Transformers, My Little Pony and Phase 10 have been inducted into the US National Toy Hall of Fame for 2024, beating out other nominees Apples to Apples, balloons, Choose Your Own Adventure gamebooks, Hess Toy Trucks, Pokémon Trading Card Game, remote-controlled (R/C) vehicles, Sequence, stick horse, and trampoline. Organizers The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York now has the three winners on display as part of its National Toy Hall of Fame exhibit.
Chris Bensch, vice president for collections and chief curator, said: “These are three very deserving toys that showcase the wide range of how people play.
Hasbro first offered Transformers, a toy line of action figures that change their shapes, in the mid-1980s. Marketed with an elaborate backstory supported by a Marvel comic book series, a cartoon television series, animated movies, electronic games, consumer goods, and even its own cereal, Transformers have remained popular ever since. Their popularity has been fuelled by additional movies, television shows, and comic books. For more than 40 years now, the appeal of Transformers is that the toys do what kids do anyway—change the toy to suit the needs of play.
“Transformers enjoy such popularity, in part, because Hasbro has used tried-and-true marketing methods—the multimedia venues for toy-related shows, books, and movies; related consumer products”
Chris Bensch said: “Transformers enjoy such popularity, in part, because Hasbro has used tried-and-true marketing methods—the multimedia venues for toy-related shows, books, and movies; related consumer products; and new variations and characters regularly added to the line—to keep the toy in front of American kids. But the toys are also popular because they are so suited to the ways kids play. The toy line feeds kids’ imaginations and fantasy play.”
My Little Pony was introduced in the 1980s. The My Little Pony line of mini-horses encourages children in traditional forms of doll play—fantasy, storytelling, hair grooming, and collecting. The small pastel ponies have come in more than a thousand varieties, all with elongated tails and manes made to be brushed. My Little Pony became the most popular of the mini doll lines between 1983 and 1992.
In 1982, Black game inventor and entrepreneur Ken Johnson introduced Phase 10. The rummy-style card game challenged players to collect various groups of cards to complete 10 phases, in sequential order, before their opponents. The game took off, spawning sequels, variations, and a popular mobile app game. Today, it is one of the bestselling card games in the world, second only to National Toy Hall of Fame inductee Uno.
Mirek Stolee, curator of board games and puzzles, said: “Mattel reportedly sells four million Phase 10 decks annually in 60 countries and in more than 20 languages. Whether played in its original form or in one of its variations, Phase 10 has become an iconic game title that continues to encourage multigenerational social and competitive play.”
The National Toy Hall of Fame, established in 1998, recognises toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over a sustained period. Each year, the prestigious hall inducts new honorees and showcases both new and historic versions of classic toys beloved by generations.
