Anki’s cutesy-clever Cozmo robot beat back the rest of the fun-focused competition to win our Toy of the Year accolade at the Trusted Reviews Awards 2017.
Consumer robots have been a very mixed bag over the years, mostly falling short of the high expectations set by movie mechs pretty much since Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Only a decade ago you had to spend over a grand to get a robot dog that moved like an octogenarian in need of multiple hip replacements.
Anki Cozmo feels like a giant leap for home robotics, however. It combines genuinely smart learning with family fun and plenty of personality – all at an affordable price. If you don’t break into a smile while playing games with Cozmo, you probably aren’t human.
This isn’t the first time Anki has scooped this prize. In 2015 it won for Anki Overdrive, a slot-car game without slots that lets you race against robot drivers and use virtual weaponry.
Little Cozmo fought off stiff competition from another droid in the form of Sphero’s R2-D2, which is also chock-full of character and extra Star Wars-y features. Also in the running was the innovative hybrid game, Beasts of Balance – think of a cross between Jenga and Skylanders, with playing pieces so pretty you’ll want to put them next to your Lego Death Star.
Buy Now: Anki Cozmo at Amazon
Winners of almost 30 other awards were announced tonight at a big London bash. We had to break for a bowl of nibbles and a glass of Blue Nun just to get through them all.
Agree with our choice? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook (#TrustedReviewsAwards).
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
