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The spring-loaded battle-toy franchise from Spin Master and Sega Toys (Bakugan Battle Brawlers), tied to an anime series that launched in Japan in 2007 and on Cartoon Network in the U.S. in 2008. The toys were marble-like orbs that popped open into fierce little figures when rolled onto magnetic metal battle cards — a successor to the Pokémon and Beyblade collect-and-battle craze.
LEGO's buildable biomechanical warriors, sold in collectible canisters and wrapped in a sprawling island mythology kids argued about at recess. Part toy, part epic saga — you built the heroes, collected their masks, and followed the lore across comics, books, and films.
Tyco's action figures were engineered for destruction: press one button on the torso and the head and arms sprang off, press the other and the legs flew. They were born from the famous Vince & Larry crash-test-dummy PSAs — and the tie-in backfired so badly that TV networks pulled the safety spots rather than cross-promote a toy.