From Bakugan and Ben 10 to Moxie Girlz, the must-have toys for Christmas this year have been revealed by Planet Fun, the largest New Zealand owned toy company.

“Toys $60 or under with well known brands take up the most space under the Christmas tree in 2009” predicts Jeremy Kirk-Smith, Planet Fun Director and well known toy industry figure.

It has been a tough year for many Kiwi families. We’ve found that while kids aren’t missing out, people are definitely more careful about how much they spend and smart about the brands they choose.”

Kirk-Smith says that inexpensive “pocket-money brands” made a big come-back in 2009, the fastest selling being GoGo Crazybones, an $8 collectable toy. Considering that trend and others throughout the year, here are the ten toys predicted by Planet Fun to be the biggest sellers for 2009:

Bakugan Battle Brawlers Starter Pack RRP: $27.99

Bakugan is the must-have brand for primary school boys, and has been the hottest boys brand in 2009. Bakugan are small spheres that pop open into powerful Bakugan monster action figures when skillfully rolled onto the game’s magnetic cards. G-Force points are added up to reveal the winner – don’t mention the math element though!

Moxie Girlz Dolls RRP: From $34.00

The hot doll for Christmas 2009 is Moxie Girlz. Finally a doll on the Top 10 list that kids and parents can agree on. These new babes are more sweet than street! Moxie Girlz encourages young girls to be individual and creative: the Art-itude range allows girls to personalise and colour-in their dolls clothes to create one-of-a-kind look. 

Bananagrams Word Game RRP: $29.99

Bananagrams is a fast and fun anagram game that’s starting to make a big impact, and is picked to be the big hit these holidays. The best thing about Bananagrams, apart from the irresistible banana packaging, is that it a-peels to 5 year olds to 85 year olds. It’s based on a well known game formula, but it can be finished in as little as 5 minutes and everyone plays at the same time so no waiting around for your turn!

Ben 10 Ultimate Omnitrix RRP: $49.99

No Christmas list would be complete without Ben 10!  With the Ben 10 Omnitrix watch kids can become Ben 10 and help defend the planet! Ben 10 toys are some of the most innovative available, and with this particular one there is a mini translucent figure that attaches to the watch, lights up and unlocks each alien’s special sound! It’s the essential must-have toy for Ben 10 fans!

Gogo’s Crazy Bones RRP: From $7.99

The perfect stocking filler! This is the hottest collectable of the year, GoGo’s Crazy Bones. The small packs of colourful characters, each with a unique face and name. There are hundreds to collect and lots of games that can be played with them, which is why they became a school ground craze!

LeapFrog Scribble & Write RRP: $57.99

Another amazing innovation from LeapFrog, the masters of turning play time into learning time! The Leapfrog Scribble & Write teaches kids how to write upper and lower case letters in a fun and independent way. Kids press the letter that they want to write, and the light on the screen shows them how to do it together with verbal coaching. LeapFrog is the brand that brought us big Top 10 winners in the past with LeapPad and the Tag Reading System.

Ripstik Caster Board RRP: $219.99

Expected to be as big in 2009 as the scooter was a few years back, the popular Ripstik blends the carving of surfing and snowboarding into a sport for dry land.  The independently rotating platforms and two inclined caster wheels generate speed and create a fun carving motion on the pavement while allowing tight twists and turns without pushing. The multi-award winning Ripstik will top the list for thrill seekers!

Mixi Chix Fashion House RRP: $69.99

Mixi Chix are a delightful new innovation from Beados, the small bead craft that became the number 1 seller in 2008. Mixi Chix are similar to Beados in that the pieces stick together after a spray of water, but these are doll parts instead of beads. Girls love crafts and being able to make your own dolls seems to be the ultimate!

Pony in My Pocket Little Homes RRP: $17.99

Little girls love miniature animals, and the In My Pocket range has been one of the top brands in 2009. The new pony range is picked to be the big winner this Christmas. There are loads of these realistic fuzzy little ponies to collect, with Little Homes that connect and stack to build a pony neighbourhood! Adorable!

Tech Deck Sk8 Shop Bonus Pack $29.99

Tech Deck is again on the list! The replica skateboard collectables are an all round winner that appeal to a wide age group of boys. This is the only brand with the hot authentic skate brands which is why Tech Deck is by far the most popular. This is a supremely cool toy with amazing board graphics, from real skate companies like Flip, Baker, Plan B, Zoo York and World Industries to name a few.