Between Funko Pop figurines targeting every corner of popular culture fandom and the recent rise of blind boxes, adults are collecting and playing with toys like never before. Companies like The Loyal Subjects and Basic Fun took notice and have been attracting the attention of older toy enthusiasts, specifically Gen X and Millennials, by reviving popular brands like Rainbow Brite, Strawberry Shortcake, Littlest Pet Shop and several others.
Loyal Subjects CEO Jonathan Cathey told HuffPost, “I don’t think we had a conscious strategy other than to go after what we liked and knew — sort of that age old writer wisdom — ‘write what you know’. Being born in ’74, I came of age with these brands, so I had a visceral connection… I knew there were many folks like me… so it just seemed like a no-brainer. It’s sort of the anti-data approach, just go with your gut kind-a-thing.”
It was a gut instinct that paid off. The brand’s Rainbow Brite re-release took home the “Doll of the Year” award at the 2025 Toy Awards. It’s also worth noting that a Transformer toy took home “Action Figure of the Year” and an updated version of Uno won “Game of the Year.” Jay Foreman, CEO of Basic Fun, explained, “What makes [these brands] popular is that they have an extra charm and appeal that makes them memorable and endearing, generation after generation. So the brands that bring back memories are the ones that tend to remain popular.”
Some of the toys have been restored just as you remember. Others have been updated slightly to align with current trends. We rounded up some of these throwback toys guaranteed to send you drifting down memory lane and spoke to some collectors about their favorites.
