Cat gets Bored (+pic)

Hey guys, my cat Coyote (aka Mr. Kitty aka Mr. Baby Kitty Man aka Coyote Kitty aka Big Floppy Baby aka Red Rubber Stamp Nose Kitty) has been pestering me the past couple of days to play, but then doesn't really play that much. His favorite toy is one of those things on a string attached to a stick, but with that he'll only go at it for like 5 minutes before doing nothing but sitting there watching as I try to get his attention with it. Same goes for his laser pointer, after a few minutes he stops going after it and just sit there looking at it. He's not a fan of many other things, only rarely plays with a ball or one of those little mice things, but he just doesn't stay engaged with his tride and trues. He's very vocal when he wants something, so he'll keep walking around the room and wailing when he's bored, but he just won't stay satisfied!! 

Is this just him getting out of his kitten phase and not realizing he doesn't have the energy he had? He's around a year and a half old and he has definitely tamed down over the past few months, but man is this new phase annoying. 

Does anyone have any suggestions, or know anything to do? Maybe new stuff I can try to entertain him with? 

(here's the little kitty man^)