Thirty years ago, parents were literally fighting over store shelves to snag the original 1996 Tickle Me Elmo. Fast forward to today, and Just Play is bringing back that 1990s chaos with the new Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max. Built specifically to celebrate three decades of Sesame Street laughter, this huge upgrade takes everything people loved about the classic toy and modernizes it for a whole new generation of kids and nostalgic adults, making it the closest to the real thing that we have had. Whether you vividly remember the original craze or you are looking for a toy that will keep your Elmo crazed toddler entertained, this release nails the balance between pure nostalgia and high-energy fun.
Right out of the box, the sheer size of the Elmo Giggle Max is known. Standing at a massive 18 inches tall, he completely towers over the classic 13.5-inch original. But the real magic is hidden under his ultra-soft red plush exterior. While the 1990s version mostly just vibrated on a single motor, the Giggle Max packs serious animatronics as his arms flap, his mouth actually opens and closes when he talks, and his whole body shakes with hysterics. Plus, his internal motorized arms feel sturdy enough to survive the inevitable drops and aggressive hugs from over-excited toddlers. The only problem is this makes carrying him around a little bit different as he can be a little bottom heavy. He really shines when he is sitting down.
Where this toy great is its multi-zone, escalating play setup. Instead of just one tickle spot on his belly, Elmo now has sensors on his tummy and both of his feet. Pressing them triggers a lineup of over a dozen chuckles and phrases like “Elmo is SO giggly!” If you keep tickling him without stopping, and he escalates into full-blown “max giggles” mode—shaking wildly across the table before finishing off his fit with an adorable case of the hiccups. It’s hilariously chaotic, though parents will want to keep a couple of things in mind: he’s fairly loud, and turning him off requires using the manual switch on the battery pack rather than relying on an automatic sleep timer, and that standing up thing. The other thing is that his stomach tickle point it not soft plush but rather a harder plastic underneath the fur, we kinda wish this was not the case. On the bright side, batteries come included, so the giggles can start immediately.
At the end of the day, the Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max easily stands out as one of the most entertaining interactive plushies on shelves right now. It gets as close as you can possibly get to bringing the actual Sesame Street character into your house. Ideal for toddlers 18 months and up or long-time collectors looking to mark 30 years of Elmo history. If you’re ready for a little loud, giggly fun, this gigantic red friend is worth every bit of the hype.
You can check out our video review of Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max from YouTube below to see him in action.
BIGGEST, TICKLIEST ELMO EVER: Get ready for belly laughs and silly fun with the Sesame Street Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max plush toy. It’s the biggest, tickliest Elmo ever!
TICKLE FOR MAX GIGGLES: Tickle Elmo’s belly, left foot, or right foot. Elmo starts to giggle—and gets the whole room laughing along!LAUGH AND SHAKE ACTION: As Elmo giggles, his arms move up and down, his mouth opens and closes, and his whole body shakes with excitement.
CAUTION: MAY CAUSE EXTREME GIGGLING: Hear cute phrases like, “Elmo is SO giggly!” and “Here we go again!” that keep the laughs going… and going.
BIG, HUGGABLE ELMO: This 18-inch Elmo plush toy is made with super-soft, bright red plush that toddlers love for lots of cozy cuddles between bouts of giggles.
CELEBRATE 30 YEARS OF TICKLE ME ELMO: The Sesame Street Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max interactive plush toy brings back a classic toy, now bigger and better than ever!