Zudes - the toy that never existed?

[chaozz]

I recently acquired a Zudes toy. It's a pretty generic 2000-era toy, but what fascinates me the most about it is the total lack of information about it online. If you search for Zudes, Zudes "Trolls with attitude" or zudes hasbro (or Tiger electronics) you will only find a few eBay listings. Searching images does yield a fair amount of results.

I understand that a product can flop, but it just seems like it never existed?!

From what I gathered:

• They were first released in 2001, and were sold until at least 2003
  
• It was made by Tiger Electronics, part of Hasbro
  
• They contain a few pretty basic games (I kinda like them actually)
  
• It only plays games. You don't have to feed, clean, entertain them. It's nothing like a vpet.
  
• You can connect several Zudes together (the package suggests they will play together)
  
• You get 1 extra game when you connect two Zudes together
  

But there is so much unclear:

• Why isn't there a single review available anywhere? (Speelgoed | Trouw briefly mentions it but that is the only mention I can find)
  
• Why is there only 1 Youtube video available about it in 240p that shows the toy?
  
• What is the extra game you get when connecting two of them?
  
• Do they actually play together when you connect them?
  
• Does it have some sort of protocol for connecting other Zudes?
  

I don't know why it fascinates me so much, but it just triggered this search for answers.

Does anyone have any additional information on Zudes or can anyone answer any of my questions?

 

[chaozz]

I can not believe this is another dead end! 

 

[Bentobuff]

At the risk of necromancy-ing a dead thread, this post showed up as a similar thread directly under yours! @Penguin-keeper shared a bit about zudes in their post, so it might be a lead.
https://www.tamatalk.com/threads/gigapets-trolls-zudes-inspired-virtual-buddies.198963/
Also, 14 days on a slower old forum doesn't equate a dead end. The website update may have very well been what was needed to liven up this trail!

 

[Peyj]

You can buy Giga Troll pets on Amazon, I've seen them recently. Not sure if you'd consider them the "same" but the design is very similar, even with the actual hair and everything. Maybe a newer version of these Zudes?

Link: https://www.amazon.com.au/Top-Secret-Toys-Virtual-Electronic/dp/B088BK4G6H?th=1

 

[decepticoncrown]

You can buy Giga Troll pets on Amazon, I've seen them recently. Not sure if you'd consider them the "same" but the design is very similar, even with the actual hair and everything. Maybe a newer version of these Zudes?

Link: https://www.amazon.com.au/Top-Secret-Toys-Virtual-Electronic/dp/B088BK4G6H?th=1

Apologies for bumping up an old thread, but the Zudes and Giga Pet Troll are very different. You have to take care of the Giga Troll - feeding, training it, cleaning, ect. Similiar to the Zudes the Giga Trolls can't die, despite it playing like a standard Giga Pet. I don't know if they runaway or not if mistreated. The two have very similar presentations, though.

The Zudes make me think of a "boy" version of Blinkies, another 2000's toy that came and went:

 

[Unmactoy]

There were Zudes Trolls in McDonald's Happy Meal toys from 2002.

 

[decepticoncrown]

Huh, interesting. I did some searching and it looks like a promotion that happened in solely Europe judging by this picture:



It looks like this has become very obscure, to the extent some consider this promotion lost media. Maybe these toys had a more aggressive marketing campaign in other countries, like how the iZ franchise had a big Mcdonalds promotion in America despite the actual, non-Happy Meal toys being barely remembered now. Definitely another piece of the Zudes puzzle!

 

[chaozz]

I appreciate all the input on my topic. All very interesting.

The McDonalds lead is very interesting. @decepticoncrown how did you find that image?

 

[leogames2012]

This is the same situation as The Triplets

It´s english dub is now obscure despite its success due to it have never been released on USA on TV and only aired in canada from Teletoon before moving to TreeHouse TV in 2002,making its english dub obscure in youtube and not much information is known from that.

 

[decepticoncrown]

I appreciate all the input on my topic. All very interesting.

The McDonalds lead is very interesting. @decepticoncrown how did you find that image?

"Mcdonalds zudes 2002" search on Google.