Every year the demand, expectation and, sadly, the price tag of the top toys of the year increase, especially in the build up to Christmas.
In order to keep track of the trends, here we take a nostalgic look at the toys, games and tech that has topped wish lists for the past 30 years – according to data from the Toy Retailers Association.
Some items that topped the list in multiple years have been combined.
1993: Thunderbirds Tracy Island
The year is 1993, and in living rooms all over the UK the Thunderbirds Tracy Island play set is being unwrapped.
The toy, made by Matchbox, depicted the secret base of the international rescue team who had a fleet of space, land, air and sea rescue craft aptly named Thunderbird 1,2, 3, 4 and 5.
Despite the show having begun around 30 years earlier, the release of the set in the 1990s marked the start of technology being used in toys.
Image: Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner created a DIY model of Tracy Island made from household rubbish
“It was a big moment for boomer dads to really introduce something that they loved in the 60s to something that their kids loved,” William Newton, a curator, at the Young V&A Museum said.
“I was about five in 1993, and I remember my dad would say: ‘It’s Friday night, we are going to watch Thunderbirds’. And then with the toy, you couldn’t get one for love nor money.”
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Thankfully, even if shop shelves were empty, an episode of Blue Peter hosted by Anthea Turner taught families across the country how to make a DIY version of the island, largely out of paper mache.
“It became this ‘must have’ toy and then there was a way that anyone could have it, if you had newspapers, paint and some egg boxes. It was quite brilliant really,” Mr Newton said.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Power Rangers figurines from 1994 to 2017.
1994: Power Rangers
In May 1994, another set of superhero type figurines hit shop shelves, the Power Rangers.
First launched by Japanese company Bandai, the figures became an instant hit with children following the release of television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, in which a team of teenagers are recruited to battle enemies like Rita Repulsa and the Megazord.
Image: A range of 1994 Power Rangers at The Museum of London
The franchise continued its success into the modern day, with 30 television series and three motion picture films, the final of which was released in 2017, the same year the Ultra Movie Megazord figurine neared the top of Christmas lists.
Image: A set of OJ Simpson trial POGs
1995: POGs
Simply put, POGs involved stacking a pile of round discs of card that were once used to cover milk bottles produced by Hawaii-based company Haleakala Dairy.
The game got its name after the company put the name of their tropical fruit drink – Passion fruit-Orange-Guava or POG for short – on them, according to the Makawao History Museum.
Players would then take turns hitting the stack with another cap trying to flip the caps over on what was known as a slam board.
Soon, each disc had a different symbol, with some referring to popular films, political figures and even high-profile criminal cases like the OJ Simpson trial in the US.
Mr Newton put the popularity of POGs down to them being collectable items.
“Collectables are a way that children express their personalities, through the sort of things they collect, and how they arrange them into their favourite ones,” he said.
“A lot of that does come around Christmas, if you are selling POGs to children at Christmas, then you hope that they go on to buy more throughout the rest of the year.”
1996: Barbie
An unsurprising entry, and, spoiler alert, not the only time Barbie features on the list.
The doll first went on sale in 1959, with Ruth Handler creating the brand after observing her daughter, Barbara, play with paper.
Since then, Mattel, which owns the brand, has consistently revealed new dolls, games, films and other products to keep Barbie firmly on top of Christmas lists or at least on the top 10 best sellers list.
“It just shows you the power of Barbie,” Michael Hick, Mattel vice president and UK country manager said.
Image: 1990s College Barbies
“Brand’s like Barbie, and the momentum it has created, it is an unbelievably huge thing for Mattel as a company.”
When asked why he thinks Barbie has managed to remain popular, Mr Hick said: “For one, it is down to design, so it has to start with the product. And then there is innovation, brands that mums remember playing with and now want their child to play with.
“We have brands that are really rich in history, so we do a great job of innovating within these to make sure that they are really relevant to the modern child.
“Then there is marketing. We really pride ourselves in the way we go to the market and the way we work with retailers both in store and online.”
1997: Teletubbies
In March 1997, the world said “Eh-oh” to the Teletubbies.
The TV show followed brightly coloured creatures Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La-La and Po, and when toy company Golden Bear signed a licensing deal with BBC Worldwide to produce the first Teletubbies soft toys, the country entered Teletubby mania.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Furby from 1998 to 2013.
1998-1999: Furby and Furby Babies
From one strange creature to another, the next two years saw the Furby top the most popular toys list.
Created by Hasbro, the Furby is described by the manufacturer as a “mysterious, fuzzy, lovable creature who can’t wait to be your child’s bestie”.
