First, though, a word about joints. Essentially, GI Joe has them and Barbie doesn't. The WNBA and soccer-playing Barbies have bending knees and elbows, but nowhere in the Barbie aisle did I find a doll with wrist action. And a parent's got to think about this. Try gutting and skinning a deer without moving your wrists while standing on tiptoe and you'll see why the choice of Barbie as a Y2K toy is inherently problematic.
Some dolls are more fantasy play, some are more hair play, and some are activity oriented.
Like every year we have the bathing suit Barbie. Palumbo notes that in 1994, Gymnast Barbie's flat feet and moving wrists hit the market. Camp Barbie appeared on the scene that year as well, though she didn't get the athletic anatomy of her sporty sister. Sadly, both are off the market now, leaving us with slim resources indeed in the Mattel line of dolls. There is an alternative, however.