I really didnt notice one toy in particular that was the "have to have it" and buy it for a riduclous amounts online. I must be out of the loop this year of what the toy was. I dont think it was the return of Furby or the Ninteno Wii U...there were plenty of them on the shelves where I live.
This year I was into getting the Mega Bloks Skylanders toys for my son. Those sets were really cool. And since he loves Legos and Skylanders, it will be a hit around this house from Santa.
Avian
I can't really think of anything that sold out and would be a big seller. Seemed like this year people just bought whatever without buying into any one toy.
Of course, stores seemed pretty set on not putting anything new on the shelf to start with so who can say.
Emerje
MyFigureCollection.net - Most of my Japanese figures
Associate Editor for Tomopop.com
I'm sitting I'm living room at 5:34 am trying to head off my little one from Santa so I'm not quite awake yet.
My groggy memory gives a few suggestions:
1. Play arts Arkham Asylum Batman
2. Hasbro Tru exclusive anniversary Optimus prime
3. Tfc Hercules devastator 3rd party tf
Merry Christmas all!!!!
Nearly every Ninja Turtle action figure related toy sold out after every restock at most stores around here. Even the large playset. Multiple restocks at TRU went from full pegs to empty pegs with maybe a lone Krang sitting. I'd say the return of the Turtles was a BIG toy of this year.
In my area I'd have to say the Nick Toons TMNT. As of Sunday, the Turtle section was wiped out @ every store in town. Deluxe Transformers did very well also. Again, as of Sunday, the only TF item I saw on the pegs were Bot Shots.
The TMNT toys sold impressively well. So well around here that I saw a number of stores that replaced the pegs for TMNT with extra room for Power Rangers toys since they could get the Turtle toys in stock fast enough anyways. But I don't think that they are the toy of the year. The huge sewer lair could be a contender, partly because there are so few other large scale play sets on the market.
It'd be hard for me to say what would be the toy of the year since I've cut back so much. Personal favorites though?
-Minimates MODOK
-Minimates Rick Grimes
-GI Joe Retaliation Joe Trooper
-VOTC Star Wars TRU Speeder Bike set
and while not specific, I am glad to finally have Doom Patrol and Metal Men teams finished in the DCUC.
But for a toy of the year? I'd say nothing (in my collection) stands that far above the rest.
Checking out Walmart this morning I can agree that TMNT did really well. Only things left were a few vehicles and a single April figure. Can't really say if Transformers did well since they haven't had much new in stock for a while except they still have one each of Optimus, Jazz, Shockwave, and the Combaticons that they put out over the weekend.
Emerje
MyFigureCollection.net - Most of my Japanese figures
Associate Editor for Tomopop.com
Lego went nuts here.. the only thing left after christmas in the whole walmart lego aisle was the new hobbit sets, which odds are they had just gotten in.
There was nothing else left at all! No monster fighters, no batman, nothing. we were amazed.
I didn't come out this year...
and I probably won't get it ('cuz I can't afford it).
BUT, my vote would be for the 1:6 scale Hot Toys 1966 Batmobile. Saw it at Comic-con, and knew instantly of it's greatness, and then wept that it would never be mine.
I think there really needs to be a distinction betwen toys and adult collectable items. Somehow the lines got blurred as toy prices went up, and more expensive adult collectables started to be produced.
I can see the big millenium falcon being considered a toy, since it has specific play built into it, even though its pricey, but a $1000 adult collectable museum piece is not a toy.
The 18:th scale RC 66 batmobile is a great toy though! 
We see "year in review" toy awards done every year, and all these high ticket $200+ figures take all the toy awards, when they are more adult collectable museum pieces, and not actual toys.
I'd rather see what the best actual toys were, than what the best most expensive adult collectables were.
It seemed there wasnt the 1 must have toy that caused people to scalp them on ebay like past years( Tickle Me elmo,The hamster things or furby),it was a strange christmas season and maybe the nintendo wi was expected too be it. Some wherehouse got hit and the crooks took every wi in there.
Well, the new Wii U was popular, but was not what was robbed from that warehouse.. just the older wii system.
And this time around, Nintendo actually produced enough to pretty much meet demand.
But the toy sections I visited were pretty slow this year.. video games took a lot of people's money this year, and upward spiralling toy costs has reduced the demand, I think.
When you can buy a game that was $60 3 months ago for $10, or spend twice as much for one single action figure, it is kind of a no brainer where money is going to go.
Neca's portal gun was popular enpugh to produce it 3 times this year, and combine that with the stand they also produced, and that was an excellent value for the price.
