Woolworths UK announces top 10
toys for Christmas 2008
The return of 80s classic the Rubiks Cube, toys
from new Star Wars and Indiana Jones films, a pen that reads books to
children and Upsy Daisy from In The Night Garden are set to be the
hottest toys this Christmas.
With 176 days to go until Christmas, buyers at the UK’s biggest toy
retailer, Woolworths, have finalised their predictions for the top ten
presents that will be in Santa’s sack.
One of the most eye catching is the return of the Rubiks Cube. Invented
in 1974 and massive in the 1980s, the Rubiks Cube is the puzzle where
players battle with colours and cubes to get all nine squares on every
side to match.
It fell out-of-favour in the 1990s but is experiencing a revival thanks
to the popularity of competitions, brain teasers and speedcubing – how
fast you can complete the Rubiks cube.
It used to be all about whether or not you could complete the Rubiks
Cube, today there are tutorials and speed demonstrations on Youtube,
groups on facebook a World Cube Association and ever tumbling world
records. The current world record, 8.72 seconds, was broken in May and
is held by Yu Nakajima from Japan.
Now Woolworths will stock the cube again this Christmas and it is
expected to be a massive seller.
If you were a kid in the 1980s you will also recognise two other entries
in the top 10 list – Star Wars and Indiana Jones toys.
With the release of a new animated film in August, Star Wars toys will
be on most wanted lists again this Christmas. Lego Star Wars toys are
expected to be the most popular with new ‘Clone Wars’ ranges set to hit
stores next month.
With Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull already topping
the UK box office charts, toys from the film will be big sellers this
Christmas. Woolies expects the £19.99 replica whip to be the best
seller.
The most hi-tech entry this year is a toy that makes reading fun for
young children.
The Leapfrog Tag is a pen-shaped instrument that uses computer and
infrared technology to read to children as it runs over specially
created books. It also plays reading games that work on vocabulary,
comprehension and rhyming letters and sounds.
Children's classics are set to be available in the Leapfrog Tag format
as well as books featuring Diego (from Go Diego Go), SpongeBob
SquarePants and Kung Fu Panda.
The continued popularity of BBC TV show In The Night Garden means that
for the second year running a character from the show is in the top 10.
This year the best seller will be Upsy Daisy In Her Bed. Loveable Upsy
Daisy has her own special bed in the show and she often has to catch it
when it runs away. Her catchphrase is ‘Daisy Doo!’.
Hot toys for boys this year include the Ben 10 deluxe Omnitrix, Bakugan
Battle Arena and Catcha Beast.
The Ben 10 Omnitrix is a watch-like device from the popular TV cartoon
character series Ben 10. Ben 10’s Omnitrix gives him special powers to
transform into a variety of alien creatures with unique powers.
New on the shelves for boys this Christmas will be the Bakugan Battle
Arena, a Beyblades-style card-based warrior game, and Catcha Beast.
Catcha Beast allows kids to trade, battle and play with collectable
electronic beasts and ghouls.
For girls this Christmas it’s all about Meebas and sing-a-long High
School Musical Dolls.
Meebas are similar to Tamagotchi, you care for and love your Meebas and
are rewarded by a fully grown plush doll if you are good owner.
Parents should also prepare for their daughters singing-a-long to High
School Musical hits on Christmas day. There are three new High School
Musical Dolls (Sharpay, Troy and Gabriella) coming this Christmas and
they all come with a microphone and play hits from the second movie.
The UK market for toys and games is worth over £2 billion a year, with
half of those sales taking place in October, November and December.
Steve Jebson, commercial director at Woolworths says: “This year’s top
ten list is packed with a mix of new hits and old favourites. We’ve
brand spanking new toys like Leapfrog Tag, which will take the
pre-school market by storm, Catcha Beast and Meebas and good old
fashioned classics like toys from Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the
Rubiks Cube.
“The huge popularity of brain teasing games such as Nintendo’s Brain
Training have paved the way for Rubiks Cube’s return. And what a
comeback! There won’t be many teenagers without one this year.
“And if you want to impress your daughter on Christmas day, learn all
the words from High School Musical 2 songs, there will be many a
household banging out the hits from the movie on Christmas Day.”
Top 10 toys for Christmas 2008 (in no particular order)
• Rubiks Cube, £9.99
• Star Wars Clone Wars Lego, from £34.99
• Meebas, £16.99
• Ben 10 deluxe Omnitrix, £15.99
• High School Musical Sing Together Dolls, £20.99
• Bakugan Battle Arena, £29.99
• Leapfrog Tag, £39.99
• In The Night Garden Upsy Daisy In Her Bed, £34.99
• Indiana Jones Whip, £19.99
• Catcha Beast, £19.99
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