PAWTUCKET – Dungeons & Dragons, the fantasy medieval role-playing game, was inducted Thursday into the National Toy Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the The Strong’s National Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y.
“More than any other game, Dungeons & Dragons paved the way for older children and adults to experience imaginative play,” Curator Nic Ricketts said in a statement. “It was groundbreaking. And it opened the door for other kinds of table games that borrow many of its unique mechanics. But most importantly, Dungeons & Dragons’ mechanics lent themselves to computer applications, and it had a direct impact on hugely successful electronic games like World of Warcraft.”
Dungeons & Dragons, from Hasbro Inc.’s Wizards of the Coast brand, made its debut in 1974. Players assume roles of characters that inhabit a world moderated and narrated by a Dungeon Master. The special dice for Dungeons & Dragons hold up to 20 sides, and rolling them determines each character’s strengths, their interactions and how encounters will end.
Hasbro weighed in on the induction: “Dungeons & Dragons embodies Hasbro’s goal of creating the world’s best play and entertainment experiences, and we are extremely proud to see D&D be inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame alongside many other brands in our portfolio like Twister, Candy Land, The Game of Life, Mr. Potato Head and the Easy-Bake Oven,” John Frascotti, president of Hasbro Brands, said. “D&D has enabled fans to create their own stories for more than 40 years, and we look forward to continuing to inspire imaginations by providing amazing play experiences.”
In addition to Dungeons & Dragons, other toys inducted into the Hall of Fame include the swing and Mattel’s Little People.
Honorees were selected from 12 finalists that also included: bubble wrap, Care Bears, Clue, coloring book, Nerf, pinball, Rock’Em Sock’Em Robots, Transformers and Uno.
