Back in the 1980s, toys were to play with, but they were also a status symbol, holiday holy grails, and the stuff of schoolyard legends.
Some toys were everywhere, but others? Only the luckiest kids ever got their hands on them. Whether it was because they were too expensive, constantly sold out, or just wildly ahead of their time, these toys gave you the ultimate bragging rights.
These were the toys you circled in the catalogs you bored yourself with and hoped for with all your might. This gallery takes you back to the rarest, coolest, and most wanted treasures of the 80s toy world.
1
Teddy Ruxpin
A talking bear with a cassette deck? Pure expensive tech magic
2
G.I. Joe Aircraft Carrier USS Flagg
Holy grail of action figure sets, cost a fortune and a little more.
3
Barbie Dreamhouse
Only if you were the luckiest you had the full set.
4
Power Glove
Rare, expensive, and mostly useless.
5
Rainbow Brite
If you had the horse also? Rainbow dreams complete.
6
Castle Grayskull
Owning this meant you ruled the neighborhood.
7
Lite-Brite
Burnt out often but it was pure nighttime art.
8
Lazer Tag
Your ticket to outdoor war games.
9
Micro Machines
Tiny cars were a big deal.
10
Nintendo Entertainment System
Having one when it launched meant you were cool.
11
Speak & Spell
Even E.T. used it and loved it.
12
Transformers Optimus Prime
Royalty on the playground if you had all the parts.
13
My Buddy doll
Half toy, half your new best friend. But honestly, it was kinda creepy.
14
RC cars
Wildly expensive but it made your driveway feel like a racetrack.
15
Big Wheel
Extra points if you had the chrome edition.
16
Voltron lion set
If you had all five lions to build Voltron you were legendary.
17
Atari 2600
Instant popularity and bragging rights.
18
Pogo Ball
Only the brave and balanced could master it.
19
Cabbage Patch Kids
There were literal fights to get these.
20
View-Master
Especially if you got the Deluxe version that had sound.
