Predicted to be the most popular and best selling products of Holiday 2009, the Time to Play Most Wanted list is organized in ascending age order. Following is a detailed description of each of the 16 products named to the list accompanied by the editors' views on why the item will be among the Most Wanted.
Barbie has a whole new look-and it's all fashion all the time. Every girl can express her fashion personality with the Barbie Fashionistas. Each doll has 12 points of articulation, more than 100 different poses, and a distinct personality (Glam, Cutie, Girly, Wild, Sassy, and Artsy) reflected in her clothes and accessories. These dolls are really gorgeous and reflect today's girls' awareness and appreciation of fashion. The Barbie designers have gone all out to create dolls that work as play dolls and even as entry level collectibles. Plus, the lower price delivers great value without cutting corners on high style.
Barbie keeps being reinvented to reflect the times and the tastes of little girls. With the culture-wide emphasis on fashion, particularly among the teens they idolize, even the youngest girls have an increasingly sophisticated fashion sense. These dolls look as if they just stepped off the runway and Mattel has unapologetically focused on fashion fun, without abandoning Barbie’s inherent wholesomeness. These dolls bring back the pure fashion doll and make classic play beautifully contemporary.
Color, build, and play in the world you create with Crayola Crayon Town where kids create an entire town, complete with three-dimensional structures to color and build. There are five themed collections, and each set includes Crayola crayons, coloring sheets, corrugate pop-up buildings, and accessories. Once the environments are colored and constructed, kids use the accompanying figures and vehicles to engage in their own imaginative scenarios.
But there's new use and life for the crayons, too. Use them to build different characters or pieces such as trees, animals, and other objects to populate your town. It's a perfect use for old or broken crayons, too.
This is a fresh, fun way to play with crayons that encourages imaginative play. The simplicity, the open-ended play and the unique concept make this a truly breakthrough product that engages a different play style for a satisfying, kid-powered experience.
The classic dump truck just got a burst of personality! Meet Rocky the Robot Truck, a bright yellow and black, fully functional dump truck. Rocky is a free-wheeling dump truck, but he’ll have kids laughing and dancing as he stands up, squats, shakes, tells jokes, and even dances. Kids will delight as Rocky says, "Shake what your mama gave you!" and wiggles and jiggles to his own fun music.
Activated by interactive sensors and featuring motorized movement, his headlights flash and he says more than 100 phrases such as "Rocky reporting for duty" and "Let's get to work." His rugged design and full-tilting bed add to the great play value. Boys will be fully engaged as they get ready to load 'em up and move 'em out with real hauling and dumping action.
Preschool boys love giving their toys - even cars and trucks - personalities. Where girls may do this with dolls and stuffed animals, boys do it with trucks. The fundamental developmental need is the same, regardless of gender, particularly at younger ages. Rocky uses innovative technology to combine great vehicle play with a winsome character boys naturally respond to. It’s a balance of silliness and character that make Rocky unique in its category and in the successful application of a classic play pattern to a boy-centric experience.
Design your own path to King Kandy's party in the Candy Land Sweet Celebration Game. Players link together individual paths to make up the freestanding game board, allowing players to shorten or lengthen the game depending on the time allotted. (This is a great asset for parents who can adjust the game based on their kids and the time they want to spend).
Game play is similar to the original Candy Land game, using color matching, counting and other basic preschool skills to create a colorful adventure. Players race through a variety of 3-D locations, and outwit Lord Licorice, to win the game.
The customization feature is a real innovation and allows parents to tailor a game to the interest and abilities of a child; it is what sets this game apart in a field of good games for kids. This feature makes the game different and new each time it’s played, which is both fun and developmentally sound. The addition of characters is appropriate for the target age, as is the level of challenge and difficulty. Parents and kids get all of this, plus a classic game that is both fun and helps teach and reinforce important skills.
Zhu Zhu Pets are innovative, interactive battery-operated hamsters. Kids will spend hours watching the hamsters talk and move around in specially designed playsets that kids can customize. The hamsters include two play modes: nurturing mode where the hamsters coo and purr and adventure mode where the hamsters explore their habitat with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to various habitat stimuli. It sounds high-tech, but these cute hamsters are easy for all ages to play with. One of the things we love about this is that the technology is virtually invisible. All kids see is a cute pet they'll love playing with.
