What Were the Coolest Toys of the 2010s?
The 2010s brought you some of the coolest toys ever. You could build virtual worlds in Minecraft, control BB-8 with your smartphone, or hatch your own interactive pet with Hatchimals. L.O.L. Surprise! dolls and Fingerlings captured hearts with their unboxing excitement and cute interactivity. The Nintendo Switch revolutionized gaming, while fidget spinners and DIY slime took over social media. NERF's Zombie Strike line let you prepare for the apocalypse in style. These toys weren't just playthings; they were cultural phenomena that shaped a generation's childhood. Unveil how each of these innovations left its mark on the decade.
Minecraft: Building Virtual Worlds
Building virtual worlds has never been more engaging than with Minecraft. Released in 2009, this game quickly became a global phenomenon, mesmerizing players with its open-ended gameplay and limitless creativity. As you submerge into Minecraft's blocky universe, you'll find yourself crafting entire civilizations from raw materials and fighting off zombie hordes in a highly customizable environment. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube have been essential for gamers to showcase their Minecraft skills and engage with their audience, further fueling the game's growth.
What sets Minecraft apart is its versatility. You can choose to cooperate with other players, embark on solo explorations, or engage in intense battles against formidable foes. The game's enduring popularity has made it a cultural icon, inspiring a dedicated community that continues to push the boundaries of what's possible within its virtual realm.
Minecraft's success has been nothing short of extraordinary, with over 238 million copies sold as of 2021, making it the best-selling video game of all time. Its influence has spawned similar sandbox games like Ace of Spades and Terraria, offering comparable open-ended experiences. Whether you're a seasoned player or a newcomer, Minecraft's appeal lies in its ability to transform your imagination into reality, one block at a time.
BB-8: Star Wars' Rolling Robot
While Minecraft conquered the digital domain, another toy took the physical world by storm. In 2015, BB-8 rolled into our hearts with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This adorable droid, manufactured by Sphero, quickly became a must-have item for fans of all ages. The iconic characters of the Star Wars universe had been immortalized in various toy forms over the years, and BB-8 was the latest addition to this legacy.
BB-8's charm lay in its ability to bring a piece of the Star Wars universe into your home. You could control this spherical robot using a companion app on your smartphone, making it zip around your living room just like it did on the big screen. The droid's holographic messaging feature and audio cues that reacted to scenes in the film added an extra layer of immersion.
Despite its hefty price tag, BB-8's popularity soared during the 2015 holiday season. It wasn't just a toy; it was a natural extension of the Star Wars franchise that helped spark interest in app-enabled robotics. Sphero's signature rolling technology made BB-8 an engaging and interactive experience, allowing you to bring a piece of movie magic into your daily life.
Hatchimals: Interactive Surprise Pets
From out of nowhere, Hatchimals burst onto the toy scene in 2016, becoming an overnight sensation. These hybrid toys combined elements of a surprise toy, a bird, and a robot, enchanting children's imaginations worldwide. The concept was simple yet ingenious: you'd receive an egg containing a mysterious creature that you'd help hatch and nurture.
As your Hatchimal emerged from its shell, you'd witness it come to life, talking, waddling, and learning to interact with you. This simulated the experience of raising a pet, creating a strong emotional bond between child and toy. The unpredictable nature of each Hatchimal's personality and the element of surprise made them irresistible to kids and collectors alike.
The Hatchimal craze dominated holiday wishlists, with parents scrambling to get their hands on these elusive toys. Their popularity paved the way for similar interactive surprise toys, like the Owleez in 2019. Hatchimals weren't just a flash in the pan; they represented a shift in toy design, emphasizing interactivity, nurturing, and the element of surprise that would influence the industry for years to come.
L.O.L. Surprise!: Unboxing Craze
As Hatchimals captivated kids' hearts with interactive surprises, another toy phenomenon was taking shape. L.O.L. Surprise! burst onto the scene in 2016, taking the unboxing craze to a whole new level. Much like how Zhu Zhu Pets and Monster High dominated previous holiday seasons, these plastic eggs filled with layers of surprises became the must-have item for every kid.
MGA Entertainment's creation would spin the toy industry on its head, combining the allure of mystery with the power of social media. Unlike motorized hamsters or Kung Zhu, L.O.L. Surprise! tapped into the viral nature of unboxing videos, making it as popular as fidget spinners. The flimsy but engrossing toys spawned imitators like Cutetitos and Poopsies, proving more enthralling than traditional board games or action figures from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Despite their retail price and environmental concerns, L.O.L. Surprise! dolls flew off shelves faster than Disney Store exclusives. The craze highlighted children's enduring love for hands-on, creative play and demonstrated how social media trends could reshape popular toys. In 2020, MGA plans to address sustainability by introducing biodegradable plastic, ensuring the surprise continues responsibly.
