Toy retailer Toys ‘R’ Us has unveiled its “hot toy” list for the upcoming holiday season, and this year it includes a video game console for the first time — Nintendo Co. Ltd.’s Wii.
Wii’s inclusion in the list comes as electronics play an increasingly prominent role in children’s toys.
Other hot toys chosen by Toys 'R' Us include Fisher-Price’s digital camera for children ages 3 and up and Hasbro’s Inc.’s Designer’s World, a plug-and-play TV game from its Tiger Games division that lets girls design their own fashion line.
Nintendo’s Wii will make its U.S. debut Nov. 19 in what is expected to be a hot holiday season for video game consoles, with Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 3 slated to hit U.S. stores Nov. 17.
But Nintendo, with its “Donkey Kong,” “Mario Brothers” and "Pokemon" game franchises, has found success with a younger audience.
“The PlayStation 3 is really geared to a savvy gaming enthusiast,” said Kathleen Waugh, a spokeswoman for Toys 'R' Us, of the decision to add the Wii to the list. “The Wii system appeals to young kids as well as adults.”
The Wii, priced at $250, features a motion-sensing controller that operates like a television remote control and lets players simulate swinging a bat, sword or tennis racquet.
Waugh said one of Toys 'R' Us’ criteria of adding an item to its hot list is knowing it will have sufficient stock of the item for the holiday season, and she said that Toys 'R' Us was able to ensure that by “taking a leadership position on the launch of Wii.”
Other toys on the list include T.M.X. Elmo, or Tickle Me Extreme, made by Mattel Inc.’s Fisher-Price division. The doll, which hit stores Sept. 19 after months of secrecy, is the 10th anniversary edition of the Tickle Me Elmo red plush doll that created a craze when it was introduced.
The T.M.X. doll has been flying off store shelves since its introduction last week, but Waugh said Toys 'R' Us continues to get new shipments of the doll.
Not all of the toys on the hot list are electronic.
The list includes the Speed Stacks StackPack — a game by Jakks Pacific Inc.’s Play Along division that involves stacking up and down Speed Stack cups in predetermined forms as fast as possible.
