Bakugan.

If you are a Mom or a Dad to school kid, you already know what Bakugan toys are, right? This hub might come helpful to all you relatives and family friends who are looking for a cool toy gift, maybe heard the term "Bakugan" from your favorite nephew, but are not sure what on earth a Bakugan actually is and how you go about buying one?

Let me tell you right away, don't even try to figure it out. When I first heard about Bakugan from my kids, it was a long and twisted tale. The story included so many characters, divided into six different worlds, colors and each with their own special powers. In fact, I am still amazed that kids this young, six and eight years old in our case, can memorize so much information!

So, don't worry, you don't actually have to know each Bakugan, which world it has arrived from, or what incredible powers it possesses. Rest assured that the recipient of your gift will be able to recite all of the information right away. Enjoy the excited tones as he or she does (I'm keeping this gender-neutral, although I have to admit, I've seen very few girls actually play with Bakugan balls).

So, when you gift someone a Bakugan, what are you actually giving them?

Well, don't be disappointed. Be prepared to spend a few bucks on a very small ball, less than a couple of inches in diameter. There are larger specimens (evolved, I believe is how the kids refer to them), but your average bakugan ball is rather a small plastic critter.

The little ones are fierce warriors though, or as the game term is: brawlers. Each has its own name, home world, earth keeper, gate, color and a myriad of properties. I now know very well that both my boys are capable of memorizing huge lists of information. Might be useful at some point!

Each Bakugan brawler comes with its own "gate card". It's not just a pretty card, mind. These cards contain metal, and when you throw one of the little balls on its own card, it will suddenly open up to reveal its inner warrior. Yup, the little ones are magnetic, and can transform from a ball into a small yet quite detailed action figure.

The game consists of placing these gate cards along each other in the battle arena. Each player then rolls a brawller ball unto the cards and hopefully, the little guy (or girl - some of them are female) will open up and employ the entire spectrum of its superpowers! I'm actually getting excited writing this... mirroring, I guess, the excitement of the kids as they play. (I hope so, at least, or else I'm in trouble!)

Any gate card can open any ball, yet as a player, you want to aim at your specific card. You see, each card comes with its own bonus points relating to different bakugan "powers". Hit the wrong card, and you could be giving your opponent extra points.

A word of warning here... kids sometimes play for the balls themselves. The winner "earns" the Bakugan ball and its corresponding card. In our family, and many other that we know at school, the kids are not allowed to play like that. These children are too young to start losing and winning actual items, and a less experienced (and often younger) player can end up losing an entire collection worth a considerable amount of money.

So, what do you need to know to give a bakugan? You could ask the future owner if he or she has a color preference. The colors are not just a matter of aesthetics. They do represent a certain "world" in the game. Yes, trust me, you do not want to try and remember if you need to get an aquos, a ventus or a sub-terra one... stick to colors, and you should be safe.

Here are some of Amazon's best selling bakugan balls for you to choose from. Buying any of these, you know you're going for one of the popular fellas. And with them priced around $5 and under, you may as well get two or three to cover your bases!