NEW YORK -- PlayDate, an independent marketing services firm and organizer of this week's show in New York City showcasing some of the holiday season's hottest toys, board games, collectibles, video games and PC games, announced results from its annual survey of mass market and specialty toy and game retailers predicting 2002's hottest holiday gifts.

According to PlayDate survey results, retailers believe Mattel's "Barbie as Rapunzel" will be this year's must-have gift, but boys need not worry as survey results indicate that Santa will also be delivering plenty of video games, interactive toys and products featuring popular licenses.

Other top toys and games from PlayDate's retailer survey include the LeapPad Learning System (best-selling toy in specialty stores), Cranium Cariboo (best-selling board game), PlayStation 2 (best-selling video game hardware), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (best-selling video game software), The Sims Online (best-selling PC game), Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards (best-selling collectible) and Dora the Explorer (best-selling brand family).

"Barbie again proves to be a great evergreen gift," said Sean McGowan, toy industry analyst with Gerard Klauer Mattison and co-founder of PlayDate "But a lot of what's under the tree this year is changing. More and more, parents are focusing on educational products, like LeapPad, or PC games like Dora the Explorer. Yet advanced technology is making video games more popular than ever, and the latest editions of Grand Theft Auto, Tony Hawk and WWE: Smackdown will be most in demand. On the console front, PlayStation 2 is still the dominant leader, with Nintendo's Game Boy Advance the uncontested portable unit of choice."

McGowan added, "The country is still experiencing "cocooning"--when families choose to stay home together--which has led to a surge in the popularity of new-fangled games, such as Cranium, as well as classics like Monopoly and Risk, even if they've been modified with the hottest licenses, like Spider-Man and Lord of The Rings."

Results of the PlayDate retailer survey indicate the following key trends impacting the toy and games industry this holiday season.

Everything Old is New Again in the Toy Biz

Kids don't know the toys of yesteryear, but their parents, who are the primary purchasers of toys, associate closely with classics from their own childhood. Barbie, which has been around for generations, continues to be a favorite as the doll gets a new look as Rapunzel this holiday season. Other toys fueling the nostalgia trend include: Huffy Bikes' new Spin Move, a cool tricycle for kids and tweens, that is reminiscent of big-wheeled bikes of the '70s The Care Bears, which celebrate their 20th anniversary this year and are gaining momentum due to the 100th anniversary of the teddy bear Cabbage Patch Kids, which originally debuted in the 1980's Bandai's Power Rangers, which are now being handed off from older brother to little brother as the brand celebrates its 10th anniversary this year Board games are also making a comeback in 2002, albeit with a slightly different look and feel. In particular, Cranium and its popular offspring, Cadoo and Cariboo, have rejuvenated game time by combining the best of parlor classics like charades, dictionary and trivia, with new fun challenges involving sculpting, humming and spelling.

Holiday Forecast Calls for a "Very Video Game Christmas"

Video game software is expected to experience its best holiday sales season ever this year. The spring 2002 price drop on video game consoles from all three manufacturers--Sony Computer Entertainment America, Nintendo of America and Microsoft--will help video gaming go mainstream this year. Expanding the entertainment value are online capabilities for console play and the continuous introduction of new titles that offer something for everyone. Hits like Grand Theft Auto, Tony Hawk, and WWE: Smackdown will be tops on holiday wish lists this season. Football will be especially popular at Christmas, with both Madden NFL 2003 and Sega's NFL 2K3 scoring big in stores. Also fueling the relentless domination of video games are handheld and portable gaming devices like Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and the introduction of exciting new PC titles like The Sims Online. The PC category will also benefit from increased interest in youth-oriented licenses like Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants.

Gift Givers Expected to Wrap Up Tons of Tech Toys

Tech toys continue to grow in popularity, as kids become more accustomed to sophisticated toys, falling chip prices lead to higher play value, and inventors make creative use of technology to deliver unique playing experiences. This growing trend is nowhere more evident than in educational toys. LeapFrog's LeapPad Learning System is not only expected to be the best selling educational toy this year, but has become one of the industry's strongest sellers among all toys. Other tech toys on display at PlayDate 2002 include VTech's Smarty's Workshop, Neurosmith's Musini, Irwin Toy's SpectraColor Image Pad and Uncle Milton's Star Theater 2.

Retailers Ring Up Sales on Toys Featuring Popular Licenses

Retailers polled by PlayDate expect Dora the Explorer to be the most successful toy license for holiday 2002. Like other popular television licenses, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Thomas The Tank Engine, the product line for Dora ranges from dolls to PC games to card games. Blockbuster movies will also be popular, especially Spider-Man and Star Wars. Finally, the brand power of both LeapFrog and LEGO have made these two companies expected best sellers across multiple product categories.

More than two dozen retailers participated in the 2002 PlayDate retailer survey, including Sears, KB Toys, Toys "R" Us, FAO, eToys, Electronics Boutique, Gamestop, Imaginarium and numerous specialty stores.

Complete survey results can be found online at www.playdateinc.com.

PlayDate is an annual media event showcasing holiday toy and games and is held in October at New York City's Metropolitan Pavilion. Leading and innovative toy companies participate in the show and the 2002 lineup includes: Activision, BAM! Entertainment, Bandai America, Cranium, Huffy Bikes, Funosophy, Infogrames, Irwin Toy, Ltd., KB Toys, LeapFrog Enterprises, Little Tikes, Neurosmith, Nintendo Of America, Play Along Toys, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Sababa Toys, SEGA Of America, THQ, TOMY Corporation, Toys 'R' Us, Toysrus.com, Uncle Milton, Universal Studios Home Video, University Games, USAOPOLY, and VTech Electronics, Ltd. The NPD Group also participates as an annual guest exhibitor.