From Thunderbirds to Teletubbies: A lookback at 30 years of the UK’s top toys

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.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.