The original model was extremely popular in 1998, and the following year Furby Babies – a smaller version – also proved to be just as exciting to children who wanted their very own “digital pet” that came in a range of colours, spoke the Furbish language and could communicate with others of its kind.
Image: Furby Babies in a shop
The Furby also hit the top of the list again in 2012, this time with an updated look and a mobile app.
“Furby benefit from improvements in technology,” curator Mr Newton said. “It’s kind of a pet care simulator. It is sold in the same way as ‘puppy is for life, not just for Christmas’. But it isn’t actually alive so it doesn’t matter.
“The technology is always slightly improving so they can always have an extra gimmick. It is like a mobile phone, it is not much different to older versions but it has got a better something.
“Furby’s are examples of toys that consume a lot of children’s attention over the Christmas period.”
Toy expert Peter Jenkinson agreed, saying the Furby remakes are “fundamentally the same toy, just a bit cleverer”.
Use the slider to see the evolution of the Teksta from 2000 to 2013.
2000: Teksta
Manufactured by Manley Toy Quest, the popular Teksta (also marketed as Tekno) allowed children to have their very own robotic puppy.
The silver-coloured pooch had the ability to do tricks and also required walking and feeding.
The product also took the top spot in 2013, under the slightly different name Texta Robotic Puppy and an upgraded look.
The toy was available in blue or pink and came with a bone and small plastic ball which the dog could interact with.
2001: LEGO Bionicle
Another big hitter entering the list, LEGO.
Featuring characters like Onua and Tahu, the LEGO Bionicle range was the first in the brand’s history to focus on a rigid storyline, according to online toy shop, FireStarToys.com.
Marketed towards eight to 16-year-olds, it follows the exploits of the Toa, heroic biomechanical beings with innate elemental abilities whose duty is to maintain peace throughout their universe.
The company released a total of 30 Bionicle sets in 2001, which critically helped save the company from financial ruin at the dawn of the 21st century.
2002 – 2003: Beyblades
Developed by Japanese company Takara, but sold by Hasbro, Beyblades was another collectable, where people could go head-to-head battling their spinning top toys.
The aim of the game was simple, with points awarded if the opponent’s Beyblade stops spinning, gets knocked out of the playing arena (the Beystadium) or is damaged.
Individuals could collect different types of Beyblades and launchers that sent the discs spinning into the match at varying speeds.
2004: Robosapien
Described as a “humanoid robot”, the Robosapien is a small robot that performed tasks and responded to its environment.
Almost 10 years on, the Robosapien is still on the market. Created by WowWee, the Robosapien X™ is an “exciting update” to the award-winning toy.
The newer model has not changed much in regards to looks, but now comes to life using either the controller or via iOS or Android mobile device.
2005: Tamagotchi Connexion
Another product that has stood the test of time is the Tamagotchi – a small three-buttoned device that allows you to grow and look after your own virtual pet.
Image: Pic: Glenn Copus/Shutterstock
The Connexion series, which first hit shelves in 2004 eight years after the first Tamagotchi, had an important difference – it used infrared technology to connect and interact with other devices.
In addition to playing games two Tamagotchi could go through six levels of friendship, the last being partners and having a baby.
2006: Doctor Who Cyberman Mask
The influence of popular culture on toy sales is no more evident than the Doctor Who Cyberman Mask.
Hitting shops after the hugely popular sci-fi series aired in which David Tennant played the 10th doctor and Billie Piper his assistant Rose Tyler.
The Cybermen featured heavily throughout the series including the last episode Doomsday – which any Whovians will know was the heartbreaking episode when the partnership between the Doctor and Rose came to an end.
It is no surprise that the mask, complete with voice changing capabilities, was extremely popular among children and adults alike.
“Licensed stuff is massive,” toy expert Mr Jenkinson said.
“25% of all toys sold in the UK are brought by adults for themselves or other adults. Which is why when you look at licensed brands, they sometimes focus on older television shows and brands. They are just seeking nostalgia.
“Parents are buying kids the toys that they really want for themselves.”
2007: In the Night Garden Blanket Time Igglepiggle
Created by one of the co-creators of the Teletubbies, In The Night Garden was first aired on CBeebies in 2007. The huge success led to sales of merchandise, including one of the show’s main characters, Igglepiggle.
Image: Ben 10 Alien Force Kevin Levin’s Action Cruiser. Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2008: Ben 10 Action Figures
Ben 10 followed a young boy named Ben Tennyson, who discovers the Omnitrix – a high-tech, extraterrestrial device shaped like a wristwatch.
