Aided by the popularity of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars cartoon series, licensed Star Wars toys claimed the top spot on the toy charts in 2009.   According to the NPD Group Hasbro sold some $480 million worth of Star Wars toys in the U.S. in 2009.  The 2009 tally wasn’t even close with Star Wars selling 40% more toys than its nearest competitor.

Sales of Star Wars toys were up from $450 million in 2008, when the Clone Wars series debuted on the Cartoon Network and allowed Star Wars to reclaim the number one licensed toy ranking. 

The fact that Star Wars retained its top spot in 2009 not only testifies to the continued strength of the Clone Wars property, but it also indicates that, in spite of its tremendous box office success, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was unable to make Transformers the number one toy brand, a feat that the first Transformers film accomplished with ease in 2007.

The prospects for licensed Star Wars toys look good for the rest of the year.  Star Wars: The Clone Wars should remain a Cartoon Network fixture during 2010, and Lucasfilm is sponsoring a number of events celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, perhaps the most popular film from the original Star Wars Trilogy.

A holiday boost of 2.7% in December helped overall U.S. toy sales stabilize. According to Playthings, sales of toys in the U.S. were down just .8% for 2009, after falling 2.8% in 2008.