By TRACY GRANT

By TRACY GRANT
WASHINGTON POST
Imagine that your job was to search through five football fields filled with new toys and come up with the 10 that kids would give anything to have. As the saying goes, it's a tough job but somebody has to do it.
KidsPost went hunting for the hottest toys of 2005 at the American International Toy Fair in New York last month. Booth after booth, toy after toy. Board games and electronic games. Tops and yo-yos. Building sets and Bratz dolls. Sound like heaven? Yes and no.
It's amazing how many bad toys are out there. Not evil or violent toys, just ones that aren't very clever or imaginative or different.
But here are some sweet toys. Toys to drool over. Toys to put on wish lists and toys to go out and buy right now.
AIR HOGS REMOTE CONTROL WALL RACER
Price: $60
Available: Fall
Ages: 8 and up
Think you've seen every kind of remote-control vehicle? Think again. This one climbs walls. We didn't believe it either until we saw it for ourselves. Put it on a wall and it stays there, like a magnet on the fridge. When it's on the floor and hits a wall,
it rolls back a bit and then starts climbing. (Above, left)
FUN SLIDES k
Price: $18
Available: Now, www.funslides.com
Ages: 6 and up
You know how much fun it is to "skate" across hardwood floors in your socks? Imagine doing that on carpet. Just strap on a pair of Fun Slides and go slip-sliding away. (Fun Slides are made by a company that makes special slides used to move heavy furniture across carpet.)
UGLY DOLL
Price: $20
Available: Now, www.uglydolls.com
Ages: All
Dolls so ugly you can't help but love them. Actually, they are more like 12-inch stuffed monsters, but they're so soft you'll want to cuddle up with one. (Smaller versions, for $6, can be clipped to a backpack or belt.) Each has a unique personality. Our favorite is Wedgehead, because he can stand on his head.
COGNO: DEEP WORLDS
Price: $30
Available: Now, www.cogno.com
Ages: 7 and up
A really cool board game where you have to outsmart alien eels, sea turtles, giant squid and enormous whirlpools. The only way to advance is by answering science questions. There's lots of strategy involved, with multiple paths a player can take and ways to frustrate your opponent. The game comes with "The Book of Y," which explains the science questions.
FLY WHEELS
Price: $5 to $7
Available: Now
Ages: 8 and up
This looks like a wheel with a ripcord, until you rip that cord. The wheels really fly through the air, and when they land they bounce and pick up speed, zooming across the ground until they slam into something (think stacked cans). The wheels are replicas of real wheels seen on hot cars today, so they are also collectibles. Variations on the basic Fly Wheel include a two-wheel shooter and ramps.
READY BED
Price: $30
Available: Now, www.marshmallowworld.com
Ages: 6 and up
Everybody likes sleepovers, but sleeping bags are hard to carry, not to mention so 15 minutes ago. So why not take an air mattress that folds up into a stylin' overnight bag? It comes in several designs and is so easy to inflate that your parents might even use it for an unexpected guest.
3D POOL
Price: $130
Available: Now, www.zockertoys.com
Ages: 10 and up
This is the hardest pool game you'll ever play. The goal is to be the first player to get all your balls from the top level to the pockets on the bottom level. What do you do if your cue ball winds up on the second level while you still have balls on top? Why, shoot the cue ball back "upstairs" via the curved shoots in each corner. We told you it was hard, but that's part of the fun.
ROBO RAPTOR h
Price: $120
Available: Fall
Ages: 6 and up
Just because dinosaurs are extinct doesn't mean you can't have one for a pet. The folks who made RoboSapien have come up with a 32-inch-long, remote-control dino with the same sleek, high-tech look. The robot raptor has three moods: hunter, playful and cautious. A hunting raptor might snap at your finger with powerful jaws, while a playful raptor would merely nuzzle your hand.
STREET MUTTZ
Price: $20
Available: Fall
Ages: 6 and up
A remote-control pet for those who don't want a dinosaur. These stray dogs are so forlorn they're adorable. Special sensors in their heads let them know when you're near. They'll sit up, turn their heads, move their paws. (A portion of the purchase price goes to groups that care for real stray dogs.)
ANTWORKS
Price: $20
Available: Now, www.fascinations.com
Ages: 8 and up
If you won't settle for fake dinos or pretend pups, how about an ant farm with real ants? This looks like a small aquarium, but it's filled with a special gel that ants can tunnel through. Because the gel is clear, you get to see how ants work together to make tunnels. The gel contains all the food and water they'll need for their two- to four-month life. What happens when an ant dies? The others take it to the top of the ant farm. So you can remove any dead ants and replace them with live ones!