The device allowed him to change into various alien species, the figures of which flew of shop shelves in the UK.
2009: Go Go Hamsters
Described as “no ordinary pets” by creators Cepia LLC, Zhu Zhu Pets, known in the UK as Go Go Pets, are hamster-like electronic creatures.
They have been named toy of the year nine times in seven different countries.
Image: Pic: David Parry/PA Wire.
2010: Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear
Coinciding with the release of Toy Story 3, the Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear was the action figure every child wanted.
It included a rocket pack with afterburner jet lights and sounds.
2011: LeapPad Explorer
A child friendly version of an Apple iPad? Look no further than the LeapPad Explorer.
The device combined education and toys, allowing kids to read books, play games and listen to music.
2014: Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa
With the success of Disney’s Frozen in December 2013, it is no surprise that a doll in the shape of one of the film’s protagonists was the top toy in 2014.
It even belts out the popular song Let It Go.
The doll proved so popular at the time that police in Ireland were called to a toy store in Dublin after a fight broke out between customers desperate to get their hands on it.
Image: Pic: PA Wire
2015: Pie Face
The only board game of the list, and what a corker it is.
Launched by Hasbro, the game revolves around the gag of getting a pie in the face, as each player takes turns to crank a mechanical handle, which could trigger a hand (ideally full of whipped cream) to launch straight onto their face.
2016: Hatchimals
Another animal-themed toy with a difference.
When you buy the Hatchimal, you buy an egg and over time, the robotic animal hatches, with children getting one of a number of different species.
Image: Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2017- 2019: L.O.L Surprise!
The dolls with big heads, giant eyes and wearing brightly coloured clothing. L.O.L is one of the few newer brands to break into the toy industry.
Created by MGA Entertainment, each layer of the L.O.L packaging contains a new “surprise” whether that be outfits or accessories.
Image: L.O.L Surprise 2-in-1 Glamper. Pic: Rick Findler/Shutterstock
“They are end of aisle products,” toy expert Mr Jenkinson said when asked about the product’s success.
“Anything from three to six quid, and it is something that children can touch and reach. L.O.L is massive because it also makes mini versions of big brands.
“You can buy something that is quite cheap, but you can have bigger versions of it, so you can always expand your set.”
Image: Pic: Toy Retailers Association
2020: 5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Capsule from Zuru
During the COVID-19 pandemic when you had to queue outside supermarkets, people indulged in collecting as many miniature items of the nation’s favourite brands as possible.
Mini Brands by Zuru are marketed as the “brands that fit in your hands” and include replica packages of everything from Aunt Bessies Yorkshire Puddings to Skippy Peanut Butter.
Image: Pic: Mattel
2021: Barbie Day to Night Dreamhouse
A twist on an old classic.
2022: Squishmallows
The Squishmallow is a plush toy made by the company Jazwares.
The popularity of the soft toy was boosted by the likes of Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian and others, who helped make the plush stuffed toys a viral sensation on TikTok.
Image: Pic: Mattel
2023: Barbie Pop Reveal
Last but by no means least is the Barbie Pop Reveal, described by Mattel vice president, Mr Hick, as an “unbelievable item”.
“It is a doll that essentially you can unbox and you have all these amazing sensory surprises as you unwrap a doll in a drink cup,” he said.
Heathrow Airport bosses had been warned of a potential substation failures less than a week before a major power outage closed the airport for a day, a committee of MPs has heard.
The chief executive of Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee Nigel Wicking told MPs of the Transport Committee he raised issues about resilience on 15 March after cable and wiring took out lights on a runway.
A fire at an electricity substation in west London meant the power supply was disrupted to Europe’s largest airport for a day – causing travel chaos for around 200,000 passengers.
“I’d actually warned Heathrow of concerns that we had with regard to the substations and my concern was resilience”, Mr Wicking said.
“So the first occasion was to team Heathrow director on the 15th of the month of March. And then I also spoke to the chief operating officer and chief customer officer two days before regarding this concern.
“And it was following a number of, a couple of incidents of, unfortunately, theft, of wire and cable around some of the power supply that on one of those occasions, took out the lights on the runway for a period of time. That obviously made me concerned.”
Mr Wicking also said he believed Heathrow’s Terminal 5 could have been ready to receive repatriation flights by “late morning” on the day of the closure, and that “there was opportunity also to get flights out”.
However, Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye said keeping the airport open during last month’s power outage would have been “disastrous”.
