Starting in the 1970s, people began to cast a suspicious eye on the safety standards used in making toys. Parents and lawmakers began voicing their concerns and this led to new legal standards for what CONTINUE READING…
Few phrases strike more fear in the hearts of parents than, “Can I have a puppy/kitty/bunny/parakeet/lizard?” (for the record, those are separate pet options, not one horrible, genetically-engineered super pet). And with good reason. Mom CONTINUE READING…
Why did I choose this toy? I chose this doll in honor of Jordan Knight’s birthday earlier this week. Also, New Kids on the Block just started their latest “Mixtape Tour” with special guests En CONTINUE READING…
With Hasbro finally giving us a full-fledged GI Joe/Transformers crossover with their Megatron/HISS Tank and Baroness set, it feels like a great time to be a fan of both toylines. We’ve got some toys that CONTINUE READING…
Next week, pop culture will be celebrating the 45th anniversary of Star Wars. The franchise marked a major turning point in pop culture on multiple fronts from cinema to toy marketing. My mom used to CONTINUE READING…
As I’ve mentioned in a few of my previous articles, many popular toy franchises of the 1980’s originated as greeting card characters. Rainbow Brite is no exception. However, instead of being a member of the CONTINUE READING…
I can hear the hobby and professional photographers gasping for breath. No worries. I know a camera isn’t technically a toy. LeClic cameras were so much more than a camera and because I used mine CONTINUE READING…
When I picked Hubert the Harris Bank Lion earlier this month, I knew I wanted to end the month with a lamb or sheep related toy. My mom told me that I used to have CONTINUE READING…
So far, I’ve profiled two toys I still have (Rose Petal and Medley) and one I had when I was little, but gave away as a teenager (Hubert the Harris Bank Lion). This week, I CONTINUE READING…
A bejillion years from now, when archaeologists are digging up the suburban dens of our buried civilization, amid all the broken down ColecoVisions and My Buddy dolls, a Yahtzee box will be reverently dusted off and carted away. CONTINUE READING…
For St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to feature a green toy and this sweet filly fit the bill. The My Little Pony Wikipedia page describes Medley’s coloring as turquoise, but I thought of her more CONTINUE READING…
It may be time to revise the old maxim, “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.” The mousetrap in the board game of the same name may have CONTINUE READING…
When was this toy produced? Hubert the Harris Bank Lion was offered as a premium through Harris Bank in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Was there a Cartoon? Sort of. Hubert was an advertising icon, so CONTINUE READING…
Lay out the board, parcel out the territories, build up the armies, and commence global conquest. Even people who “don’t play strategy games” know Risk. Simple enough for a young mind to grasp, yet elaborate CONTINUE READING…
When was this doll line produced: 1984 Manufacturing Company: The raised print on the doll’s back reads “DKP 1984”, but the doll line was manufactured by Kenner, the same company that produced the original line CONTINUE READING…
Woe to the unlucky Sorry! player, and the torrent of conflicting advice he hears from the little animated angel and devil that perch on either shoulder. Angel: “Show some sportsmanship! Prove you know the fine CONTINUE READING…
A board game that hinges on buying and selling imaginary real estate might not, at first glance, seem like such a shoo-in for the All-Star Toy team. Kids like to pretend, sure…they imagine they’re superheroes, CONTINUE READING…
Ever since enterprising toymakers hit on the gimmick of combining electricity and sports, many a fan has whiled his rainy-day hours away over miniaturized electric versions of his favorite outdoor games. Few U.S. sports are CONTINUE READING…
In this “classic naval combat game,” the open seas were cluttered with ships of war, five on each side. But unlike real war, these nautical enemies decided to play fair, standing perfectly still and taking CONTINUE READING…
Matchbox and Hot Wheels were great for driving fast or for zipping along tracks and play sets, but for the spin-crazy, wheelie-happy, stunt driving kid, only a genuine Penny Racer would do. CONTINUE READING…
There are many memorable non-human characters and mascots throughout history. There are lots of dogs, cats, robots, aliens, monsters and countless other animals as well. One of those animals that made an impact is the CONTINUE READING…
If you were a kid in 1985 and lived near Spartanburg, SC, the excitement of the holiday season had to be intense! While flipping through Google’s Newspaper Archive recently, I happened to notice that “The CONTINUE READING…
If you’ve walked into a Wal-Mart this Holiday season you might have been surprised to see a forgotten 90’s icon on toy shelves. No, not Furby. Not a GigaPet. Not even the juggernaut that was CONTINUE READING…
BattleForce 2000 is an all-time favorite as an adult collector, yet as I’ve been around the G.I. Joe community, I’ve found that there’s not much love for BattleForce 2000. 1987 was generally the beginning of CONTINUE READING…
I don’t know about you, but commercials can often take me back to my formative years as quickly as any song or movie can. That is why we will continue this semi-regular feature on ’80s commercials CONTINUE READING…
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