Is Next Hot Toy Back in the Cabbage Patch?

Nov. 18, 2004 — -- If you couldn't get your hands on a Cabbage Patch Kid during the toy store frenzies of 1984, now's your chance.

They're back -- joining other retro favorites, including Ms. Pac Man, in the sweepstakes to relive glory days as holiday season hits the stores just can't keep stocked on shelves.

"It's typical," says Jim Silver, editor in chief of Toy Wishes magazine. "Toys are a fashion business. … Things are in style and then they go out of style and they come back."

But while it's always been popular for toy companies to revive familiar brands years after they've dropped out of sight, the trend has accelerated up in recent years, industry analysts say. Recently, toy companies have had success bringing back old standbys like Shrinky Dinks, Care Bears, Pac Man, Strawberry Shortcake and My Little Pony -- though often with new bells, whistles and electronics.

As a result, it's not just kids pestering their parents about toys they want for the holidays. Often, it's the other way around.

"[Parents] have fond childhood memories of those products themselves," says Reyne Rice, a toy trends specialist with the Toy Industry Association. "It's like the smell of crayons. Gosh, everybody remembers the smell of crayons and Play-Doh. And it's just wanting to share that with your kids, that same happiness."

This year, toy makers hope another slate of old favorites will strike the same chords. While analysts say it's still too soon in the shopping season to identify this year's breakout toys, Silver's magazine predicts new versions of Cabbage Patch Kids, Ms. Pac Man, Tamagotchi, Elmo and Barbie will be among the "hot dozen" that will become scarce in stores by mid-December.

"Cabbage Patch is going to sell 2 [million] to 3 million this year," Silver believes. "That will be $40 million to $50 million. That's a large number. … I think there will be shortages some time this December."