The sophisticated technology is on the inside. All kids see are super-cute, adorable pets that they can play with - almost as if they were real. It’s creative, engaging and appealing, and it’s never been done before. For parents who don’t want - or kids who aren’t ready for - a live hamster, this is about as close as it gets.
Bakugan, a collectible game combining cards and dimensional transforming playing pieces has been a major hit among boys for the past two years, and the momentum shows no sign of slowing down. The next evolution of the game takes the popular pieces and allows seven of them to interconnect, creating the largest Bakugan character yet, Maxus Dragonoid. The pieces can also be used individually in the game. Your boys can follow the story; you just need to know they’re cool and in high demand.
The introduction of the Maxus Dragonoid character expands both the story and the physical play of the Bakugan franchise in a very creative way, giving kids new ways to play and socialize around the property. Bakugan has successfully translated from toy to social event/activity for its core audience, and the creative expansion of the line deepens the experience.
Dora the Explorer is growing up! She's moved to the big city, attends middle school, and has a whole new fashionable look. What's more, she now has a rich online world in which girls can explore, play games, customize, and solve mysteries with Dora and her new friends.
The line includes two dolls - fashionable interpretations of Dora as a tween. The first, the Dora Links doll, plugs into the computer and opens up an interactive, online world. As girls are playing online, they can customize their doll and watch as it magically transforms right before their eyes! Plus, as girls explore and solve mysteries online, the doll's speech will change to correspond with their play.
The Dora Fashion Doll is a basic fashion doll has the great look and fashions of the new, older Dora and inspires basic, open-ended play with a newly “grown up” friend.
This is the first classic character that has been interpreted so girls can grow up with her - not outgrow her. Dora’s character and adventurous spirit as well as her new look is contemporary and appropriate for older Dora fans.
The top-of the line Transformers toy is really five amazing vehicles in one. It was featured in the battle-fueled climax of the blockbuster movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Devastator is actually several vehicles (called the Constructicons) - Scavenger, Scrapper, Hightower, Overload, Longhaul, Rampage, and Mixmaster-in one giant robot. This is the must-have toy for Transformers fans who want to recreate the film's awesome action sequences or create their own.
Design has always been one of the major characteristics of the Transformers line. Combining five highly creative vehicles in one toy offers good value, lots of play value, and an outlet for open-ended, creative play - as well as movie-based narrative. This is the centerpiece of a highly imaginative line and a new look at a classic toy.
Battle Strikers are the ultimate kid-controlled spinning top battling system! The advanced design allows kids to customize their tops for ultimate performance - speed, power or strength. When the top is assembled, attach it to the handheld Turbo Launcher, push the button, and they power up. When the tops are spinning, a quick flick of the wrist drops them and they're ready to take on all comers. Plus, magnetized finger covers let you control your tops’ movements as they battle. The last top standing wins.
A new twist on a classic play pattern engages kids in competitive and imaginative play. The ability to build the top to suit the challenge and to control it as it spins makes this a completely active, competitive experience. Battle Strikers demonstrates that even for an audience that is dominated by technology, a creative, classic, and competitive game has compelling appeal and can exist side-by-side with chip-driven entertainment.
This is the highest dart capacity Nerf blaster yet, the next big thing from Nerf's popular N-Strike line of dart blasters. It features a collapsible stock and a new drum magazine that holds 35 darts and is interchangeable with other Nerf N-Strike blasters.
By holding the trigger and pumping, players can instantly transition between single fire and slam fire mode, unleashing a rapid stream of 35 darts! The removable shoulder stock and Tactical Rail System allows players to customize their blaster for each mission.
Well, it’s just plain cool. Kids (and some grownups) love these Nerf blasters, and this one is unashamedly targeted at those players. This is a classic play pattern and a great, new design that capitalizes on advanced engineering capabilities to deliver lots of fun and a versatile and high performance blaster.
