Phase 10 has been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. The enduring card game was one of a group of finalists announced in September, beating out Choose Your Own Adventure books and the Pokemon Trading Card Game.
Phase 10 and the National Toy Hall of Fame
In an official blog post, the Strong National Museum of Play announced the three lucky winners being inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.
The winners were chosen from twelve finalists submitted as part of the annual Player's Choice ballot. The final choices are made on the advice of historians, educators, and others who exemplify learning, creativity, and discovery.
The National Toy Hall of Fame was established in 1998. The ones behind it are dedicated to enshrining toys and games that have inspired creative play and experienced sustained popularity over a long period. They honor both toys timeless and contemporary.
Phase 10 was created in 1982 by Black game inventor and entrepreneur Ken Johnson. The card game is a variation of rummy. Players need to collect different groups of card and create complete sequential phases of 10 before their opponents.
In the forty-two years since its release, Phase 10 has become one of the bestselling cards games in the world; second only to Uno. The Strong Musuem's own curator of board games and puzzles, Mirek Stolee, states:
Today Mattel reportedly sells four million Phase 10 decks annually in 60 countries and in more than 20 languages. Whether played in its original form or in one of its variations, Phase 10 has become an iconic game title that continues to encourage multigenerational social and competitive play.
As for the other two inductees, they are two major staples in the world of toys: Hasbro's Transformers and My Little Pony. Both started as popular toylines that eventually evolved into major multimedia properties. Their works spanning animated series, comic books, videogames, and tabletop board games.
