The Fad Toy Everyone Wanted the Year You Were Born

[Low End Derrick]

The Most Popular Toy Everyone Was Obsessed With the Year You Were Born

Furbies and GameBoys and Squishmallows, oh my!

www.cosmopolitan.com

Imma start off in 1970 and go up to '94.

Ion think theres many 55+ or sub 30 year olds on here...

1970: GI Joe​

The creation of this line of plastic soldiers eventually led to the coining of the term "action figure."

1971: Weebles​

These Hasbro egg-shaped characters were a hit for their ability to wobble, but not fall down. The toys made a revival in 2010 after a new line of larger Weebles were released.

1972: Boggle​

In this popular game, players use a letter grid and a sand timer to find as many words as possible. This was back in the days before we had Wordle.

1973: NERF​

These foam-based toys stand for "non-expanding recreational foam" and earn around $400 million a year in revenue.

1974: Connect Four​

This two-person game is as simple to learn as it is addictive to play.

1975: Pet Rock​

Who needs a cat or a dog when you can get a pet rock? These smooth stones made the perfect '70s pets, complete with googly eyes.

1976: Skateboard​

Whether you're a skateboard novice or you're fully running on rocket power, skateboards have made a huge impact on pop culture since they rolled into existence in the '50s. They didn't officially go mainstream until the early '70s, when Frank Nasworthy created polyurethane skateboard wheels and gave skateboards the traction and performance capabilities they have today.

1977: Atari 2600​

This home video game console is known for popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and ROM cartridges with game code, allowing players to play games that aren't already built into the unit. One giant step for gamers.

1978: Hungry Hungry Hippos​

Few games portray the munchies quite as accurately as this one. The Hippos even have names: Sweetie, Bottomless, Veggie, and Picky. What a crew!

1979: Baby Alive Doll​

This doll eats, drinks, and wets herself, for better or for worse. Everybody played house when they were little—and this life-like toy made it feel like the real thing.

1980: Rubiks Cube​

Originally called the Magic Cube, this cubic puzzle was invented by Hungarian sculptor and architecture professor Ernő Rubik. It may seem challenging, but there are 43 quintillion ways to solve this puzzle. Talk about options!

1981: Strawberry Shortcake​

This super-sweet cartoon and her cat, Custard, were originally designed for greeting cards. By the '80s, every little girl wanted a piece of the Strawberry Shortcake franchise, buying stickers, dolls, and playing her video game on the Atari 2600.

1982: Glo Worm​

This toy's head would light up when its plush worm body was squeezed.

1983: Cabbage Patch Kids​

These plastic cherubs have consistently stayed one of the most popular dolls worldwide. And, contrary to popular belief, they're "born" in the Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia...not in a cabbage patch.

1984: My Little Pony​

Whether you're a horse person or not, My Little Pony was a staple. These ponies dominated the toy scene and quickly became a major entertainment franchise.

1985: Pound Puppies​

Before Beanie Babies were relevant, Pound Puppies ruled the stuffed animal scene. This Tonka Toy line inspired an animated special, two animated series, and a movie.

1986: Popples​

These colorful little marsupials rolled up into furry pom-poms and made a hubbub both in the toy world and on television.

1987: Teddy Ruxpin​

This animatronic teddy bear had a built-in cassette player in his body and would read you stories. Creepy, but also convenient, no?

1988: Nintendo Entertainment System​

The 8-bit home video game console was the first of Nintendo’s mega-sellers, bringing the likes of Mario and Zelda into seemingly every living room in America.

1989: Game Boy​

The handheld game console meant parents could banish their children from all those aforementioned living rooms. Kids now could play their favorite games anywhere…as long as they had four AA batteries.

​

 

[Low End Derrick]

1990: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles​

The TMNT already had a popular animated series, but a 1990 live-action film was such a smash, it made related merchandise a must-have that year—and for much of the '90s.

1991: Sega Genesis​

Also known as the Mega Drive, Sega's answer to Nintendo's dominance in the late 1980s was simple: Bring Sonic the Hedgehog into the mix. The addition of the action-packed game with your purchase secured the console as a cool product for teens.

1992: Barney plush​

The blockbuster success of PBS's series Barney & Friends naturally meant that children needed to sing "I love you, you love me" to their very own cuddly toy dinosaur.

1993: Talkboy​

This cassette player and recorder was famously created as a prop for Macaulay Culkin in the 1992 movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. After the invention was released to market, demand was so high, toy stores were selling out around Christmas of '93.

1994: Pogs​

The game of milk caps took the country by storm as kids collected pogs emblazoned with their favorite designs...and then battled their friends with slammers. It was often played "for keeps," which, in the high-stakes world of cardboard-circle collecting, was an excellent way to lose said pals.