(Actually, Neca's products in general this year were pretty much outstanding.)
and upward spiralling toy costs has reduced the demand, I think.
The new Furby was $60 at TRU... for some reason that shocked me. I don't remember how much they were in the 90s when they first came out, but wow did sixty bucks seem like a lot of money for it today. I'm really glad I had no desire to get one!
But yeah, take that same sixty bucks and you could get two 3DS video games during TRU's recent sales, and kids will get a ton more use out of the video games.
Legos have sold very well round these parts, and the Target I was at last week had absolutely no Turtles stuff, save for the Legos. My toys of the year, in no particular order:
PAK Arkham Asylum Batman
TRU Exclusive Masterpiece Prime
PAK Devil May Cry 3 Vergil
All Four Ninja Turtles Classics
Renegades Storm Shadow
It was a great year for us toy lovers, and it's shaping up to be a good one this year, too. I would have added some DCIE to the list, but the end-year figures (save Platinum, Tin and Lead) were pretty uninteresting to me. I haven't even opened Constantine or Uncle Sam.
You're right on the Legos and TMNT stuff. Totally rocked it this year. Almost no Lego clearance for Target and Walmart around me. My usualy waiting for clearance Legos is over I guess.
I think there really needs to be a distinction betwen toys and adult collectable items. Somehow the lines got blurred as toy prices went up, and more expensive adult collectables started to be produced.I can see the big millenium falcon being considered a toy, since it has specific play built into it, even though its pricey, but a $1000 adult collectable museum piece is not a toy.
The 18:th scale RC 66 batmobile is a great toy though!
We see "year in review" toy awards done every year, and all these high ticket $200+ figures take all the toy awards, when they are more adult collectable museum pieces, and not actual toys.
I'd rather see what the best actual toys were, than what the best most expensive adult collectables were.
So is the distinction you're making purely price-driven, or what the target audience is? Because a lot of toys would seem to fall into an adult-collectables category, including MOTUC, pretty much any online-only exclusives, Masterpiece Transformers, Marvel Select (20 bucks a pop now?) etc. Maybe even stuff like Classic Turtles, which I don't think I even saw stocked anywhere at all.
But a lot of my favorite toys this year were high-end collectible items... Maketoys Giant, Masterpiece Optimus, and I'm sure the Hot Toys DX12 will be a favorite whenever I get it. SH Figuarts Kamen Rider V3 if only because I've always had a soft spot for V3 (can't wait for Riderman). Figma Link (missed out on Samus because I rested on my laurels when Diamond erroneously solicited her).
For kid-targeted stuff, I'll agree with the Turtles, but only the four main characters, since it's a shame what they did with the articulation on the rest. I also really like the Switch and Go Dinos from Vtech... I haven't bought any, but I think that's a line I'd have been interested in were I still a kid. Also on the Japanese front, I know the show didn't do well but I really liked the Gobusters mechs, though it'll be a few years before we see Bandai America's gimped versions.
Hi All,
It's been a few weeks since I initially responded, but I have to say that the TRU Optimus really stands out to me. He was tough to find, highly priced and beautifully detailed.
If you want to get technical, the Hot Toys Bespin Luke was at retail Gohastings stores and I have to say he is AMAZING as well.
My favorites from my favorite lines are:
Vintage Darth Vader with ball jointed hips.
The BEST Mr. T action figure of all time, Neca Clubber Lang in Black Trunks.
Fall of Cybertron Soundwave with tapes, uh, I mean circular disc thingies.
TMNT Classics Raphael (or all 4 turtles).
The Trash Pack Poop Monster (brown, poop color).
Here's my list:
1. TRU Exclusive MP Optimus Prime
2. Bandai Thundercats 6" Lion-O
3. Mattel Voltron
4. Walmart Exclusive Avengers Hulk
5. Riobot Gurren Lagann
6. TMNT Classics Raphael
7. TRU Exclusive Marvel Minimates M.O.D.O.K.
8. Thundercats Minimates Panthro
9. Figma Link
10. S.H. MonsterArts Mecha Godzilla
Honorable Mentions:
Disney Store Exclusive Marvel Minimates Kang
Figma Samus Aran
S.H. MonsterArts King Ghidorah
Revoltech EVA 02
Here's the stuff I loved this year:
Maketoys GIANT
3rd party Transformers Devastator. Sick crazy awesome toy, or 6 toys, depending. Very impressive. Easily toy of the year for me.
Also:
RoML Arnim Zola
SH Figuarts Masked Rider 2
Figma Kyoko Sakura (reissue)
iGear PP-05 Weapon Specialist
6-inch Classic Lion-o
