By 1980 Palitoys efforts were rewarded when Action Man was presented the highly prestigious 'Toy of the Decade' award by the National Association of Toy Retailers, however by this point the toy market landscape had changed, thanks to the introduction of Star Wars two years earlier. Star Wars toys introduced a new scale concept which allowed for a greater range of products to be produced. The action figures were 3 3/4" compared to the 12" height of an Action Man.