"Dungeons & Dragons" has served as a fun escape from reality for more than four decades now. Since its initial publication in 1974, the popular fantasy role-playing game is currently in its fifth edition and is credited as a big influence on countless video games and other tabletop games. And so it is just fitting that the game is honored for its contributions to the industry.
Along with Fisher-Price's "Little People" and the popular "swing," "Dungeons & Dragons" came on top of twelve Toy Hall of Fame finalists - the panel hailing the game "groundbreaking." Other contenders include Uno, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Clue, and Care Bears.
"'D&D' has become a rite of passage for children of a creative temperament," stated Mike Mearls, "Dungeon and Dragon's" lead designer. "It's incredible to think that what started as the marriage of tabletop wargames and pulp fantasy novels has become the iconic storytelling pastime for multiple generations."
"Dungeons & Dragons" was first introduced as a pen-and-paper game in 1974. Players are able to play various roles of fantasy heroes and try to solve puzzles, beat monsters, and partake on adventures of many kinds. It was 2014 when a division of Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast, published the fifth edition of the game, which players received positively and brought the game's hype back.
CNET reports that over 780 kinds of toys were nominated for this year's induction, and the fact that "Dungeons & Dragons" made its way to the top is no ordinary feat. Given its long history and significance in today's modern video games, it's about "D&D" joins the list of inducted toys at the Strong Museum for Play in Rochester, New York.
Established in 1998, the National Toy Hall of Fame recognizes toys that have sustained popularity over the years. "Dungeons & Dragons" will be a part of the list of inductees that includes Barbie (1998), Rubik's Cube (2014), the Atari 2600 (2007), G.I. Joe (2004), among many others.
