POSTED: 1:22 p.m. EST November 24, 2003A group that says it wants to stop the marketing of violence to children released Monday its annual "dirty dozen" list of toys it hopes people will avoid when buying holiday gifts.
This year's list includes several brand names with multiple products -- including action figures, movies on DVD and video games -- that are deemed too violent:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -- Casey Jones action figure; TMNT video game
Power Rangers Ninja Storm -- Ninja training playset; video game
Transformers -- Razorclaw action figure; Beast Wars video game
World Wrestling Entertainment -- Training Day action figures; Smackdown! video game
Jak -- Jak II video game
The Hulk -- Roaring Hulk action figure; video game
X-Men -- X-Men United Wolverine action figure; X2 Wolverine's Revenge video game
Spider-Man -- Video game; Wolverine vs. Venom Carnage action figures
2 Fast 2 Furious -- Die cast cars; video game
The Matrix -- "Matrix: Reloaded" DVD; Enter the Matrix video game
Terminator -- "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" DVD; video game
Manhunt -- Video game
"The video game, movie and toy industries continue to market violent products allegedly intended for teens and adults to younger and younger children," said Daphne White, executive director of the Lion and Lamb Project. "Our children are now moved along from the cartoon violence in Ninja Turtles to the cold blooded murder in The Matrix Reloaded (now out on DVD) in just a few short years."
The group also released a list of 20 family-friendly toys that it encourages people to buy, including remote-control cars, three-dimensional puzzles and the "Dance, Dance Revolution" video game.
Columns -- A 3-D form of tic-tac-toe
Addictionary -- Game where players try to get rid of cards by spelling words
Zitternix -- Vertical version of pick-up sticks
Mightier Than The Sword -- Folk tales for strong boys
Whale Rider -- Movie about a girl on a spiritual journey
RC Racer -- Moderately priced remote-control cars
Battery Science -- Book and components for making small projects.
Hullabaloo -- Active musical game
Dance Dance Revolution -- Video game where players follow on-screen directions
Pogo stick -- Traditional toy
Flyer golf -- Indoor disc-golf game
Brainteaser Classics -- Set of eight games
Geosphere -- 3-D puzzle, construction set
Flip-Space Puzzle -- Two-sided puzzle with different views of the solar system
Eraser Clay -- Clay that, when baked, becomes a personalized eraser.
Tow Truck Puzzle -- "Fishing" game for young children
Zoo Tycoon -- Video game that puts kids in charge of a zoo
Magical Flute -- Video game with musical puzzles, riddles
Math Missions -- Video game with math challenges to build a city
Baby gorilla -- Cuddly hand puppet