There was a risk of having “literally tens of thousands of people stranded in the airport, where we have nowhere to put them”, Mr Woldbye said.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Another 23 female potential victims have reported that they may have been raped by Zhenhao Zou – the Chinese PhD student detectives believe may be one of the country’s most prolific sex offenders.
The Metropolitan Police launched an international appeal after Zou, 28, was convicted of drugging and raping 10 women following a trial at the Inner London Crown Court last month.
Detectives have not confirmed whether the 23 people who have come forward add to their estimates that more than 50 other women worldwide may have been targeted by the University College London student.
Metropolitan Police commander Kevin Southworth said: “We have victims reaching out to us from different parts of the globe.
“At the moment, the primary places where we believe offending may have occurred at this time appears to be both in England, here in London, and over in China.”
Image: Metropolitan Police commander Kevin Southworth
Zou lived in a student flat in Woburn Place, near Russell Square in central London, and later in a flat in the Uncle building in Churchyard Row in Elephant and Castle, south London.
He had also been a student at Queen’s University Belfast, where he studied mechanical engineering from 2017 until 2019. Police say they have not had any reports from Belfast but added they were “open-minded about that”.
“Given how active and prolific Zou appears to have been with his awful offending, there is every prospect that he could have offended anywhere in the world,” Mr Southworth said.
“We wouldn’t want anyone to write off the fact they may have been a victim of his behaviour simply by virtue of the fact that you are from a certain place.
“The bottom line is, if you think you may have been affected by Zhenhao Zou or someone you know may have been, please don’t hold back. Please make contact with us.”
Image: Pic: Met Police
Zou used hidden or handheld cameras to record his attacks, and kept the footage and often the women’s belongings as souvenirs.
He targeted young, Chinese women, inviting them to his flat for drinks or to study, before drugging and assaulting them.
Zou was convicted of 11 counts of rape, with two of the offences relating to one victim, as well as three counts of voyeurism, 10 counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image, one count of false imprisonment and three counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to commit a sexual offence, namely butanediol.
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Moment police arrest rapist student
Mr Southworth said: “Of those 10 victims, several were not identified so as we could be sure exactly where in the world they were, but their cases, nevertheless, were sufficient to see convictions at court.
“There were also, at the time, 50 videos that were identified of further potential female victims of Zhenhao Zou’s awful crimes.
“We are still working to identify all of those women in those videos.
“We have now, thankfully, had 23 victim survivors come forward through the appeal that we’ve conducted, some of whom may be identical with some of the females that we saw in those videos, some of whom may even turn out to be from the original indicted cases.”
Mr Southworth added: “Ultimately, now it’s the investigation team’s job to professionally pick our way through those individual pieces of evidence, those individual victims’ stories, to see if we can identify who may have been a victim, when and where, so then we can bring Zou to justice for the full extent of his crimes.”
Mr Southworth said more resources will be put into the investigation, and that detectives are looking to understand “what may have happened without wishing to revisit the trauma, but in a way that enables [the potential victims] to give evidence in the best possible way.”
The Metropolitan Police is appealing to anyone who thinks they may have been targeted by Zou to contact the force either by emailing survivors@met.police.uk, or via the major incident public portal on the force’s website.
An 11-year-old girl who went missing after entering the River Thames has been named as Kaliyah Coa.
An “extensive search” has been carried out after the incident in east London at around 1.30pm on Monday.
Police said the child had been playing during a school inset day and entered the water near Barge House Causeway, North Woolwich.
A recovery mission is now said to be under way to find Kaliyah along the Thames, with the Metropolitan Police carrying out an extensive examination of the area.
Image: Barge House Causeway is a concrete slope in North Woolwich leading into the Thames
Chief Superintendent Dan Card thanked members of the public and emergency teams who responded to “carry out a large-scale search during a highly pressurised and distressing time”.
He also confirmed drone technology and boats were being used to “conduct a thorough search over a wide area”.
He added: “Our specialist officers are supporting Kaliyah’s family through this deeply upsetting time and our thoughts go out to all those impacted by what has happened.”
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“Equally we appreciate this has affected the wider community who have been extremely supportive. You will see extra officers in the area during the coming days.”
On Monday, Kerry Benadjaoud, a 62-year-old resident from the area, said she heard of the incident from her next-door neighbour, who “was outside doing her garden and there was two little kids running, and they said ‘my friend’s in the water'”.
When she arrived at the scene with a life ring, a man told her he had called the police, “but he said at the time he could see her hands going down”.
Barge House Causeway is a concrete slope that goes directly into the River Thames and is used to transport boats.
Residents pointed out that it appeared to be covered in moss and was slippery.