Modern technology gives us many things.

Atop the Toy Hall of Fame Are Lite-brite and Masters of the Universe.

New inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame include an artefact that dates back to ancient times, a line of muscle-bound action figures, and a famous painting kit that uses multicoloured pegs as its medium. Thursday was the day that the Hall of Fame made the announcement that Masters of the Universe and Lite-Brite will be inducted this year.

Bingo, Breyer Horses, Catan, Nerf, the piata, Phase 10, Pound Puppies, Rack-O, and Spirograph were among the other 11 games and activities that competed for the top spot, but the three winners were ultimately selected.

A ceremony is held each year at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, which houses the Toy Hall of Fame, during which a new class of toys is inducted into the hall of fame for toys.

According to the hall, the top was an important part of childhood for people in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Australia. Additionally, the hall noted that ancient Greek pottery depicts people playing with the twirling objects more than 2,000 years ago. This contributed to the top earning a place in the hall.

According to Chief Curator Christopher Bensch, who was quoted in a news release, “the top is one of the oldest toys and a vital component of many cultures,” both of which were places where it emerged independently as a plaything. “With a history dating back more than 5,000 years, it’s about time that the top made its way into the National Toy Hall of Fame!”

Toys that have both sparked people’s imaginations and stood the test of time are honoured in this corridor.

Since its debut in 1966, Lite-Brite has continued to be a best-seller for Hasbro despite the passage of more than half a century. The toy was initially sold in 1968 under the name “magic light box,” and it allows children to make glowing pictures by inserting colourful pegs into a background that is illuminated from behind.

According to specialists from the hall of fame, Mattel was able to expand their Masters of the Universe toy line in the 1980s thanks to the success of the animated series “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.” This enabled Mattel to create new characters and toys for the series. The enduring popularity of the franchise was demonstrated with a 2021 Netflix series.

Curator Michelle Parnett-Dwyer noted that the team at Mattel “knew that youngsters spend a lot of time in fantasy play and like the opportunity to project themselves into the role of the hero.” Mattel is responsible for the exhibition. “Kids could look up to the Masters of the Universe characters because they possessed the power, strength, and weapons to vanquish the bad guy and give them confidence.”

Mattel is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the franchise this year, which includes action figures like He-Man and Skeletor as well as movies and video games, according to PJ Lewis, the toymaker’s vice president and global head of action figures. This honour comes at the same time as the celebration.

“We can’t think of a better way to mark this historic milestone for Masters of the Universe than being inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame,” said Lewis in a statement. “We can’t think of a better way to commemorate this historic milestone for Masters of the Universe.”

Previous awardees will be on exhibit with the new entrants. These prior honorees include anything from commonplace items such as the stick and the cardboard box to technological entries such as Nintendo’s Game Boy. The previous year saw the addition of American Girl Dolls, Risk, and sand.

A toy can be suggested by anyone. The winners are decided by a vote from a group of specialists.

In addition, the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play are all located within the Strong museum.

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