The BEST episodes of The Toys That Built America season 3

Every episode of The Toys That Built America season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Toys That Built America season 3!

Against the backdrop of major events in American history like the Civil War and the Great Depression, "The Toys that Built America" shares a different story—one that brings new products and nostalgic toys to the forefront as driving forces behind untold cultural and economic shifts.

Last Updated: 11/1/2024Network: HistoryStatus: Ended
Video Game Visionaries
star
8.22
18 votes

#1 - Video Game Visionaries

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/29/2023

Thanks to the industry-defining innovations of three men through the creation of games like Super Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon, Nintendo goes from a struggling playing card company to a video game juggernaut.

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Game Night Legends
star
8.18
17 votes

#2 - Game Night Legends

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/5/2023

In the 1970s, the board game industry is aimed almost entirely at children, until a literal game changer comes along in Trivial Pursuit. Redefining the possibilities for adult fun, it opens up a whole new genre, while also setting the stage for another legendary picture-perfect game.

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Mind Game Masters
star
8.09
22 votes

#3 - Mind Game Masters

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/22/2023

Before World War II, board games are mostly simple, but postwar peace and prosperity reveals a demand for more challenging pastimes. After decades of struggle, three different innovators break the mold to release games that combine fun with an intellectual challenge: Scrabble, Clue and Yahtzee.

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Old Games, New Twists
star
8.06
16 votes

#4 - Old Games, New Twists

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/26/2023

As toys become increasingly complex in the early 1970s, two unconventional inventors risk their homes and careers to bring revolutionary twists to classic games; together, Uno and Connect Four unleash a wave of family-friendly games.

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Mighty Mutant Mayhem
star
7.94
17 votes

#5 - Mighty Mutant Mayhem

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/12/2023

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles high kick their way into the action figure market in the late 1980s, opening the door for a new kind of martial arts toy. But their place at the top is soon challenged by a mighty morphin phenomenon that takes the world by storm.

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Transforming Toy Invasion
star
7.91
22 votes

#6 - Transforming Toy Invasion

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/15/2023

In 1983, underdog company Tonka sets out to bring the transformable robot from Japan to America, but they're soon confronted by an industry giant as Hasbro has its own competing toy line.

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Happy Accidents
star
7.71
14 votes

#7 - Happy Accidents

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/3/2023

Two chance discoveries in the 1950s turn mundane industrial materials into legendary toys; Etch A Sketch and Play-Doh will rake in billions for decades to come, but not everyone will reap the rewards.

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Most Valuable Toys
star
7.69
16 votes

#8 - Most Valuable Toys

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/17/2023

From Lionel Trains to video games, for the right collector our cherished childhood toys can be worth millions! Over the last three decades, people have paid some truly outrageous prices to get their hands on that elusive toy they always wanted. But which ones are the most valuable of all time?

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The Prank Toy Race
star
7.63
16 votes

#9 - The Prank Toy Race

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/17/2023

For six decades two silly, but savvy entrepreneurs--S.S. Adams and H. Fishlove--turned their love of a good joke into a booming prank toy industry. Their heated rivalry produced hundreds of tricks and gags that entertained and annoyed four generations of Americans, many of which are still being sold to this day.

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The Santa that America Built
star
7.53
15 votes

#10 - The Santa that America Built

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/10/2023

Santa Claus is one of the most beloved figures -- and famous faces -- on Earth, a symbol of hope and goodwill for all; this is the story of the creative minds, brands, and major events that shaped the image of jolly ol' St. Nick.

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'90s Fad Toys
star
7.41
17 votes

#11 - '90s Fad Toys

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/10/2023

From Furbys to Pogs, the 1990s were full of unforgettable fad toys! It was a decade where old school toys like Beanies Babies went head-to-head with high tech wonders like Tamagotchi, and desperate parents would do anything to get their hands on them.

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Hottest Wheels
star
7.08
13 votes

#12 - Hottest Wheels

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/10/2023

Whether you wear them, ride them, push them, or drive them, some of the funnest toys of childhood are built on wheels. From the velocipede to the Schwinn Stingray, or even pedal cars to Power Wheels, we’re rolling our way through the history of the hottest toys on wheels and the surprising stories behind their creations.

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