Hamley’s Releases Top 100 Hero Toys of All Time
This definitive list was released today by Hamleys, the ‘Finest Toy Shop in the World’. It was selected by the industry’s leading buying team to mark the iconic toy shop’s 265th birthday.
As the oldest and most iconic toy shop in the world, Hamleys pre-dates toys and games that had their origins centuries ago, with eternal classics still seen around the world today. The hula hoop, spinning tops and marbles were among the first toys sold in Hamleys, back when William Hamley opened its doors in 1760 – coincidentally, the year the rocking horse was also invented.
At the same time, the list plots the impact of tech, motorisation and the emergence of the early electronic and digital eras, with classics such as Etch A Sketch, Simon, Scalextric, LeapPad and Speak & Spell.
Victoria Kay, Head Buyer at Hamleys who chaired the Top 100 panel said:
“Once you start looking at this, it turns rapidly into a nostalgia-fest – even for toys from four or five years ago. My personal favourites are Sindy Doll – I was always a Sindy girl as she was a cool British icon. I also adored Glo Worm, even though I was maybe a bit old for it and Simon felt like properly, cutting edge, advanced technology when it came out – it was literally the soundtrack of Christmas in the 80s.”.
Around 20% of the list is accounted for by dolls and action figures and it’s a toy category that continues to show growth. The global doll market size in 2024 was £9.8 billion (or $12.80 billion) and is projected to touch £18.2 billion ($23.73 billion) by 2033. (source: Business Research Insights Feb 2025)
The Battle of the Dolls and Action Figures
Barbie, arguable the most iconic dolls of them all, launched in 1959 at the New York Toy Fair by Mattel, and ever since, is believed to have sold over one billion Barbie dolls worldwide. But Britain had its very own fashion doll superstar, in the shape of Sindy, which launched four years later. “Sindy – the doll you love to dress” had a super stylish wardrobe designed by womenswear legends of the sixties, Foale & Tuffin, quickly becoming the bestselling and most loved fashion doll in the UK.
Other best-selling dolls to make the list include Tiny Tears, Bratz, Polly Pocket, My Little Pony and the most recent favourite, Singing Moana Doll, which topped children’s Christmas lists last year, alongside LOL Surprise Dolls.
Action figures are also a major feature within the Top 100, including Action Man who launched in 1960 as the UK version of the popular American counterpart; G.I. Joe. Other best-sellers inspired by TV and Movie franchises range from Masters of the Universe and Power Rangers to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Wars.
The Transformers toy range, which launched in 1984, is as strong today as ever, driven by a franchise that includes movies, animation, comic books and video games. Hamleys, recognising the continuous adoration for these action heroes, included the LEGO Transformer Bumblebee in its last Christmas Top 10 for 2024.
Never bored with board games
Even in the age of digitisation and app proliferation, board games are still present and appreciated in the UK, and the sector is forecast to continue to grow to an annual value of £129 million annually by 2027. (source: Statista Market Research Feb 2025)
Monopoly is the tycoon and true icon of global popular culture – now in local editions in more than 113 countries and printed in more than 46 languages. Since launching in 1935, it is believed to have sold over 300 million copies since.
Trivial Pursuit topped many a Christmas list throughout the 80s. Launching in 1981, it sold 20 million units within five years and continues to sell over 100 million in more than 26 countries, launching countless themed trivia editions from specific decades to Harry Potter and Star Wars.
Other classic tabletop games to make the top 100 include madcap family favourites like Mousetrap, Buckaroo, Hungry Hippos and Kerplunk, alongside staples such as Ludo, Scrabble, Cluedo, Connect 4 and the beloved football game; Subbuteo.
Is it art or craft?
For the creatives amongst us, there have been a few perennials that have literally sold millions of units and established themselves across generations. Play – Doh and Plasticine have become generic terms for the entire modelling putty category; such has been their impact.
