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>>

Etch A Sketch

The classic drawing board which works by turning the buttons one way or another. Shake the board upside down to erase your picture and start again! The Etch A Sketch is a classic and has been a memory for countless generations.

The traditional color is red and helps make it very memorable amongst most children, however many colors and branding and decals are available in addition to the classic red.

André Cassagnes invented Etch A Sketch by accident in the 1950s the idea for the toy which was a pencil-free pad comprising of aluminium power that could be drawn on, and then easily cleared and reused. He was an electrical technician and noticed when he peeled a clear decal from a light switch his pencil marks were transferred to the opposite face. 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>>

Werebears

Werebears were launched in 1983. They were designed and aimed at the market for boys so that they could have a bear and not fear being bullied for this. They were designed and launched by a children’s author George Nicholas.

Initially there were 4 bears with he names of Fang, Howler, Gums and Grizzler. In 1986 a further bear was launched with the name of Grizzler. With each were bear came a story tape that had two sides. One side telling the bears own story and the other telling the story of how the bears started. This was read by the narrator of bag puss – Oliver Post gate.
The ending of the bears own story was left open for the child themselves to use their imagination and decide upon the ending. continue reading>>

Must Have Toy

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