WIN a new FURBY!

Photos: Hasbro, SPRG

If you were a child of the Nineties - or if one of your offspring were a child at the time - you'll probably have fond memories of Furby, the robotic gremlin who was as chatty as a toddler.

Fifteen years after the original's release, Furby is back with "a mind of its own." The evolved Furby is not only cuddlier than its predecessors, but like a small child, its personality will change according to how it is treated. If you tickle Furby, it will laugh while animated hearts appear in its eyes. If you tilt it, it will squeal and giggle. It will boogie in time if you play music, it will speak in a mixture of "Furbish" and English if you speak to it, and will sing if it's in a good mood. It will roll around, squirm, whine, and even get angry if you harass it too much. It's capable of all this, and it doesn't have an "off" button (What did you expect? Children and pets don't have off buttons either, but at least Furby won't make a mess!).

So how do all of these cute - and sometimes terrifying -- reactions work? The new Furby comes equipped with LED eyes, touch sensors, robotic ears, and mechanical eyelids that twitch and flutter in response to noises picked up by a built-in microphone. It even has smartphone capabilities, meaning that if you download the free Furby iOs app, you'll be able to feed it and translate its Furbish phrases into English.

Think this toy is just for kids? We got to play with one of these little guys in the office a couple of weeks ago, and we have to admit that it was pretty fun cuddling Furby and making him dance to "Gangnam Style."

FURBY is now available at all Toys "R" Us outlets, major department stores and selected electronics stores