The Coolest Toys of the 2000's

Many toys in this decade were either made of plastic or metal. Were toys really that memorable in this decade? There are a few of them, as well as some toys that have stood the test of time.

Board games
Monopoly has been around since the 1930's, but it got a big makeover this decade. Made by Parker Brothers, this classic board game is still popular than ever. There really is no other game like Monopoly. It consists of a fold-out game board with 40 spaces on the edges of the board. Two separate stacks of cards; Chance cards and Community Chest cards, are placed near the middle of the board. 2 to 8 players can play, with small die-cast markers. Players move according to the roll of the accompanied die. There are also 28 included properties within the 40 spaces on the board, which have their own cards. The goal of the game is to collect the properties on the board, as well as make the most money. Each player also starts with about 1,500 dollars in fake money. This is what makes the game so appealing. In order to win, players have to make a literal 'monopoly' on the board game. There is much more to this game than this measly paragraph, but if I explained it all, it would take up at least three pages! All that just for a board game you say?! In order to really understand this board game, you have to play it.

Toy guns
Toy guns are always popular in some shape or form, and the most famous company kids now know is Nerf. Nerf started in 1970, but they have really took off in this decade, because of the variety of toys that they make; particularly toy guns. The dart gun is a classic toy gun, but Nerf has made it cool to have one again. They have made a dart tag that consists of 2 to 4 players, foam chest target vests, safety glasses, and dart guns. It's made for two players, but when I use to play with friends we would go all out with four players. Nerf also has line-up of toy guns that shoot foam balls. These types of guns are popular because many of them are air powered, or reload automatically. With this line-up, how can a youngster ever get bored?

Stuffed toys
This is a classic toy, and it has been around for decades.
There are always stuffed toys made to look really cute, but when Uglydolls debuted in 2002, it changed all of that. Made by independent toy makers Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath, Uglydolls are a collection of designer toys that are made with a little cuteness, and a little ugliness. This has made them a popular success in the media. This is also a classic example of taking an original concept and making it better.

Construction toys
Lincoln logs are nice to build with, but you can only build so much. This is where K'nex comes in, which are much more advanced than logs. Invented by Joel Glickman, K'nex are rods of varying length and connectors made of plastic. Virtually any type of building, bridge, house, and even vehicles can be made with K'nex. What makes this particular construction toy interesting is that its made of bright colors and several types of connectors. Special motors are also available so you can make certain K'nex creations move.

Electronic and digital toys
The Rubik's Cube has gotten a major overhaul in 2008 with Rubik Touch. It is just like the classic Rubik's Cube, but with a major difference. Instead of actually twisting parts of the Cube, you simply swipe the area that you want to move! It may seem that it will be much easier to solve, but that is not the case. The touch technology simply makes it easier to move around. This makes the toy much more appealing to a newer generation of toy lovers. With many electronics nowadays going from electronic to digital, this move from Rubik makes all the more sense to keep it popular in today's times.

Zhu Zhu Pets are little robotic hamsters, similar to Furbys. When you turn them on, they can interact with their environment, or stay in one spot. The little hamsters are cute and easy to play with. What also makes these toys cool is that not many hamster toys have been made with this much interaction built into them. Hamsters are kind of rare in the toy world, and Zhu Zhu Pets adds to their appeal even more so.

Puzzles
The Rubik's 360 is similar to the Rubik's Cube, but completely different. The Rubik's 360 is spherical puzzle made of a clear plastic ball with two other clear spheres built inside. Six different colored balls are inside the small one, and the small balls are inside the smallest sphere. The goal of the game is to get the different colored balls out of the two inner spheres into the compartments built into the outside of the larger sphere. This puzzle is easier to solve than the classic Rubik's Cube, but the Rubik's 360 requires a bit of manual dexterity to solve.

Dolls
Bratz dolls came out in the US in 2001, and ushered in a new era of fashion dolls for girls. Although Barbie came first in 1959, Bratz dolls are more in tune and up to date in terms of fashion with current trends. Bratz dolls have accessories like heels, purses, skirts, and microphones. Unlike other fashion dolls on the market, Bratz dolls are much more believable as fashion dolls, besides the Barbie fashion doll. There is no other fashion doll like them on the market.

Action figures
How is it possible to make an improvement on the current action figure? The Lego Company has has found a way, with their Bionicle line of action figures. The Bionicle action figures are a type of warrior with a organic/mechanical look. This is a new, completely different type of action figure. They look like they came out of a science fiction movie, but also like an ancient race. In addition to weapons such as staffs, swords and knives, you can also add Lego-like pieces to them, and armor as well. These can alter their appearance and make them stronger. How cool is that for an action figure!