Toys · 1999
Pokémon Mania and the Y2K Toy Boom
As the second millennium drew to a close, playground culture was dominated by imported crazes, high-tech pets, and blockbuster licensed tie-ins. Children eagerly swapped trading cards and embraced electronic toys that brought their favorite screen characters into the physical world.
- Wizards of the Coast | Trading Cards
Pokémon Trading Card Game (Base Set)
Kids engaged in intense playground bartering as the English launch of the Pokémon Trading Card Game sparked a massive global collection craze.
- The LEGO Group | Building Set
LEGO Star Wars X-Wing Fighter (#7140)
LEGO introduced its very first licensed theme to coincide with The Phantom Menace, kicking off a historic partnership with the iconic X-Wing set.
- Tiger Electronics | Electronic Pet
Furby Babies
Building on the previous year's wild success, Tiger Electronics expanded its animatronic chatterbox phenomenon with smaller, higher-pitched Furby Babies.
- Sony | Robotic Pet
Sony AIBO (ERS-110)
Sony launched the world's first consumer robotic dog, selling out its initial Japanese and American production runs online within hours.
- Ty Inc. | Plush Toy
Ty Beanie Babies Millennium Bear
Collectors scrambled to acquire Ty's commemorative plush bear adorned with a golden Y2K chest emblem during the peak of Beanie Baby fever.
- Hasbro / Kenner | Action Figures
Star Wars Episode I CommTech Figures
Hasbro flooded toy aisles with movie-themed action figures featuring plastic CommTech chips that played actual character voice clips.
- Nintendo | Handheld Game
Pokémon Yellow Edition
Released for the Game Boy, Pokémon Yellow capitalized on anime popularity by letting players travel alongside Pikachu visible on screen.
- Cranium, Inc. | Board Game
Cranium
Cranium became a breakout party game sensation by combining trivia, drawing, acting, and sculpting into a single crowdsourced board game.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?