This creative activity toy leverages technology already in the home (computer and printer) to give kids hours of creative play. Design online at MyPrinties.com (a safe, secure COPPA compliant site), print on both sides of the Printies fabric sheets using any inkjet printer, tear along the perforated shape, and pop out the Printies design! Then stuff it and put it on display. The MyPrinties.com online studio features thousands of design tools and art elements to help kids design their Printies. The site includes quick-start templates, a sketch book, design inspiration, online tutorials, and more! It's so easy for kids to use and get creative!
This toy leverages technology already in the home and allows kids to create and play in a safe online environment. Plus, because the toys are infinitely customizable, no two are the same. It’s high tech creativity with a classic sense of fun.
Believe it or not, it’s the 10th anniversary of Spin Master’s Air Hogs. The new Air Hogs Switchblade is a two-in-one flyer unlike anything ever seen before in remote-control action. Hover like a UFO or fly like a plane - the Switchblade can do both through a magical in-air transformation using the latest in-flight technology. The incredible flyer takes off like a UFO and transforms in the air into a high-powered aircraft.
Affordable, functional, and fun. This is what a flying RC should be. Advances in technology make it easy to work and very satisfying to fly. Air Hogs has consistently pushed the envelope and created cutting edge flying toys that delight kids and adults alike.
First launched in 2008, the Eyeclops Night Vision Goggles, have been improved with a better design that lets users see with both eyes instead of just one and a major drop in cost. The new handheld Night Vision Goggles allows visibility up to 50 feet in completely dark environments. This is real technology that really works, and provides a unique and versatile play experience for kids. Naturally, parents and caregivers will want to set ground rules with kids for how they use these and when and where they play.
This was a technological breakthrough when it was first launched. The new design is easier to use and provides better vision with the dual-eye function, not to mention the “wow” factor of being able to see in the dark. This is an example of advanced technology delivering a unique play experience that’s only as limited as kids’ imaginations.
Look deliciously sweet and stylish with your own unique, candy jewelry creations! The Girl Gourmet Sweets Candy Jewelry Factory allows girls to design, bake, wear, and eat scrumptious candy jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, and rings! The set features a small baking oven and a variety of molds to create jewelry charms and sweet gems. The Sweets Candy Jewelry Factory includes a baking oven, molds, accessories, and more.
Even in a technological world, activity and arts and crafts toys have been huge sellers. Combining three things girls love - creativity, candy and couture (okay, fashion play) - this is an engaging and fun toy that’s unique in the marketplace. JAKKS transformed this category last year with the Girl Gourmet Cupcake maker, and this new introduction just continues the innovation.
It’s rare that we would acknowledge an entire product line, or, as one might say, a universe of product. But LEGO Star Wars truly ranks among the best of the best. Celebrating 10 years and as one of the all-time top-selling construction toys, these models and sets allow kids (and many grown ups) to replicate key items from the movies and create their own Star Wars worlds and adventures. There are lots of different sets at different complexities and various price points to delight the hardcore fan or the casual player.
The unbeatable combination of Star Wars and LEGO have consistently made this a favorite. It’s not just for building and playing, there is a whole social network built around these toys, and they inspire imagination and creativity in the context of a beloved franchise. These are consistently among the top-selling LEGO sets and inspire not just creative play but interaction around the mythic narratives.
Who could have guessed that the band our parents listened to on vinyl records 40 years ago would become one of the most talked about video games of 2009? The Beatles: Rock Band is the latest Rock Band game and gives players the ability to jam along with the Fab Four or, at least, digitally animated versions, through a collection of songs that span the band’s career. Songs include hits from the early small club days in 1963 Liverpool such as “Twist And Shout” and “I Saw Her Standing There” to that famous final performance on the Apple Corps rooftop of “Don’t Let Me Down”. Plus, this will introduce a whole new generation to the music of The Beatles.
The Rock Band phenomenon just keeps on going, but what is most impressive about this is how it’s a game the whole family can play - and will enjoy playing - together. As the gaming system becomes part of the entertainment center, this outstanding game will create new, shared family experiences that are redefining family game play. Moreover, Rock Band - and Guitar Hero - have stimulated new interest and involvement with all kinds of music and bands. This will be no exception.
