Awesome 80s Archives : Page 16 of 18 : The Retro Network

New Coke: The Soda That Tried to Rewrite the ’80s

Perhaps one of the darkest days in soft drink history occurred on April 23, 1985, when a true American icon was altered beyond all recognition. Yes, this is the day that Coca-cola announced to the

Yahtzee: From Yacht Parties to Living Rooms Everywhere

The Retro Network

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.

Mouse Trap: Building the Game Was Half the Fun

The Retro Network

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

Risk Was the Board Game That Conquered the World One Roll at a Time

The Retro Network

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

Sorry!: The Board Game Where Payback Is the Point

The Retro Network

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

Monopoly: The Game That Turned Kids Into Tiny Tycoons

The Retro Network

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,

A Brief History of Battleship

The Retro Network

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

Penny Racers Were the Cheapest Fun You Could Have

The Retro Network

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.

ColecoVision: The Console That Tried Everything

The Retro Network

ColecoVision was the Cadillac of home video games back in 1982; a system so powerful, you’d make friends with the biggest jerk on the block just to be near it. Everyone had an Atari—that quaint little

What Was On Television for Halloween 1986

Mickey Yarber

I thought it would be fun to take a look at what was on television for Halloween in 1986. I had the TV Guide issue for that week handy, so I scanned in all the

A Very Special Christmas (1987 album)

OldSchool80s

Back in 1987, a charity album was released titled A Very Special Christmas. The album featured renditions of Christmas classics by some of the biggest names in music at that time and the proceeds went to Special Olympics.

Video Rental Store History Through Early 1980s Newspapers

Jason Gross

Season 2 of the Rental Return podcast recently launched with a Preview Episode hosted by Adam, Chad, and myself. In case you haven’t listened, Rental Return’s tagline is “Tales From the Video Store” which alludes

Remembering “Sports Cartoons” Animated Shorts from the ’80s

Jason Gross

Nickelodeon was one of my favorite cable channels in the ’80s and through the mid ’90s. Shows like You Can’t Do That on Television, Mr. Wizard’s World, and game shows like Finders Keepers were all

Fictional Coaches from ’80s Movies and TV

OldSchool80s

Most sports movies have coaches in them, some beloved and some not so much. During the ’80s, there were several coach characters in movies and on television, some more memorable than others, and I have compiled

Top ’80s Cartoons that Deserve a Reboot

Brian Cave

I know the prospect of rebooting the beloved shows of our youth is a touchy subject. While I love the original versions of many of these shows, I still would love to see some of

Ring Raiders: Crashing on Take-Off

Brian Cave

I ended a previous article saying I’d rather take an Air Raiders cartoon over the Ring Raiders, and I feel the need to explain why. I didn’t find Ring Raiders, the toy or the cartoon,

’80s Toylines That Deserved Their Own Cartoons

Brian Cave

One of the greatest joys I felt as a kid was waking up bright and early on a Saturday morning, getting a bowl of sugary cereal, sitting down in front of the television set, and