My Little Pony finally made it to the winner's circle.After years as an also-ran, the pastel-colored ponies were enshrined in the National Toy Hall of Fame on Tuesday, along with Transformers action figures and the Phase 10 card game.The honorees rose to the top in voting by a panel of experts and the public from among 12 finalists.
This year's field included: the party game Apples to Apples, balloons, "Choose Your Own Adventure" gamebooks, Hess Toy Trucks, Pokémon Trading Card Game, remote-controlled vehicles, Sequence, the stick horse and trampoline."These are three very deserving toys that showcase the wide range of how people play," Christopher Bensch, vice president for collections and chief curator, said in a statement.
"But for My Little Pony in particular, this year is extra validating.The beloved toy was a finalist seven times before finally crossing the finish line!"Hasbro's mini-horses, distinguishable by different "cutie marks" on their haunches, were introduced in the 1980s and reintroduced in 2003, outselling even Barbie for several years.
The collectibles were recognized for encouraging fantasy and storytelling — the kind of creative play the Hall of Fame demands of inductees — along with popularity over time."The My Little Pony line has endured for decades because it combines several traditional forms of doll play with children's fascination with horses," said Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, curator of dolls and toys."The variety of figures promotes collecting as a pastime, too."TransformersTransformers came along in the 1980s, when Hasbro bought the rights to several existing Japanese toy lines featuring transforming robots.
They were first marketed with a cartoon and have since graduated to a series of live-action films.Social media sites allow for debates over which figures are must-haves, as well as demonstrations of the sometimes complex process of manipulating them from robot to vehicle or other alternate form.
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