Top 20 Toy Lines of the 2000s
#20: Lightsabers
By the 2000s, “Star Wars” was no longer a franchise far, far away. The smashing success of the prequel trilogy created a whole new generation of fans. To capitalize on that, there were games, tie-ins, brand deals, and, of course, toys. None of which caught fire quite as much as the iconic lightsaber. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense. The lightsaber is considered one of the most legendary weapons inside what is already one of Hollywood’s most legendary franchises. So, if anything was going to make kids feel like Jedi, it was this. The endless variety of colors and designs ensured that the force stayed strong with this toy for years to come.
#19: Uglydolls
The word “ugly” doesn’t usually inspire much confidence in a toy line. But, against all odds, the bluntly named Uglydolls had downright beautiful staying power. The brand’s focus on individuality helped it stand out in the ever-crowding toy market. The monsters themselves helped out a lot, too. Their designs struck the perfect balance of cute and eye-catching. Since each creature came with their own personalized biography, too, they were incredibly easy to love. And, just as importantly, to buy. The creation of the so-called “UglyVerse” meant you couldn’t just stop at one doll. No, you had to get them all. Clearly, there’s nothing “ugly” about this toy line.
#18: RoboSapien
As a kid, there are few things cooler than robots. Let alone one that operated on its own. So, when WowWee manufactured a cybernetic pal you could buy on store shelves, it became an overnight sensation. While the RoboSapien did come with a remote control, it could also do a series of preprogrammed commands that made it feel, well, alive. Basically, it was everything a kid could want and more. You don’t just have to take our word for it, though. It sold over one and a half million units in 2004 alone, and was even named the Toy of the Year. That kind of acclaim speaks for itself.
#17: Pillow Pets
In this case, the slogan says it all. It’s a pillow. It’s a pet. It’s pillow pets. The idea of a stuffed animal turning into a headrest is simply ingenious. After all, kids already sleep with their toy pets; this just cuts out the middleman. It was a winning combination in every way, and soon enough, Pillow Pets were flying off shelves. Although, it’s hard to say if that’s because of its usefulness, or the fact that its jingle was so infectiously catchy. Either way, the results proved that Pillow Pets were worth the adoption. However, stopping at just one was a different story.
#16: Radio-Controlled Helicopters
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Remote-controlled cars have been on the market for years. Once toy manufacturers figured out how to make them fly, too, they took the idea to the sky and back. Literally. The advent of technology in the 2000s made flying toy helicopters more accessible than ever before. Especially since there was no shortage of options to choose from. Because of the toy’s broad appeal, there was a lot of demand, a lot of supply, and a lot of spinning wings soaring through the air. The sheer number of brands and designs assures us that, while the craze has been airborne for years now, it won’t be crashing and burning any time soon.
#15: Superhero Gadgets & Costumes
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The boon of big-budget superhero flicks in the early 2000s proved to be a halcyon for the toy market. It seemed like just about every single spandex-clad hero came with their own line of toys or gadgets. And, of course, they usually hit store shelves just in time for opening weekend. The brilliant cross-promotion turned each new toy into the talk of the playground. Whether it was swinging around like Peter Parker, driving the Batmobile like Batman, or flying the X-Jet like the X-Men, we all wanted to be like the heroes we saw on the big screen. For the low price of a trip to the toy aisle, we finally could.
#14: Silly Bandz
Who needs lunch money? Silly Bandz was the only currency that mattered in school. The brightly colored rubber bands came in all sorts of shapes, ranging from animals to princesses to food and more. The limitless variety made Silly Bandz a kid-centric collector’s item like none other. It was all about what you could trade, how many you had, and most importantly of all, which exclusive shapes you’d bought. Once you had your stash, you could impress all your friends by wearing them like bracelets. Which, in turn, just made the product even more popular. In the end, you could say Silly Bandz really stretched the limit of what a toy can be.
#13: Fingerboards
Skateboarding hit a half-pike of popularity in the nineties. A decade later, toy manufacturer X-Concepts decided to piggyback off that with fingerboards. Essentially, skateboarding, but smaller. The actual idea had been around for decades, but the seminal Tech Deck line hit the cultural zeitgeist at the just right time. It was embraced by skaters, kids, and parents alike. Mainly because the bite-sized boards were all the fun of skateboarding, without any of the risk. The future introduction of new courses and Tech Deck “dudes” turned the fad into a genuine brand. Nowadays, some fingerboards are just as popular as the skateboards that inspired them.
#12: iDog
An electronic pet that plays and dances to your music practically sells itself. But, manufacturer Sega Toys didn’t leave it at that. No, they plastered the iDog everywhere. There were TV spots. There were brand deals. Heck, there was even a commercial starring a young Debby Ryan. The iDog had everything it needed to be a hit, including the support of the masses. Suddenly, sleepover dance parties just weren’t complete without a visit from everyone's favorite speaker pet. The iDog’s unprecedented success sparked the creation of a whole zoo of music-friendly pets. Clearly, this pup had the bite to back up its bark.
#11: Geomag
In an attempt to reduce manufacturing costs, most of the magnetic material in these toys were confined to small spheres on either end of a piece. But, that cost-saving maneuver became a marketing goldmine in its own right. See, Geomag wasn’t just another magnet toy. It was a construction set that could be assembled into just about anything a kid could think of. At least, provided they had enough pieces. Although, that probably wasn’t an issue considering how many sets were constantly hitting the market. While the toy faced some serious competition over the years, Geomag’s emphasis on creativity made it an absolute must-buy for anyone with an active imagination.