And who can forget the quintessential Fuzzy Felt, which was invented in England during World War II, then launching in 1950. Or the geometric drawing system Spirograph, which first sold in 1965 and the ubiquitous Crayola crayons, pens and pencils, which to this day hold a spot in the many drawers, pencil cases and toyboxes throughout the UK.
Toys to build on
A range of construction brands have made the Top 100 which includes LEGO; the largest toy manufacturer in the world, which has now extended into theme parks, movies and a wide range of games and collectibles. Not forgetting the metal strips and plates system, Meccano, which dates back to 1891, when it was invented by none other than Frank Hornby.
The unforeseen blockbusters
There are some toys that seemingly come out of nowhere and become overnight sensations. Clackers appeared in the late 60s – two plastic balls tied to a string that would allow you to bang them together to make a “clacking” sound.
The Slinky was an early version of selections known as fidget toys – a spring that stretches and snaps back on itself. No list would be complete without the Rubik’s Cube, the 3D combination puzzle that has perplexed millions and made heroes of many able to crack the challenge in the blink of an eye. Over 500 million cubes have been sold since it launched in 1974 – making it the biggest selling puzzle game of all time.
Other blockbusters came in the shape of card games that are still going strong decades after launch – Top Trumps, Pokémon cards and UNO. UNO itself became a true global phenomenon having sold 150 million sets in 80 countries, since being invented in 1971.
Hamleys is famed for its plush toys and teddy bears, selling more than 500,000 a year! And to no surprise, several soft toys that have made the list include the continuously beloved Beanie Babies which took the country by storm in the mid-90s. Sales of the multi-coloured Care Bears went sky high off the back of successful TV shows and movies in the 1980s. And Cabbage Patch Kids made it a decade to remember when they broke all sales records for toys in the US three years on the trot!
And of course, in the modern era, the list also includes the big gaming consoles PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo and the countless games that work on their platforms – in 2023 the UK gaming sector was thought to be worth over £7 billion with combined digital and physical sales of 38 million units.
Senior Hamleys Buyer Karen Dennett remembers the toys where stocks were under severe pressure due to unforeseen demand and unusually had to be restricted to one per customer.
“It was mayhem at times with toys like the Frozen Singing ‘Let it Go’ Doll – we were getting them rush air freighted in to try to satisfy demand. Zhu Zhu Pets which became Go Go Pets were the same with people prepared to trade online at mad prices to find one for Christmas. Pie Face – such a fun toy – took everyone by surprise from the manufacturer to the retailers – it went nuts,” she said.
Karen had some distinct favourites growing up – toys that still hold a place in her heart and her family’s lives to this day.
“I remember me and my brother both getting a Rubik’s Cube for Christmas. He solved it super quick, but I was nowhere near solving it, so I remember peeling the coloured stickers off to allow me to look like I had managed it. One of my best Christmas presents ever was Speak & Spell, but I didn’t manage to get the extension pack, so I was one of the best spellers of those core 20 words – anywhere!” she said.
So, what makes an enduring toy and a major winner that goes on to sell millions of units across the globe?
“There are a multitude of purposes behind a toy’s design – it can be educational, encourage role play, drive imagination or problem-solving, it can bring comfort or develop hand-eye coordination – there can be so many factors in creating immersiveness,” said Victoria Kay.
“You can never underestimate the power of togetherness created around some of the big-sellers – those toys that bring people of all ages together – get families around a table talking, playing, challenging, maybe even cheating! Monopoly would be nothing without the competitive family battles that emerge.”
“We also mustn’t forget that simplicity is often key – the joy of cuddling a doll or storytelling with an action figure or a superfast Hot Wheel car. Combined with a good dose of jeopardy and you have something truly memorable – think Operation or Kerplunk, Jenga or Buckaroo – they are so simple. I used to panic trying to balance the boot in Mousetrap and be terrified of the noise Operation would make when I got it wrong or just burst with panicky laughter when the Jenga tower finally wobbled and collapsed. Toys like that will last forever,” she said.
Hamleys has published the full list online. To see the list, visit: https://www.hamleys.com/hamleys-top-100-hero-toys-of-all-time
