9 Best Video Game McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys Of All Time

Ah, the McDonald’s Happy Meal. A staple of American fast food culture. An enticing little box completely lacking in nutrition, but packed to the brim with tasty goodies, and special surprises to play with as you munch.

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The Happy Meal has always had an irresistible appeal to kids worldwide thanks to McDonald’s ability to routinely offer themed toys in each box, usually aligning with pop culture and what’s in the zeitgeist, whether that be a new movie, a cartoon taking the world by storm, or the latest video game that’s the talk of the playground.

We want to focus on the latter, and look back over the decades to say once and for all which of the free goodies ol’ Ronald gave out to kids everywhere was the best of the bunch.

9 Multiversus

(March 12th – April 1st 2024)

Due to the surprisingly limited number of franchises represented on this list, despite my nostalgia demanding a recount, we do have to call in some ringers here. You may not recall, but the recently ill-fated Multiversus was indeed one of the select few gaming franchises to ever appear in a Happy Meal.

While the novelty of seeing some of your favorite cartoon and superhero characters in your Ronald McDonald-sanctioned munchbox would have been rather cool, it has to be said that calling these collectibles ‘toys’ is a bit of a stretch.

These were essentially just small collectible tins with Multiversus branding, which isn’t likely to excite any kid digging around for something to play with while eating. It’s a franchise that is a great fit for a Happy Meal toy, but the ‘toy’ itself, was underwhelming.

8 Crash Team Rumble

(December 5th – 25th 2023)

It’s not the only time that Crash will appear on this list, but it’s certainly the lesser of the two times the Bandicoot lent his likeness to the beloved burger clown.

This promotion was aligned explicitly with Crash Team Rumble, an odd duck as far as multiplayer games go, offering casual MOBA gameplay through the lens of a typical Crash platformer. Weird for sure, but it had its moment in the sun.

A moment that McDonald’s seized upon, but in the most naff way possible, offering a series of collectibles that were little more than print-outs, and a couple of bean-bags that would be criminal to label as plushies.

These toys could have been nitro-fueled gifts to give this game a boost, but instead, they somewhat reflect the state of the game today.

I promise you, the toys get a whole lot better from here.

7 Super Mario Bros. 3

(August 3rd-30th 1990)

Mario is a pretty regular feature at McDonald’s, and while that’s obviously because the mustachioed plumber’s popularity has spanned generations, it’s also partly because he was the one who blazed the trail for others to follow.

Way back in 1990, in line with the third Super Mario Bros. game, Mario would be the first video game franchise ever to get the McDonald’s treatment, with a series of rather nifty toys being produced to market the iconic platformer.

This included a jumping Mario toy, a zooming Luigi on a cloud, a flipping Goomba, a Koopa shell on a string, and a Tanooki Mario toy. All of which, while looking a little rough around the edges, are all collector’s items today.

The fact that they look a little bit bootleg causes them to rank a little lower, but for free toys, you can’t really complain about this assortment.

6 Sonic The Hedgehog 3

(February 4th – March 3rd)

Back in the 1990s, where Mario appeared, Sonic the Hedgehog wouldn’t be long behind. You would think that with all that speed Sonic would be first on the scene, but it would take four years for him to emulate Mario’s McDonald’s appearance.

That said, it was worth the wait as these toys served as great little trinkets for Sonic fans. The assortment featured Dr. Eggman in his Egg Mobile, Knuckles in a cloud of smoke, presumably after smashing down a wall, and of course, Sonic zooming around at breakneck speed.

Again, much like the Mario toys mentioned above, these are rough around the edges to say the least. But, they are still great little oddities that represent the retro releases in the series well. So, if you come across these at a yard sale, pick them up.

5 Spyro & Crash Handheld Toys

(May 13th – June 9th 2005)

I can proudly say that I still own my Spyro version of this toy, and I can still remember the unbridled joy of unpackaging it from my Happy Meal literally decades ago.

In line with the crossover GBA games where worlds collide for the Bandicoot and the plucky little dragon, McDonald’s decided to create little handhelds of their own, offering fun, rudimentary pixel games for fans of both series to enjoy.

One could argue that just playing your GBA would have been a better option, but there’s something about the novelty of a freebie that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Plus, they came in four different variants for each character, which meant return trips to the Maccies drive-thru were a must.

Just shy of the accolade of best McDonald’s gaming handheld toys, as you’ll see in a moment, but a very cool set of toys nonetheless.

4 Sega Handheld Collection

(December 3rd – 27th 2004)

It was a close-run thing, but due to the sheer variety on offer when it comes to the collection of SEGA-endorsed handhelds produced back in 2004, these Happy Meal toys just edged out what was on offer from Crash and Spyro.

Not only did you have a unique game fronted by just about every major character in the Sonic Franchise. You also had a surprise inclusion from the Super Monkey Ball series, making this not just a Sonic line-up, but a SEGA all-stars selection.

Each toy not only offers a surprisingly addictive pixel mini-game, but also looks the part with embossed designs on the casing and vibrant colors that make it stand out from the next.

I used to own both the Super Monkey Ball and Shadow the Hedgehog variant, but it seems they have rolled and run off, respectively. But, I still have the memories, so that’s something.

3 Mario Kart

(March 8th – April 4th 2022)

Mario would appear time and time again after his first appearance in 1990, with stints in Happy Meals for the much-loved Super Mario Movie, and various other promotions just celebrating Mario and the gang for no reason other than Mario being a great series. However, it would take until 2022 before a Mario Spin-off got some love.

Presumably in celebration of Mario Kart as a whole, as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was five years old at this point, McDonald’s decided to create bespoke Mario Kart toys of their own, with a roster of karts and racers for fans to collect and inevitably race off the table while chowing down.

This line-up included Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Toad, Donkey Kong, and Princess Toadstool. A fitting line-up of MK stalwarts to represent the brand.

Surprisingly, we haven’t seen a repeat of this for Mario Kart World, so this is your only chance to grab McDonald’s-sanctioned MK karts. So, you’ll need to dig around in thrift stores for these.

2 Minecraft

(April 1st – May 12th 2025)

Not all the modern McDonald’s Toys are cheap flops, and that is proven by the assortment of Minecraft goodies that were packed alongside all those tasty nuggies just this year at the time of writing.

Serving as a promotion for the Minecraft Movie starring Jack Black and company, the fast-food chain launched a series of themed toys that were actually pretty eye-catching, drawing Minecraft fans everywhere to snag these collectibles while the going was good.

Some of the more movie-related toys were a little underwhelming. But, the toys that simply showcase iconic aspects of the beloved game, like the Creeper or the Villager, are stunning little collector’s items.

The movie was divisive to say the least, but credit where it’s due. These Minecraft-themed toys are rock-solid.

1 Pokemon Black & White (2011)

(June 17th – July 7th 2011)

You might be asking yourself how the heck you haven’t seen any reference to Pokémon on this list to this point, as Poke-maina was very much an early 2000s phenomenon.

Well, the simple fact of the matter is that all Pokémon licensing outside of Japan when it comes to fast-food joints went to none other than Ronald’s biggest rival, the King of Burger King fame.

It wouldn’t be until 2011 that McDonald’s would get their foot in this metaphorical door, but when they did, they went all out to create stunning Pokémon toys in line with the release of Pokémon Black and White.

Naturally, you have Pikachu in the pack, but you also have Unova starters like Tepig, Oshawott, and Snivy, too. Not to mention the snazzy Pokémon cards that came with each figurine to appeal to the TCG fanbase.

This would become a common trend with each Pokémon mainline release, but Black and White was the first, and the end of Burger King’s Pokémon-related reign of tyranny.

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