When our days are packed with meetings, presentations and conference calls, it’s no wonder we seek out relaxing pursuits in our free time.

First things first, we might shed our office clothes and get into casual wear – and what could be more comfortable than our favourite Mickey Mouse, Snoopy or He-Man t-shirt? Some of us find it calming to build a new 3,000-piece construction kit, while others prefer weekly games evenings where they can test the latest board game highlights or even clearing a space in their glass cabinet for an eagerly awaited and hard-to-get new action figure.

Grown-ups play and collect. Now more than ever. Where once they might have been ridiculed as kidults or nerds, these labels have long since lost their negative connotations and are worn by many as a badge of pride. They are all simply one of many fans. Very few adults these days do not own numerous board games, keep a special model car on their desk, collect comics or at least have a sweatshirt featuring their favourite character. No matter their passion, there is something to suit these fans with purchasing power. Retro products, fantasy, science fiction, action, strategy – whatever the area of interest, there are toys to go with it.

Collectibles

Many of us love to collect unique and beautiful things. Toys are also coveted collectibles. Collectors are always looking for new and precious finds that will enrich and complete their collections.

The Adventures of Tintin are read all over the world – making this one of the best-known comic series ever. For over 90 years, Tintin and his friends have been delighting readers of all ages, who eagerly follow Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus, Thomson and Thompson as they endeavour to stop bad guys in their tracks.

The Tintin comic series created by Belgian Georges Remi under the pen name Hergé is considered a true classic among comics. More than 230 million albums have been translated into hundreds of languages and dialects to date.

Funko Pop is a cult favourite for collectors of figures from the worlds of film, TV, video games, sport, etc. “Bitty Pop!”, a brand new collectible, was launched in summer 2023. The 2.5 cm figures are inspired by Funko’s world-famous Pop! collectibles and cover four popular licenses – Disney, Lucasfilm’s Star Wars, Warner Bros. Harry Potter and DC Comics.

Since its début in 2017, the Squishmallows brand from Jazware has become a global collector phenomenon. Squishmallows are plush friends with endearing personalities, unique designs and exceptional softness. There are now over 1,500 Squishmallows worldwide, ranging in size from 9 to 50 cm, with fans of all ages in more than 55 countries eagerly collecting them. In the last five years, more than 200 million Squishmallows have found a new home.

Inspired by the He-Man and The Masters of the Universe animated television series, these approx. 14 cm warriors from Mattel are ready for combat! The action figures include both heroes and villains of Eternia, making them a superb choice for battling and fun storytelling.

Premium Collectibles

Toy collectibles can also serve as an ideal investment. Of course, they are not then played with, but are instead showcased in the right light in glass cabinets or stowed away safely to keep them in tip-top condition for the future. In some cases, they may significantly increase in value.

The company IXO only recently launched a highly detailed model kit of the most expensive used car ever sold, a classic from the 1930s. The “Baron de Rothschild” Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic 1:8 scale model features more than 515 elements, functioning front and rear lights, sound effects (engine and horn) and numerous moving parts as well as a realistic engine compartment. The riveted chassis is faithfully reproduced.

Lego has developed the Walt Disney Tribute Camera to mark Disney’s 100th anniversary. The detailed, 811-piece, collectible set for adults combines multiple spectacular memorabilia, including a vintage-style film camera and a clapperboard with multiplane camera. Also included are three Disney minifigures – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Walt Disney – plus Bambi and Dumbo animal figures. Grown-ups who love Disney can now fully express this.

Creative Fantasy

Role playing, miniature and trading card games take players into fantastic worlds where they can immerse themselves in epic adventures, prove their strategic prowess and compete in events.

In role playing games, the players take on a particular role. The gamemaster maintains the narrative flow in the game world. Each player assumes the role of a certain character with special attributes that they can assemble themselves and add to as the game progresses. In Hasbro’s action-packed adventure Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle, heroes battle monsters, find treasure and undertake epic quests. The starter set contains the essential rules of the game and everything needed to play the heroic characters caught up in an ancient war among dragons as they explore the secrets of Stormwreck Isle.

Breathtaking battles can be fought and tactical decisions brought to life with miniature games. These tabletop games mainly involve the use of often intricately sculpted and painted miniature figures. Take, for instance, Marvel: Crisis Protocol, which not only contains 25 pieces of terrain, cards, dice and measuring tools but also 13 highly detailed, unmounted and unpainted character miniatures and all accessories needed to get playing. In the tactical miniatures game for two people, players choose Marvel characters from their own collections and pit them against their opponent’s team to complete missions on personalised battlefields.

In trading card games, players can assemble their own decks and then battle others in thrilling duels. However, trading cards are often simply collected and exchanged. Disney Lorcana from Ravensburger is a fantastic trading card game that takes two or more players into the wonderful world of Lorcana. There they take on the role of powerful sorcerers known as Illumineers and use magical inks to summon a team of Disney characters. These are called “glimmers” and appear both as familiar friends and in completely reinterpreted forms. The game is easy to learn, even for people who are new to trading card games. At the same time, it offers strategic depth and challenges for more experienced players. Updates and new sets for the years ahead are already in the pipeline.

Tabletop Games

Just for kids? Definitely not. Tabletop games are also popular among adults and create memorable moments that help us to leave the everyday behind. The world of tabletop games offers infinite variety – whether you enjoy taking on different roles, proving your strategic prowess or creativity, solving tricky cases or simply playing with others.

The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth from Asmodee is a cooperative game for one to five players. A group of heroes embark on a perilous journey through J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic and vast fantasy world. Along the way, they battle powerful foes, find treasure that was thought lost, discover forgotten knowledge and enhance their abilities.

EXIT – The Game: The Sunken Treasure from Kosmos brings with it the tension and team spirit of a live escape room. While searching for the wreck of the Santa Maria, the players end up in a dangerous adventure. Lost treasure inside the ship beckons. But the group is trapped deep underwater and their air is running out. Will the players succeed in solving the puzzles and recovering the treasure? Each lock has a puzzle and three-digit code. Creativity and logical thinking are a must, because there is no game plan. The team itself must find out what there is to discover.

Burbling rivers, rustling forests, wheat fields swaying in the wind and here and there a little village – that’s Dorfromantik! The gaming community has been entranced by the video game from small indie studio Toukana Interactive since March 2021, which has already won numerous notable awards. Pegasus Spiele has now transformed the popular landscape-building strategy and puzzle game into Dorfromantik – The Board Game, which stays close to the original video game. The game was named Game of the Year in 2023 in Germany.

About the author

Stefanie Jäger works as Senior Marketing & Content Manager at Spielwarenmesse eG. Together with the international TrendCommittee, she looks for the hottest trends for the Spielwarenmesse every year. She presents these in a special area, such as "Life's a playground" in 2024. For the Toy Business Forum, she has had her finger on the pulse of the toy industry, retail and marketing for 15 years.