Toys tagged with 70s - 4/11

Hoppity Hop

Something about being a little kid brings out an irrepressible need to jump and bounce. Who among us didn't mercilessly assault our bedroom mattresses as if they were a circus trampoline? And, if you wanted to go bouncing down the block to a friend's house, and if you weren't quite coordinated enough to handle a pogo stick, there was only one real choice - the Hoppity Hop (or Hippity Hop, if you prefer). In their heyday, these popular playthings filled suburban streets with their distinctive sounds, as happy children everywhere got their bouncing fix.

Hot Wheels

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In the world of die-cast toy cars, attention to detail is appreciated, but what kids really crave is speed. And for over forty years, Mattel's Hot Wheels have delivered the goods, proclaiming themselves not only fast, but the fastest. As such, they have remained enormously popular (and collectable) ever since they were first introduced in 1968.

Hugo, Man Of A Thousand Faces

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Let’s face facts – Mr. Potato Head, lovable as he may be, really couldn’t hold a candle to Hugo, the Man of a Thousand Faces. This was advanced cranium alteration, the opportunity to turn Hugo into the doll of your dreams, or your nightmares. Let’s take a look back at this unforgettable mug.

Hula Hoops

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Fads are not an easy thing to explain, especially to future generations. Take a kid who is accustomed to being surrounded by computers and gaming consoles and try to get them to understand the impact that a simple ring of plastic could have on the populace and you are likely to be met with the blankest of stares. They might even accuse you of making the story up. But truth is often stranger than fiction and the truth is, this single ring of plastic known as the Hula Hoop was something that, at one time, was the most coveted toy in existence. Its popularity transcended both gender and age and got a whole generation to gyrate their hips (and other body parts) with reckless abandon. Let's go back in time.

Hungry Hungry Hippos

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Scientists claim that hippos (Hippopotamus amphibious) are herbivores, but millions of kids can attest otherwise. Their experience suggests that these gentle beasts have an insatiable appetite for little white marbles. Many a feeding frenzy has been observed during the course of a rousing round of Hungry Hungry Hippo.

Intellivision

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The video game console wars of the early 80s were reminiscent of the video format wars a few years earlier, where VHS won the popularity contest hands-down, yet Betamax still boasted a better quality. In this arena, the Atari 2600 played the role of the VHS tape and underdog challenger was Mattel’s Intellivision, a fine little video game system that never quite captured the same spotlight, but will forever be remembered by many from that era as the superior system.

KerPlunk

Lawn Darts

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Every once in a while, a toy is released with all of the good intentions of the world, and yet, no matter how popular it may become, an unforeseen safety issue arises which requires that it be removed from store shelves. Few, however, have the dubious distinction of being outlawed completely, which brings us to Lawn Darts - those popular ground-piercing projectiles that sent more than a few tykes to the emergency room back in the day. Let’s take a look.

Lego

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Perhaps the most foremost and beloved building blocks of all times, Lego is known the world over for their constructive and colorful bricks that can build most anything - from an airplane to an x-wing fighter, from an airport to a pirate ship to just about anything you can dream of. Today, we take a look at the history of the Lego company and their legacy of toys, video games and theme parks.

Lie Detector

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For future gumshoes of the world, who needed a challenge greater than the iconic Clue game could provide, came the much more challenging detective game of the 60s – Lie Detector. Not only were up-and-coming sleuths faced with a staggering 24 suspects, rather than the six regulars that inhabited the competing game, but a real-life Official Mattel Lie Detector was included to put the screws on the suspected perpetrator.