Toys

Merchandising is the driving force behind the My Little Pony franchise. The My Little Pony Friendship is Magic retail toys come in several varieties: Playful Ponies, which are the "standard" size G4 toys; Fashion Style ponies, which are the large G4 toys; and "Ponyville", which are the small variety of toys.

The standard and large toys have brushable, colorful, style-it-yourself hair that follows the classic My Little Pony toy lines for which the franchise is known. All of the available toys are covered extensively on the My Little Pony G4 doll index.

Playful Ponies
This is the "standard" line of Friendship is Magic toys. Each includes a smaller pony mold with brushable hair, a saddle or wagon, an animal companion, and comb. A Ponyville Gift Set was released that contains fully-sculpted Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, and Spike which are about the size of the Playful Ponies.

Shine Bright ponies
Slightly larger ponies than the basic assortment, the Shine Bright Ponies' primary gimmick is a light-up section when their saddle is pressed. Their forelegs are articulated at the shoulders. Apparently these were once commonly available in 2010, but are now Target exclusives. There are two versions of Pinkie Pie with shine bright necklace: the original 2010 issue which has normal hair and a yellow saddle, and the Target Canterlot Exclusive reissue with tinsel in her hair and a purple saddle. Currently released characters include Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and an exclusive Princess Luna bundled with the Canterlot Castle Playset.

Glimmer Wing ponies
Basic ponies with large butterfly-like wings attached to them. They are similar to Rarity's wings in Sonic Rainboom. Released characters include Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Ploomette. Future characters to be released include Fluttershy (in the Pony Wedding line), Daisy Dreams (in the Pony Wedding line), Diamond Rose (bundled with Pinkie Pie in the Target exclusive Crystal Empire line), and Sweet Song (bundled with Fluttershy in the Target exclusive Crystal Empire line).

Fashion Style ponies
Large versions of the characters, each sporting a unique dress and accessories. The dresses are similar to the Gala outfits seen in the episode The Best Night Ever. Some of them came bundled with a DVD containing the episode The Ticket Master as part of a North American limited time offer. Characters released include individual releases of the main 6 ponies and a Target exclusive Canterlot line release of Princess Luna and Princess Celestia in a bundle together. Celestia and Luna are to be released individually as part of the Pony Wedding line, Derpy is to be released individually as the 2012 Special Edition My Little Pony   , and Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are to be released in a bundle together as part of the Target exclusive Crystal Empire line.

Mini-figures
In addition to the larger toys, there are mini-figures which are sold in individual "mystery packs", in sets of several ponies, or individually. There have been 5 waves of mystery pack toys, introducing male ponies in Wave 3, and Pegasus unicorn ponies in Wave 5.

The mystery packs toys are sold in opaque packaging without noting which toy is in the bag. The contained pony can be identified by comparing a barely visible serial number at the back of the mystery pack with an identical list of each mystery pack pony's serial number. As of November 2011, these bags have only appeared in continental European markets. Hasbro have stated that the bags should start appearing in UK markets during the autumn/winter period of 2011, though some of the actual figures (those of the main cast excluding Fluttershy) are on sale in separate boxes. Midway through January 2012, Wave 3 bags started appearing in Asda stores. In late-January 2012, Wave 1 of the blind bags began appearing in Oceania.



Several of these smaller ponies are available in North America in open blister packs which have been found in sparse numbers at various Big Lots stores. Some of these figures are available in alternate packaging in the United States; a four-figure set at Meijer stores, and a twelve-figure Pony Collection Set in a single case/box with collector cards at Toys "R" Us. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle are also available in Playhouse Puzzle sets, which includes a large puzzle of the pony's home, and a mystery pack figure. A full line of 24 (apparently Wave 1, including three "sparkle" specials) became available at Wal-Mart around February 2012; they began appearing at other stores (Meijer, Toys'R'Us) in late March.

Another twelve-figure set, the Friendship Celebration Collection, is to be released by Toys "R" Us as part of the upcoming Pony Friends Forever line.

A seven-figure set, the Pony Rainbow Collection, is to be released by Target as part of the upcoming Crystal Empire line.

McDonald's Happy Meal
In January 2011, McDonald's started carrying special Hasbro's Friendship is Magic dolls as their girl's line Happy

Meal toy. The ponies available are the main cast, Cheerilee, Princess Celestia and a unknown purple with yellow mane. The dolls have sculpted manes and brushable tails. Outside the US and Canada, McDonald's did not always carry the full line if they held the promotion.

In March of 2012, U.S. McDonald's brought Friendship is Magic back in their girls' Happy Meal line-up. The ponies available are the main cast, Cheerilee, and Lily Blossom. They once again have sculpted manes and brushable tails and include a comb.

Latin American Light-up McDonalds Happy Meal
Latin America received a set of four Light-Up ponies for their McDonalds Happy Meal promotion. The four ponies are Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle.

So Soft
Plush versions of characters as babies. Currently released characters include Pinkie Pie "Learns to Walk", Newborn Sweetie Belle, Newborn Sunny Daze, Newborn Spike the Dragon, and Newborn Rainbow Dash.

Pillow Plush
Large pillow plush ponies, currently available only in the Target exclusive Canterlot line of merchandise. The only currently released character is Twilight Sparkle, whose eyes face away from each other (similarly to some toys of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna).

Jumbo Plush
Large plush ponies, currently available only as Toys "R" Us exclusives. Currently released characters include Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie.

Animated Storyteller Interactive Plushes
Made by toy manufacturer Kid Designs under the license of Hasbro. Each pony can sing a few songs and tells 4 different stories based off of episodes from the show. Currently released characters include Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. The stories that come with the Twilight Sparkle plush are Friendship is Magic, part 1, Friendship is Magic, part 2, The Ticket Master and Applebuck Season. The Pinkie Pie plush comes with the following stories: Griffon the Brush-Off, Dragonshy, Swarm of the Century and Fall Weather Friends.

Bubble toys
Novelty toy manufacturer Imperial Toy has licensed the character Pinkie Pie for a series of bubble-blowing toys. Seven are currently available, two of which have a Pinkie Pie plastic figurine.

Pony Princess Wedding Castle
Includes a plastic castle, Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance. Set to be released August 2012.[2]



Toys "R" Us Exclusive Pack
Showcased at the 2012 New York Toy Fair, a set of: Daisy, DJ Pon-3, Night Mare Moon, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Trixie

and an unidentified unicorn mare (resembling the blue-eyed variation of Lemon Hearts, but with Lemon Tart's cutie mark) will be released in Toys "R" Us stores in Fall 2012.

Miniature Collection
Small, mystery pack sized miniatures sold in packs of three. In May 2012, the official My Little Pony Facebook page released the announcement that the sets would come to stores Fall 2012. The three sets were showcased in their gallery. Apple Family featured Applejack, Big Macintosh, and Granny Smith. Pony Wedding featured Shining Armor, Cadance, and Twilight Sparkle. Cloudsdale featured Rainbow Dash, Gilda, and a yellow-maned Wonderbolt.

Playful Ponies
A glow in the dark Zecora was shown at the 2012 New York Toy Fair to be released in Toys "R" Us stores Fall 2012.

Two Playful Ponies have shown up on the Chinese auction site Taobao: a green earth pony with pink hair and a mint cutie mark, which closely resembles the mystery pack toy Minty, and a blue earth pony with pink hair and a cupcake cutie mark, similar to the mystery pack toy Sweetie Blue. Official launch dates are unknown.

Gallery

 * Toys gallery