Columns
Toy of the Week: Catra (Princess of Power)
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…
Toys
Retro Wiki
Yahtzee
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…
Columns
Toy of the Week: Medley of My Little Pony
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…
70s
Mouse Trap
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…
Columns
Toy of the Week: Hubert the Harris Bank Lion
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…
80s
Risk
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…
Columns
Toy of the Week: Rose Petal from Rose Petal Place
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…
Retro Wiki
Sorry!
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…
Retro Wiki
Monopoly
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…
70s
Electric Football
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…
Retro Wiki
Battleship
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…
80s
Penny Racers
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…
80s
Favorite Pop Culture Bears of the ’80s
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…
80s
When Toys ‘R’ Us Came To Spartanburg, SC for Christmas 1985
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…
90s
90’s Comic Book Action Figures Found In Jingle All The Way
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…
