Although retail sales of toys fell last year, animators can take comfort in news from this year’s Toy Fair: The toy industry shows an increased need for original animation in promotion, toys and games. Courtesy of TIA.

Although the NPD Group announced that retail sales of toys fell close to 4%, to $21.3 billion, in 2005, animators can take comfort from several trends highlighted at the 2006 New York International Toy Fair, held Feb. 11-15 at the Javits Center and Toy Center showrooms in New York City. The toy industry is showing an increasing need for original animation, not only for promotional purposes, but for the toys and games themselves.

Numerous companies at the show, both large and small, exhibited interactive DVD games featuring 3D and 2D animation. Brighter Child Interactive offered games based on the BrainQuest, Jurassic Park and Marvel brands, with My Little Pony up next. Three-year-old interactive game marketer SnapTV showed 16 titles — up from five last year — including three tied to Scholastic’s I Spy and Clifford. It also introduced a Wallace & Gromit title in November 2005; the game features 500 newly created 3D animation clips overseen by Aardman’s director of animation.

The big-two toy companies, Mattel and Hasbro, each highlighted several DVD games as well; Mattel offered examples based on Disney Princesses and Barbie Fairytopia, while Hasbro had versions tied to its classic games, such as Candyland, Twister and Clue.

Mattel and Hasbro each highlighted DVD games. Mattel offered Disney Princesses (left) and Barbie Fairytopia (right), while Hasbro had a version of Candyland. Courtesy of Mattel and Hasbro.

Plug-and-play games, which connect to the television without need for a console or other gaming device, represent another important and growing category, with many toymakers offering these products. They feature animation ranging from rudimentary black-and-white images to more sophisticated styles. Publications International, a publisher of interactive storybooks, introduced its Story Reader Video Plus, a new video version of its Story Reader interactive book line that plugs into the TV. Consumers not only get an animated learn-to-read storybook, but also five educational plug-and-play games. Licenses include Scooby-Doo, Thomas the Tank Engine, Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer.

Over the last few years, many toy companies have included DVDs in their packaging for dolls, vehicles, action figures and other toys. Sometimes featuring TV episodes or clips and sometimes offering original animation, the DVDs add play value to the toys by allowing children to act out and expand on the stories.

That trend continued this year. Some of the items in Hasbro’s new action figure line based on the Toon Disney anime series Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go! include a DVD. Diamond Distribution’s Marvel Minimates line features several DVD Movie Mates items, which include a 9 to 10-minute animation clip starring the Minimates, along with four figures. The packs are sold at Target and in comicbook shops. Some of Playmates’ new Disney Fairies playsets include a DVD containing the first animation associated with this book-based property; a direct-to-video film is in the works.