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Ranking the Animated Barbie Movies I Watched As A Kid

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

A very important, controversial ranking

Although my ranking may be controversial and I am not a Barbie movie expert, I wanted to be nostalgic about my childhood and reminisce about all the fun things I used to watch.

Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale 

This one is last on my list, and here’s why. Love the colors, love Paris, love all of the design and fashion aspects of this movie. But half of this movie is following Ken and I just can’t look at his face for that long without getting annoyed. He’s great don’t get me wrong, but it’s called Barbie for a reason, why is he half of this plot? 

Barbie: A Fairy Secret

  This movie is low on my list for the same reason as above, Ken is the main focus. However, I give bonus points because Raquelle is in this movie and she is hilarious. Every remark, every snide comment, is very entertaining and so therefore it is ranked above the previous. 

Barbie: The Princess and the Popstar

I have watched this movie maybe 3 times. My sister was obsessed with it so I really only watched it because of her. It’s very cute and the music is fun as well so it gets to be in the 12th spot. 

Barbie in A Mermaid Tale

I would put this one a little higher if it weren’t for the awful excuse for the sidekick animal dolphin. Her anxiety gave me anxiety and for that, this movie is not in the top 10. However, I love a good mermaid movie so that’s why it is higher on the list. 

Barbie and the 3 Musketeers

I love a good movie with a badass female main character and this movie gives that to me! However, I still barely understand the plot of this movie so therefore it is lower on the list. LOVE the cute outfits though, props to the animators for designing them. 

Barbie: Mariposa

Part of me wants to put this higher for the pink butterfly wings alone but it simply cannot compare to its competition. It’s a very cute movie which is why it is number nine, but other than that I’m not exactly in awe of this movie and would watch the ones above it first. 

Barbie and the Diamond Castle

My roommates were very upset with me for not putting this one at number one, but I didn’t really watch this much as a kid because I could only watch it at my cousin’s house. 

Barbie as Rapunzel

I had this movie on DVD when I was 7 and let me tell you, the games you could play on the DVD player at the end of this movie were the best and it makes this movie even better. I put this one at seven just because of the post-movie games and also the evil snake is hilarious. 

Barbie: Fairytopia

This one deserves spot number six for Bibble alone. I am extremely entertained by Bibble and always have been. Plus this movie is so pretty and I always feel happy after watching it!

Barbie: Princess Charm School

I recently watched this movie for the first time in a long time and talk about one of the best plot twists of all time! I love the princess dresses and the redemption arc of the daughter. I think it’s one of the better plots in this list but alas it just doesn’t hit the same as the ones above it. 

Barbie as Swan Lake

This one is number four for just being an iconic story that I grew up with. I grew up reading the book Swan Lake so watching it on screen as a Barbie movie was and still is awesome. 

Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper

Princess and the Pauper has amazing music, a really fun plot and just is overall really nostalgic for me. I know that a lot of people put this movie as their number one which is why it is in my top three. But to me, they aren’t as nostalgic as the two above it and I also honestly didn’t watch this one as much as the other two. 

Barbie as the Island Princess

I absolutely adore this movie. I love the animals, I love the character Barbie plays, I love the entire plot and the music as well. I think this movie is such a joy and I could watch it over and over again and still never be bored. Classic number two movie. 

Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses 

This movie deserves to be at the top of this list no matter what other Barbie movies you add on to it. I love the dresses and the shoes, the love interest is so stinking cute and I just love the entire plot of this movie. Deserves the number one spot.

Overall, I love every Barbie movie I’ve seen, so don’t take this list too seriously. If you haven’t seen any of these movies before I highly recommend them as good mood boosters whenever you’re feeling down. 

Sarah Rovner

Wisconsin '25

Sarah is a Biology and Global Health major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois and is passionate about women's health, the ocean, and baseball. She hopes to go into research after graduating.