Kids and Critics Agree: Gifts With The Force Rate High for the Holidays

As Star Wars prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2007, toys based on the perennially popular cinematic saga are among the most sought-after and popular for this holiday season, according to industry data and some of the nation’s most respected reviewers of children’s products.

Star Wars remained the No. 1 entertainment property in 2006, said Howard Roffman, President of Lucas Licensing, and topped end-of-year lists of the best toys and games available for kids of all ages.

“Whether it’s a classic toy given a new twist, like the Force Action Lightsaber, or a brand-new technological marvel like LEGO Star Wars II The Original Trilogy, there’s a great Star Wars gift for everyone this holiday,” Roffman said. “It is immensely gratifying to know that editors, testers and critics continue to say Star Wars has the best and most entertaining products for all ages.”

Among the most sought-after of the newest intergalactic toy hits is the STAR WARS TRANSFORMER MILLENNIUM FALCON from Hasbro. It’s one of the “Greatest Products for 2006,” according to the iParenting media awards, and was also honored with the Grand Prize in FamilyFun magazine’s “T.O.Y.,” or Toy of the Year awards. “Han Solo and Chewbacca literally are what they fly in this version of the ageless morphing toy,” FamilyFun editors wrote, also ranking the Transformer Millennium Falcon No. 9 on its Top 10 toy list for 2006.

Hasbro’s newly introduced FORCE ACTION LIGHTSABER, meanwhile, was named a “Toy Wishes All Star” by Toy Wishes Magazine. “Complete with sounds and lights, now the lightsaber has a spring-activated deployment,” Toy Wishes editors wrote, “so it’s even more authentic.”

LEGO STAR WARS II: THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY from LucasArts, hailed as one of the most imaginative, humorous and engaging titles of the past year, has received the prestigious recommendation of the National Institue on Media and the Family. The E 10+-rated game is the top pick of the Institute’s MediaWise Report Card for parents, which ranks its recommended games for children and teens.

The phenomenally successful pairing of Star Wars and LEGO has resulted in some of the hottest and most critically lauded toy offerings. The LEGO JABBA’S SAIL BARGE received not only a “Toy of the Year” award from FamilyFun, but was honored with National Parenting’s “Seal of Approval” and received the highest-possible three-star rating from the Canadian Toy Testing Council.

Likewise, Hasbro’s ATTACTIX STARTER KIT for the ATTACKTIX BATTLE FIGURE GAME was honored with a three-star rating from the Council, which, they said, offers “lots of imaginative play value.”