On October 7th Toy Wishes Magazine announced its “hot dozen” toy list for the 2008 holiday season—the 12 toys that the magazine’s editors think will be most in demand this year. The selections were based on the toys’ appeal to children, their educational components, and brand popularity. Many of the toys on the list feature the latest technology, but as Wendy Smolen, editorial director of Toy Wishes, noted “A lot of the toys used technology in ways that upped the play value, but didn’t drive the toy.”
The toys on the list range in price from $4.99 (for certain Bakugan skus) to Playskool’s 40-inch ride-able Kota the Triceratops ($300) and Thinkway’s Ultimate Wall*E advanced robot ($249). Spin Master’s Bakugan, which has made every 2008 hot list (see “Bakugan Makes Hot Toys List”), is described by Toy Wishes as the toy “that has taken the world by storm, with a craze not seen since Pokemon.” The editors of Toy Wishes also singled out the official Bakugan Battle Arena as a particularly attractive accessory.
The Toy Wishes Magazine 2008 Hot Dozen, listed in alphabetical order:
1. Animal Scramble (Wild Planet, $19.99-29.99)
2. Bakugan (Spin Master, $4.99 and up)
3. Bratz Girls Really Rock (MGA, $19.99)
4. Crayola Glow Station (Crayola, $29.99)
5. Disney Fairies Clickables (Techno Source, charms $4.99, bracelets $9.99)
6. Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker (Jakks Pacific, $29.99)
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9. Sit to Stand Alphabet Train (VTech, $49.99)
10. “This is serious” Ming Ming (Wonder Pets, $34.99)
11. U-Dance (Hasbro, $74.99)
12. Ultimate Wall*E (Thinkway Toys, $249.00)
