Top 10 Toy Lines of All Time

Go Joe! We start our list by merging the toy-line with the frontline! G.I. Joe was the world’s very first ‘action figure’ when he was initially created as a 12-inch model in the 1960s, and by the ‘80s he had taken over toy stores worldwide as a smaller 3¾-inch soldier! In England, he was ‘Action Man’, and on both sides of the Atlantic he was awesome! Proving the point that boys will play with dolls if the marketing is right, Joe had clothing, weaponry, vehicles, and all sorts of accessories. He was like Barbie’s Ken, only way cooler, and with his own show! Joe’s a real American hero!

It was one of the decade defining movies, and it was one of the decade defining toy lines! When “Star Wars” was released in 1977, the intergalactic saga mounted an assault on the merchandise market like nothing else before it! With its range of action figures, vehicles and specialist items, ‘Star Wars’ topped many a Santa list that year! Setting a film industry trend for generations to come, these toys brought ‘a galaxy far, far away’ into our playrooms!

There was a time when a water pistol was a humble, simple contraption... But the ‘Super Soaker’ changed the waterfighting world forever! First sold in 1989, this thing revolutionized every last aspect of the summertime weapon! The triggers were more ergonomic, the canisters more aesthetically pleasing, the pump-action made us all feel like action-heroes... But most importantly, the shot was seriously powerful! When you got hit by one of these, you didn’t expect dry clothes for a week! Never had a product name more perfectly described the product itself!

From a summertime gun, to an every-time gun! Since 1970, ‘Nerf’ made many a foamy fun thing – from footballs, to basketballs to baseballs – but this “Non-Expanding Recreational Foam” was most famous as high-performance playground weaponry. The child-friendly firearms became known as ‘blasters’, and they trumped anything else that your friends could throw at you! As the old adage went, ‘It’s Nerf, or nothin’’! The only equipment necessary for many a recess war, ‘Nerf’ was so cool, they even had a young Seth Green on their TV commercials! Way before “Austin Powers”, Green was all about the firepower!

Not only were Transformers a dream come true for plenty of children, they got the parental thumbs up as well! ‘Our son wants a toy robot, but he also wants a toy car... Why not give him both??’ Going on to inspire a popular TV show, comic books, video games and movies, these alien robots did exactly what their name implies! One second we were zooming through the city streets with our built-for-speed sports car, the next we were beating-up the baddies as a robot! ‘More than meets the eye,’ and more than our excitement could take as the Autobots battled the Decepticons!

The ideas of home cooking and housewifery might’ve changed a little since, but for the aspiring ‘60s girl the Easy-Bake Oven was often exactly what you wanted! Mom was forever making and baking, and you wanted a little piece of that pie! Or at least to make a little piece of that pie! True, the technology involved here was not about to replace the goods in your parents’ kitchen, but it did allow a kid to cook for themselves! Introduced in ’63, and popular again three decades later, it was domestic bliss in a box, all powered by a bulb!

Few brain teasers have achieved a cultural reputation to match this toy box regular! The Rubik’s Cube is considered one of the best-selling toys of all time, and one of the symbols of the 20th century! Created by Hungarian Ernő Rubik in 1974, it’s a puzzle that just about anyone can play. As long as you understand basic colors, you can bemuse yourself with this contraption! The playroom, the coffee table, the back seat of the car or the top drawer of your desk at work - the Rubik’s Cube was everywhere! Part puzzle, part math problem, part structural challenge and part toy, this colorful cube is the kinda plaything that’ll make you see red…and green… and blue…

Die-cast toy cars were a very big business throughout the ‘70s, but Hot Wheels were the absolute must haves! A sturdy toy in which the quality compared to its competitors was clear, by the end of the decade car manufacturers would be lining up out the door to get their latest designs done in miniature! Kids could race ‘em, crash ‘em, collect ‘em... Do anything they wanted with ‘em! Although we didn’t ‘Go with the winner!’ at our top spot, Hot Wheels race into a respectable third place finish on our podium.

Falling just short of top spot is the one doll to rule them all. Created by Ruth Handler and launched in 1959, it didn’t take long for Barbie to dominate the market and to spawn a slew of just-as-collectible family and friends! Barbie had a grip on fashion and lifestyle unlike anything else before her. She was more than just a toy - she was a trend-setter! A position of unparalleled playtime power that would often lead to controversy, Barbie broke the rules and little girls loved her for it! Our gold medal should prove another awesome accessory!

Before we pull our top toy out of the box, here are a few honorable mentions:

- Etch-A-Sketch
- View Master
- Simon
- Care Bears
- Tickle Me Elmo

Interconnecting pieces of plastic sold in bright colors, Lego was first invented by Ole Kirk Christiansen in Denmark. And, while it was first manufactured in 1949, and it was still a top toy in 2009! There is some serious longevity in those little bricks! The first decade of the new millennium saw the company really expand into all areas of media, and enjoy particular success with their specific themed sets. Harry Potter Lego was a huge hit, as was Lord of the Rings Lego, Disney Lego, pretty much every type of Lego you could think of! Where other traditional toys have tried and failed in the modern market, these guys have gotten even greater!

Do you agree with our list? What do you think is the best toy of all time? For more nostalgia packed lists published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.