The folks at Ultimate Coupons were nice enough to pass on this video game-dappled infographic featuring the top toys of three decades worth of Christmas holidays. In the true holiday spirit we only tear it apart just a little.
It’s a trip down memory lane that begins in 1981, when Donkey Kong for the Nintendo Entertainment system was the hottest toy, despite the NES not being released in Japan until 1983. Then we noticed the chart’s complete lack of the Nintendo Wii, listing the PlayStation 3 as the hottest toy of 2006 despite being soundly trounced by Nintendo’s motion-controlled wonder in just about every market (except Europe, where it arrived late).
Adding insult to injury, intern Chris points out that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle package shown is the wrong one for its year, and Evan pointed out that Elmo is holding a Fleshlight. He might just be imagining that last one.
For extra added fun, when you’re done picking apart the list tally up the toys on it that you’ve owned and calculate the percentage. I’m at 83 per cent. How about you?
30 Years of Elf Handiwork [Ultimate Coupons]
Meteors
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 9:58 AMWow, these guys have got some nerve considering the incorrect drivel they put out.
James Woods
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:03 AMwhy do you say that?
Meteors
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:20 AMThe non stop errors in every kotaku US article. Not Mark and Tracey.
pixxpixx
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:02 AMMy pick for this year is skylanders. Sh*t sold like hotcakes everywhere.
N0NEoftheAB0VE
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 6:54 PMAgreed Skylanders is definitely big this year.
benanen
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:14 AMIs that the right Tamagotchi? Looks too modern.
And I’d have the iTocuh more recent.
Ynefel
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:34 AM‘Little pig’ for Zhu Zhu Pets makes more sense if you remember ‘Guinea Pigs’.
jamiedeecee
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 10:42 AMFixed: How many errors can you spot in 30 days of Kotaku US articles?
qbngeek
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:39 AMOkay, time to show how sad I am.
- I am 95% sure that POG was not in the original series, I believe it was a series 2 POG but will need to wait until I get home to confirm.
- That Optimus looks nothing like my (still boxed) Optimus which was one of the original japanese toys.
- TMNT packaging is definately wrong.
- As mentioned above that Tamagotchi is not correct either. I would say that is an early 2000′s model.
- That is not an original cabbage patch doll.
And I agree that Kotaku US have no grounds to be picking on other sites for thier work. Not when they have managed some of the worst grammatical and factual errors of any site that I visit.
what the
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 11:47 AMThat tamagotchi is too recent back in 1997 they were plain coloured with a different colour button to the device itself it wasnt until 1998/99 they got the fancy look.
mchaza
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 12:02 PMarh RoboSaipians the biggest waste of money I have ever spent, really I got probably 2 minutes of laughs from the dance and thats it.
Rikuaow
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 12:11 PM80 percent on the dot haha. Man this brings back some memories.. wish christmas was still that exciting.
ExDol
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 12:14 PMNo Wii? Seems the biggest exemption I can think of
scott
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 12:19 PMthats the wrong beyblade aswell, its the new one from the re-boot, old ones were way mroe badass =P
Chazz
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 12:19 PMThat Transformers was the G1 Optimus were everything except the hands, head wheels and accessories (came with the trailer and such) were made from metal. One of my most treasured possessions growing up and now I remember the pain of it being trashed and destroyed by my little brother.
I got the 25th Anniversary re-release of it for my bday a few years back but typical modern toys, it was all plastic. Still looks great though!
N0NEoftheAB0VE
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 6:55 PMI bought the re-release of Starscream for my son a few years back and I reckon it’s better than the original metal one back in the day (certainly way more articulation)
Ruffleberg
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 1:18 PMThe Rubik’s Cube one is real. This is the video of him getting his record time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v_Km6cv6DU
Boomzzilla
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 1:41 PMThat donkey kong is the NES version, it says 1981 but the NES came out in 1985.
djmcbell
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 6:49 PMThe TMNT packaging – that’s from the more recent version, not the 90′s.
Ah, I remember those days and wondering why, here in the UK, it was called Teenage Mutant HERO Turtles. Still do.
Felicity
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 8:29 PMThe Transformers came out in 1984, not 1985, and the Kiss Players were not until a few decades later. The Power Rangers came out in 1993, not 1994.
Christine
Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 1:25 AMThat Care Bear was not part of the original group. That one was created for the new 3D animated series that has been out for about 5 years.
Royce
Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 8:18 AMSkylanders won Christmas 2012 hands down. Sold out EVERYWHERE and the craze has extended after xmas to ebay and amazon where the characters are currently fetching high prices on the secondary market.
Royce
Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 8:19 AMEDIT: Skylanders won xmas 2011. heh.