Category Archives: Toys from 1990s

Toys of the 1990’s or 90’s popular toys, technology and the evolution of films and newer technologies lead to massive grossing toy sales. CD sales were rocketing and Computers were growing in popularity and starting to appear in the home.

The Internet began to take off in the later years. Outstanding sales of Nintendos Gameboy Handheld console were recorded as a bestseller for two years running, and later models evolved into GameBoy Colour, and GameBoy slim and in recent times the DS and 3D DS versions.

Cyberbets like Tamagotchi were a massive seller and appealed to the masses of kids as the price point was under $15.

Buzz Lightyear A key character from the huge Toy Story movies made this a must have toy and huge Christmas sell out for a couple of years with a highly popular initial product and a popular follow up.

Silly Putty

Silly Putty was invented during the second world war by Chemists who were concerned about the rubber supply began researching synthetic replacements. They stuck upon a stretchable, solid liquid material sure it was of no use at all in the war effort… but it was sold as a novelty toy inside plastic eggs. They benefited from a report in the New Yorker and as a result an order for 250,000 was asked for!

The silicone polymers used allow it to bounce and be manipulated but if you were to strike it with a hammer it will break. Its liquid silicone internal makes it act as a liquid over a long time and if you left it long enough it would form a puddle, it is a solid over a short term. continue reading>>

Tickle Me Elmo

Tickle Me Elmo was a huge seller with the original Tickle Me Elmo plush doll during Christmas season of 1996.His catchphrase in Elmo speak was giggles and saying “That Tickles” when his belly was squeezed. If you squeezed three times in a row it would send him in a laughing ans shaking frenzy. Without doubt was one of the hardest to find toys of the year.

In 1997 the range extended to Tickle Me Big Bird, Ernie, and Cookie Monster none of these came close to the sales of Elmo. These were then re-released as mini version of each toy. continue reading>>

Original Slinky

Slinky is another favourite with kids of many generations, simply falling or slinking down the stairs still keeps the kids entertained, for a while at least just dont get it it tangled up. Just place it at the top of the stairs and then move one end partly down to the next step and watch it move down with that memorable swoosh noise.

The Slinky began in 1945 as part of an antivibration device by Richard James an American naval engineer. He thought the spring might be useful as a toy because of its comical walking behaviour. During his work one of the springs fell to the floor and seemed to ‘walk’. continue reading>>

Easy Bake Oven

Launched in 1963 and one of Hasbro’s top-selling items in the following decades and still respectable sales in current times. Easy-Bake ovens continue to be used some 50 years later. Over 30 million ovens have been sold and over 150 million mix refills used and counting.

Invented by designers from Kenner Products now owned by Hasbro the first oven was turquoise and included a fake stove top and included a carrying handle. 500,000 were sold @ $15.95 in the first five years.

Many children’s first baking experience was using an Easy-Bake oven. They allowed kids to pretend to be grown up by having their own cooking set and with the ingredients allowed them to experience the awe of mixing and then a short time later tasting their creations… and if they had some left decorating them. continue reading>>

Downfall

Downfall was initially made in 1970 by MB games. It is a 2 player game that promotes forward thinking and planning.

Each player sits either side of a vertical board and both players have ten discs, either red or green with numbers on them. The aim of the game is to get all of your discs to the bottom of the board first by turning the cogs, however the other player is not allowed to turn the other players last cogs.

Players have to plan ahead to ensure that they do not become trapped by the other player or their own discs are not taken out of order by the other players move. It has recently been relaunched by toy giant Hasbro under the name of New Downfall with yellow and red discs. continue reading>>

Mousetrap

First released in 1963 by toy company Ideal and made by Ideal, Mouse Trap is a board game for 2 to 4 players. The aim of the game was at first to co-operate with each other in order to be able to build the Mouse Trap. After this had been completed it was each player for themselves as they go on to trap each others mouse pieces in the trap.

The winner is the last player remaining. In 2006 the game has been re-released with a design change and game play changes.

Hungry Hungry Hippos

Hungry Hungry Hippos was released in 1978 by MB Games. A game for 2 to 4 players where the aim of the game is to get their individual hippo that they are in control of to eat as many marbles as possible.

The hippos are controlled by a lever on their back and when the player pushes the lever the hippo opens the mouth and extends the neck to Gobble up the marbles. They are situated on each side of a game board and are all brightly coloured. The names and the colours of the hippos have changed over the years with the last changes being made in 2009, however the game play and rules have all stayed the same.
In 1991 an arcade version of the game was built with tickets given for the amount of marbles eaten. A live action version has been talked about by film studio Emmett/Furla. continue reading>>

Dream Phone

An interactive board game released initially in the 1980’s for 1 to 4 players with the aim of the game of trying to decipher who is your secret admirer. To win you listen to the clues given via the telephone, each game has a random different admirer who will tell you if you have guessed right on the phone.

The phone will also tell the players who goes first by displaying that players name The game has had a facelift and now has modern extras of text messages aswell as phone calls, it is still aimed soley at girls and is still very popular at sleepovers. continue reading>>

Nickelodeon Gak

Nickelodeon The popular Childrens channel have released a number of toys since the 1980’s, Gak sold millions purely because it made certain noises when placed into its container and when played with. Kids loved the noise and the slime squishy feeling of the bright simulated slime, it was first released in 1992 and re-issued in 1994. Its surprising to think that its key marketing feature was the “fart” noise when squeezed nothing more and nothing less.

Newer products glow-in-the-dark Gak, color changing, and scented gak have all been released. continue reading>>

Must Have Toy

Must Have Toy 2022 | Latest Toy trends, Games, history of retro toys