#10: Bionicle
Calling Bionicle a simple toy line feels like a disservice to everything it accomplished. Yes, it had hundreds of constructible action figures, and yes, they were awesome. But, beyond that, Bionicle was a franchise, complete with video games, movies, comic books, and more. Every part of the expansive story fed into each other to make Bionicle a phenomenon among its target demographic. A target demographic that just so happened to also buy a lot of toys. Look, it takes a lot to stand out next to Lego sets. But, Bionicle didn’t just hold its own, it saved the entire Lego company from financial ruin. If that doesn’t prove its worth, nothing will.
#9: Mighty Beanz
These toys were mighty, indeed. So mighty, in fact, that they usually sold with their very own carrying case. To be fair, that might have something to do with the fact that there are over three hundred unique Mighty Beanz in the wild. Some of which were based on iconic characters or celebrities. Most of the beans were numbered accordingly, making the entire brand a collector’s dream. But, even putting aside the “collect-em-all” motif, Mighty Beanz worked because it was a fun game. You arranged your guys and watched them race, fight, or bounce through whatever arena you’d set up. There really was no limit to what these Beanz could do.
#8: Heelys
What do you get when you combine shoes with roller skates? One of the coolest fashion statements of the decade, that’s what. One part footwear, and one part wheel, the Heely’s let kids fulfill their skating dreams and look cool while doing it. The explosive launch catapulted the designer shoes to pop-culture fame and beyond. But, with all that success came equal parts infamy. Not that it slowed Heely’s down too much. The idea of wearing shoes you could skate with was so enticing, kids didn’t even care about the high risk for injury. They just wanted in on the trend, and quite frankly, we can’t blame them.
#7: Nerf N-Strike Blasters
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As the company says, it’s Nerf or nothin’. Unsurprisingly, most kids chose Nerf. It’s part of the reason why the brand has stayed alive and relevant for over fifty years and counting. Well, that and the gargantuan, industry-shaking success of the Nerf N-Strike line. While it wasn’t Nerf’s first blaster, it is the one that struck a chord with audiences. We’re talking massive sales, explosive brand recognition, and more backyard Nerf gun wars than there are N-Strike models. And there’s a lot of them. The N-Strike defined what a toy blaster could be, to the point it’s still considered the blueprint for what the brand is today.
#6: Webkinz
These stuffed animals are cute enough to warrant buying on their own. But, despite that, they were only half the product. Each plushy also came with a code to unlock their unique online avatar, essentially putting the ‘web’ in ‘Webkinz.’ There, players could take care of their pets through an assortment of minigames and social sim elements. Webkinz’s novel balance between stuffed toys and online service feels like something that could have only succeeded in the 2000s. And, boy did it succeed. In 2006 alone, Webkinz had an estimated one million concurrent players, and the revenue to go with it. With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that Webkinz servers are still online today. .
#5: Hot Wheels
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In 1968, Mattel put the pedal to the metal on a new wave of car toys - and they’ve been burning rubber ever since. Hot Wheels melted through the competitive market to become the de-facto car toy that’s ever been, and that sentiment has only grown over the years. In 2000, some fresh blood in the design department took the toy to an even hotter level. But, what’s a cool car without a track to drive on? Throw in the advent of rare, speciality vehicles, and it’s no wonder Hot Wheels continued their dominance well throughout the decade. At this point, there’s no sign that these cars will be slowing down any time soon. .
#4: Beyblades
Whenever someone brings up Beyblade, there’s only one thing to do: Let it rip! And, rip it did. Beyblade tore right through the toy market into the hearts of kids all across the world. Maybe it was the accompanying anime, maybe it was the slick commercials, or maybe kids just liked battling with spinning tops. Either way, the result was a toy that feels like a time capsule of a simpler age. Beyblade didn’t have any complicated rules or shoehorned use of technology. It was just cool monsters duking it out in a cool way. To this day, the distinct thrill of letting a Beyblade rip into the arena is just unmatched.
#3: Razor Scooters
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If you wanted to go anywhere in style as a kid, you had a Razor Scooter. There was nothing cooler than rolling up to a friend's house on one of these bad boys. What was so special about them, you ask? We couldn’t tell you. Most of them were just everyday scooters. But, the way they were presented to children made them a total status symbol in the neighborhood. That’s reflected in their sales numbers. Within six months of its launch, Razor had already cemented its place as the scooter to have. It was later named the Spring and Summer Toy of the year, but really, this was more like the toy of the decade.
#2: Bratz
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At the turn of the millennium, a new kind of fashion doll hit the shelves. They had big eyes, luscious lips, and more accessories than your parent’s wallet could ever buy. They were Bratz. Barbie promptly stepped aside. These girls were here to stay. For the next several years, Bratz were everywhere, and for good reason. There were four distinct dolls in the original launch, and you just had to have different outfits for each of them. That’s without even mentioning the dozens of playsets they pumped out, too. Later, when games, movies, and TV series started materializing, it became clear that Bratz weren’t just dolls anymore. They were a bonafide cultural phenomenon.
#1: Lego
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Whether you’re an adult, a teen, a child, or something in between, you probably know what a Lego is. Their name recognition continues to be second to none, and the 2000s were no different. If anything, the decade was an instrumental building block for Lego’s ever-growing empire. Alongside their always-popular originals, the company spent these years partnering with some of the biggest brands on the planet. New sets based on franchises like “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” brought more people into Lego than ever before. Considering how big their footprint already was, that’s really saying something. Suffice it to say, when it comes to Lego’s legacy, there’s no assembly required.
