Pokémon, LEGO, Hot Wheels and More Among 2027 Toy of the Year Award Finalists
Pokémon, LEGO, Hot Wheels, Star Wars, American Girl and several other brands with strong collector followings are among the finalists for the 2027 Toy of the Year Awards, with The Toy Foundation announcing 122 nominated toys and games across its annual award categories. The finalists were revealed November 7 at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair in Rosemont, Illinois. Winners in each category, along with the overall Toy of the Year and People’s Choice Award recipients, will be announced in February 2027.
One of the most notable categories is Collectible of the Year, where the Pokémon Trading Card Game: 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is among seven finalists. It is joined by Clickeez Series 3: Bubble Pops from Goliath, Happy Haul from Just Play, LEGO Minifigures Shrek Series, Magic Jellykins from Spin Master, Mini Brands Fill The Fridge Playset from ZURU and NeeDoh from Schylling. The Toy Foundation defines the category broadly as toys designed for repeated single-item purchases as part of a larger set or series, including miniatures, blind packs, trading cards, licensed collectibles and similar products.
Pokémon appears throughout this year’s nominations. In addition to the 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box, the Pikachu 30th Celebration Plush is a finalist for Plush Toy of the Year, while Pokémon itself is nominated for License of the Year. Two more Pokémon-related products appear in the Tech Toy of the Year category. LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Training House with Pikachu is among the nominees, along with the Pokémon Pikachu Puppetronic by RealFX from Jazwares.
LEGO also has a significant presence beyond Pokémon. The LEGO Minifigures Shrek Series is competing for Collectible of the Year, while the LEGO Spider-Man Hero Figure is nominated for Action Figure of the Year. LEGO One Piece The Going Merry Pirate Ship and the LEGO Editions FIFA World Cup Official Trophy are both finalists for Construction Toy of the Year.
The Kidult Toy of the Year category is particularly relevant to adult collectors. The Toy Foundation describes it as covering toys and games developed primarily for consumers ages 14 and older, including collector items, models, construction sets and products driven by established fandoms. This year’s Kidult finalists include the Disney Princess Mahjong Collector’s Set from The Noble Collection, Dungeons & Dragons Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club from Hasbro, LEGO Super Mario Donkey Kong Arcade, Mattel Brick Shop Hot Wheels Lamborghini Miura, MGA’s Miniverse Real Music Record Player, SmartGames IQ Puzzler Deluxe and Star Wars: Ultimate Grogu from Hasbro.
Action figure collectors also have several familiar franchises in contention. Disney and Pixar Toy Story 5 Ultimate Action Figures, Dungeons & Dragons Questers, LEGO Spider-Man Hero Figure, Hasbro’s Power-Charge Spider-Man, Spin Master’s Primal Hatch Megalodon Shark, Playmates Toys’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x G.I. Joe Action Figures and JAKKS Pacific’s Super Mario Yum Yum Yoshi! make up the Action Figure of the Year field.
Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand appears again in Playset of the Year, where the Hot Wheels City Ultimate T-Rex Garage is nominated alongside the Barbie DreamHouse and several other playsets.
American Girl is represented in Specialty Toy of the Year by its 40th Anniversary Historical Character Bundles, a category reserved for products sold primarily through independent specialty retailers or in limited quantities online.
KPop Demon Hunters also continues its expansion into toys and collectibles. Mattel’s KPop Demon Hunters HUNTR/X Singing Dolls are nominated for Doll of the Year, while KPop Demon Hunters itself is one of seven finalists for License of the Year.
The License of the Year category also includes Pokémon, Bluey, Spider-Man, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Toy Story and Transformers, reflecting several of the entertainment properties that have generated major toy and collectible programs during the year.
Fans can vote for the People’s Choice Award through January 6, 2027. The individual category winners, overall Toy of the Year and People’s Choice winner will be revealed during the Toy of the Year Awards gala on February 19, 2027, in New York City, one day before Toy Fair 2027 begins.
The Toy of the Year Awards also serve as a fundraiser for The Toy Foundation. Proceeds benefit its Play Fund and Toy Chest programs, which distribute toys and support play programs for children in need.