Magic 8-Ball probably would have sent her into convulsions.

Chestnuts roasted by Annette @ 09/17/2008 10:48 PM

Oh man I really like the 8-ball. I also must admit that I never knew you were not supposed to shake the ball. Iv’e own countless 8-balls, and iv’e shaken EVERY SINGLE one of them. And your right, the foam NEVER EVER goes away. Not sure which I prefer. This one, or the classic design. I’ll have to give it some thought.

Chestnuts roasted by ULTRAMAN @ 09/17/2008 10:49 PM

I remembering owning one magic 8-ball when I was a kid. I found one thing to be problematic is that I would think of a puzzling, life altering question that could change the very course of my life, ask out loud and then upon flipping it over seeing that the die on the inside floated to the top on its edge.

Guess I’ll have to stick to the Zoltar machine from “Big.”

Chestnuts roasted by Jason (yes, really my name, not just on the 13th) @ 09/17/2008 10:51 PM

I make many important life decisions based on the 8 ball. When my husband asked me to marry him I had to consult the 8-ball first.

Chestnuts roasted by gingela5 @ 09/17/2008 10:57 PM

Is there any plans for a Halloween Table this year?

Chestnuts roasted by El Loco Gordo @ 09/17/2008 11:02 PM

Doesn’t painting a magic 8-ball purple make it… less Halloweeny than a black one?
Come one, the damn thing’s round. Orange, guys. Orange with a scary jack-o-lantern face.
They really dropped the ball on that one… Hey that’s a pun!
Loving the Jukebox again, Matt.

Chestnuts roasted by Lucky Mesmer @ 09/17/2008 11:03 PM

Oh, the Halloween Mood Table will definitely return. I’ve actually been in the mood to decorate for Halloween a little more than we usually do. Bought some lights and stuff.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 09/17/2008 11:04 PM

Hmmmm, Looking at that pic a second time, with the mouth position, I think that the viewing window for the Die, is supposed to be the monsters “Eye”

Or was that just common knowledge and I’m a little slow?

Chestnuts roasted by Jester @ 09/17/2008 11:13 PM

(The Other) Dan: Hope you don’t mind if I hop in and answer this, I was so pumped when I found these today! No, they aren’t the same. Easter ones come from a bunny. These are “vulture eggs”, which are 1000 times cooler. :)

Chestnuts roasted by Dr Sketch @ 09/17/2008 11:20 PM

I have to concur with a regular magic 8-ball being much spookier. It must be the purple and green…just too whimsical.
I hate the word ‘whimsical.’ If someone dressed up as whimsical for Halloween, it would be the scariest costume ever. That and ‘utilize.’

Chestnuts roasted by Jessica Marie @ 09/17/2008 11:25 PM

I prefer the classic design to this one. T

Chestnuts roasted by ULTRAMAN @ 09/17/2008 11:26 PM

I just wanted to say this: after a long shitty day, I love coming home to a new blog post…

Oh, and the only Magic 8 Ball I had was a cereal prize version that sucked. :( I always wanted one though.

Chestnuts roasted by Cameron T. @ 09/17/2008 11:26 PM

Thanks Invader Norbert. I will definitely pick up a Treehouse Monopoly.

As for the Cadbury eggs, I only purchased one, which had the white cream inside. It pretty much was the same egg as the Easter ones.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w251/budz211/SSPX0123.jpg

Chestnuts roasted by Berdo @ 09/17/2008 11:36 PM

Cool Matt!! Now I want a string of deep purple lights and a black mesh material for some serious draping. Not to use exactly but just cause. I think I should do some housecleaning and then sit down with a Halloween esque movie I haven’t seen in a long time. Before we went to bed my best friend and I this morning started talking about Halloween costumes and I blurted out that I wanted him to get a pair of googly eyes glued on his crotch. I shouldn’t of said that because that made me to giggly to go to sleep quickly. He thought it was humorous too. Someone should really make dick shirts (I just made that term up) that say “This is my costume” that would be awesome. I am way too immature. Hehehehehe.

Rev. Hey girl, sup.

Chestnuts roasted by Goob @ 09/17/2008 11:37 PM

here is what the 8 Ball dice look like outside the ball

http://www.craphound.com/images/magic8ballautopsy.jpg

Chestnuts roasted by Anonymous @ 09/17/2008 11:48 PM

Suddenly I have the urge to get some Halloween 8-balls. Skull and Jack-O-Lantern are at the top of my list to get. I just want to say that I also make decisions based on the magic 8-ball.=)

Chestnuts roasted by ULTRAMAN @ 09/18/2008 12:05 AM

Never doubt the 8 ball. It is all knowing and all seeing.

Chestnuts roasted by Wenthral @ 09/18/2008 12:07 AM

Mhm, that purple magic 8 ball looks kind of … cute with that monster mouth.

Matt, it’s great to hear the mood table will be back. I’ve adopted the idea for myself last year and hope to do it again this year.

Chestnuts roasted by Kapprika @ 09/18/2008 12:15 AM

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 6:52 pm and is filed under 2008 Halloween Countdown, General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.