My Little Pony can finally get into the winner’s circle.
After years as an also-ran, the pastel-colored ponies were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame on Tuesday, along with Transformers action figures and Phase 10 card games.
The honoree rose to the top in a vote by a panel of experts and the public from among 12 finalists. This year’s fields include: Apples to Apples party games, balloons, “Choose Your Own Adventure” game books, Hess Toy Trucks, Pokémon Trading Card Game, remote controlled vehicles, Sequence, stick horses and trampolines.
“These are three very worthy toys that show the different ways people play,” said Christopher Bensch, vice president of the collection and chief curator, in a statement. “But My Little Pony in particular, this year is an extra validation. The beloved toy became a finalist seven times before finally crossing the finish line!”
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Hasbro’s mini horses, which can be distinguished by different “cutie marks” on their haunches, were introduced in the 1980s and reintroduced in 2003, even outselling Barbie for years.
The collection is recognized for encouraging fantasy and storytelling — the kind of creative play the Hall of Fame expects from its inductees — along with its popularity over time.
“The My Little Pony line has endured for decades because it combines many forms of traditional doll play with the children’s fascination with horses,” said Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, doll and toy curator. “Various figures also promote the collection as entertainment.”
Transformers
Transformers arrived in the 1980s, when Hasbro bought the rights to several existing Japanese toy lines featuring transforming robots. He was first marketed as a cartoon and has since graduated to a series of live-action films. Social media sites allow debates about which figures to have, as well as demonstrations of the sometimes complex manipulation process from robots to vehicles or other alternative forms.
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The familiar new Transformers characters keep collectors coming back, Bensch said, “but the toys are also popular because they fit the way kids play. The toy line feeds kids’ imaginations and fantasy play.”
Phase 10
Also included is Phase 10, introduced by inventor and entrepreneur Ken Johnson in 1982. Today, Mattel sells 2 million decks of card games annually in 30 countries and more than 20 languages. That makes it one of the best-selling card games in the world, according to the National Museum of Play in Rochester, where the Toy Hall of Fame is located.
In rummy style, the game challenges the player to collect groups of cards to complete 10 phases in order before the opponent.
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“Whether played in its original form or in one of its variations, phase 10 has become a great game title that continues to encourage multigenerational social and competitive play,” said Mirek Stolee, curator of the museum of board games and puzzles.
Anyone can nominate a game for the Hall of Fame. Museum staff narrows the field to 12 finalists each year. Fans can vote online for their favorites and the results are tallied along with ballots from a national advisory committee of historians, educators and others with industry expertise.