Fingerlings: Adorable Interactive Critters
Just when you thought interactive toys couldn't get any cuter, Fingerlings swung onto the scene in 2017. These adorable, pocket-sized critters quickly became a viral sensation and one of the hottest toys of the decade. Created by WowWee, Fingerlings were small, interactive toy monkeys, sloths, and unicorns that responded to touch, motion, and sound.
What made Fingerlings so irresistible? For starters, they were affordable, typically priced under $15. Their interactive features, including head movements, blinking eyes, and various noises, enthralled young children. You could hang them on your finger, backpack, or anywhere else, making them the perfect portable companions.
Despite their wide availability in stores and online, Fingerlings' popularity led to widespread shortages. Their limited supply only fueled the demand, resulting in marked-up resale prices. Parents scrambled to get their hands on these must-have toys, often facing empty shelves or inflated prices from resellers.
Fingerlings' success demonstrated that sometimes the simplest concepts can create the biggest crazes. These tiny, interactive critters proved that in the world of toys, good things often come in small packages.
Nintendo Switch: Gaming Revolution
Revolutionizing the gaming domain, Nintendo's Switch burst onto the scene in 2017, quickly becoming one of the decade's most influential and best-selling consoles. With over 100 million units sold worldwide, the Switch's success is a chronicle to its innovative hybrid design and impressive game library.
The Switch's unique ability to seamlessly change between handheld and TV-based gaming has redefined portable gaming dominance. You can enjoy your favorite titles on the go or connect to your TV for a more immersive experience. This flexibility has captured the hearts of gamers across various demographics.
Nintendo's first-party titles have been a major driving force behind the Switch's popularity. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have set new standards in gaming excellence, enticing both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
The introduction of the more affordable Nintendo Switch Lite in 2019 further expanded the console's reach, offering a dedicated handheld option for those who prefer on-the-go gaming. This strategic move has solidified the Switch's position as a gaming industry disruptor, cementing its status as one of the coolest toys of the 2010s.
Fidget Spinners: Viral Phenomenon
Few toys have captured the world's attention as swiftly and intensely as fidget spinners did in 2017. These small, spinning devices designed to alleviate stress and anxiety took the world by storm, becoming a global craze seemingly overnight. You couldn't escape them – they were everywhere.
The rapid rise of fidget spinners was fueled by social media. Viral videos showcasing impressive tricks and stunts spread like wildfire, catapulting these simple, low-cost toys to unparalleled popularity. However, their ubiquity soon led to controversy. Schools across the globe banned fidget spinners, citing concerns about student distraction. This prohibition only added to their allure, sparking a black market for the coveted toys.
But as quickly as they rose to fame, fidget spinners experienced a sudden decline. By the end of 2017, sales had plummeted, and the once-omnipresent spinners faded into obscurity. The meteoric rise and fall of fidget spinners exemplified the power of social media trends to rapidly make and break popular toys. They'll be remembered as a defining cultural phenomenon of the 2010s, a legacy to the fleeting nature of viral crazes in the digital age.
DIY Slime: Sticky Sensation
While fidget spinners quickly spun out of style, another tactile sensation was gearing up to capture kids' imaginations: DIY slime. This sticky, stretchy substance became a viral social media craze in the 2010s, proving to be more than just a fleeting trend.
Unlike some toy fads, slime's popularity endured thanks to its hands-on nature and potential for creative expression. You could make it at home with simple ingredients, allowing for widespread accessibility and experimentation. Kids competed to create the most unique and eye-catching slimes, mixing in various add-ins to achieve different textures and appearances.
The DIY aspect of slime-making tapped into children's innate desire for hands-on, creative play experiences. It wasn't just about owning a toy; it was about the process of creating something unique. As you mixed, kneaded, and stretched your homemade concoction, you were engaging in a form of artistic expression.
Slime's enduring appeal demonstrated that sometimes the simplest concepts can capture imaginations for years. It allowed children to become inventors, artists, and scientists all at once, proving that creativity and tactile play never go out of style.
NERF Zombie Strike: Apocalyptic Fun
In the world of toy blasters, NERF Zombie Strike stood out by tapping into the zombie craze that swept popular culture in the 2010s. This innovative line brought apocalyptic aesthetics to the playground, featuring neon green and highlighter orange color schemes that screamed post-apocalyptic fun.
You could arm yourself with state-of-the-art weaponry like Brainsaws and crossfire bows, ready to take on the undead hordes. The series offered both conventional and unconventional blasters, allowing you to customize your zombie-fighting strategy. NERF Zombie Strike didn't just capitalize on the trend; it provided a unique way for you to immerse yourself in the "Human Vs. Zombies" experience.
The distinctive design and zombie-related features made it a hit among fans of the undead, perfectly complementing the growing zombie culture of the decade. By adapting to this emerging entertainment trend, NERF showed how toy companies could create engaging and relevant product lines. Whether you were a kid or an adult, NERF Zombie Strike gave you the chance to live out your zombie apocalypse fantasies in a safe and exciting way.
