This is the time of year that kids everywhere spend hours peering through the giant Sears catalog dreaming of the toys and games they hope to get for Christmas. Notably absent this year are videogames of any sort. Since the collapse of the industry over the past year and a half, the toy section has been overrun with action figures, robots, and Cabbage Patch dolls.
It’s not a surprise that the NES isn’t featured, as it’s just now being test marketed in New York. If it’s a hit, I think we will see it in next year’s wish book. Until then, let’s take a look at some of the more popular toys that kids hope to receive this year.
Nothing says stylish like a calculator watch! Videogames aren’t totally dead – there’s a Q*Bert watch to play while in school. I wouldn’t say no to that Voltron watch, either.Who wouldn’t want a My Little Pony that tells time? I’m partial to that MASK watch – love the cartoon.Look at all of those awesome sleeping bags. It’s a hard choice to pick just one. I’d have to go with Transformers.As if your kids don’t fight enough as it is – now you’ll have Cy-Kill plotting against Leader-1 in their sleep.The cool kids wear Transformers clothes.The Transformers are still going strong. I’ll take all three Dinobots, please.I’ve already got Optimus Prime, but I’d love Devastator. The Constructicons are badass.I’ve played with the oversized plastic Lion Voltron and the smaller, Matchbox Voltron. The smaller one is LEAGUES better than the plastic one. It’s better built and looks closer to the cartoon version.Castle Grayskull is totally worth it. So much fun to be had. Unless you like to be the bad guy, then Snake Mountain will be more your speed.Skeletor looks even more menacing in the Land Shark.There’s some leftover Star Wars toys for those still into that. At least they’re on clearance.MASK is a great cartoon and the toys are nice and big. Boulder Hill is a transforming gas station that’s a blast to play with.Rainbow Brite has taken over as the most colorful toys on the market.Get your sister(s) into She-Ra to match your He-Man collection and play together.My Little Pony have hit pretty big. There are a ton of accessories available to customize their looks.The NES is MIA this year, but the Commodore 64 is still going strong. I’ve had hours of fun playing games on mine. This could be an excellent alternative while you wait and see if the NES sells nationwide or not. However, the prices are still pretty high considering you’ll need the disk drive if you want to play the most popular games.
See anything that you want? Transformers, Voltron, He-Man, and MASK are all items on my wish list. Hopefully you all get what you ask for.
Craig has been covering the video game industry since 1995. His work has been published across a wide spectrum of media sites. He’s currently the Editor-In-Chief of Nintendo Times and contributes to Gaming Age.
Craig has been covering the video game industry since 1995. His work has been published across a wide spectrum of media sites. He's currently the Editor-In-Chief of Nintendo Times and contributes to Gaming Age.
