Classic Games Make A Comeback

By Kevin Reed

It might all seem like fun and games to the consumer, but for the toy industry, it's anything but.

Miss a hot trend, and you miss cashing in on the motherlode. Saturate the marketplace and, like the recent scooter craze, a once profitable commodity finds it's way to the bargain aisle.

Hundreds of hours of product testing and research are still no match for the whims that peak a childs interest, making the development of the next big thing on the toy shelves anything but an exact science.

Furby, that animatronic wonder from a couple of years ago was a must-have, but no amount of color, size, or character variations could keep the talking robotic toy's sales from sputtering as newer, more technically advanced interactive gizmos passed it by.

Less fleeting than Furby, It's the simpler playthings that remain the tried-and-true perennial favorites that toy makers crave.

Duncan yo-yos have enjoyed incredible staying power throughout the years and Hot wheels, the No.1 selling toy across all categories still outlasts other challengers as a bench mark of how to build a best-seller.

Taking a page from a turn towards nostalgia, Mattel has re-introduced a trio of cool classics that baby boomers are sure to fondly remember as much as their kids will enjoy as a change from current techno-heavy toys.

Culled from the company's vast portfolio of games, Mattel has brought back the Magic 8 Ball, the mystical fortune telling toy that's celebrating it's 55th anniversary.

Originally made by the Alabe Crafts company and billed as a novilty item and paperweight, the Magic 8 Ball's humorous answers to 'yes or no' questions that pop up into it's 'Spirit Slate' window has won over children as well as the inner-child in adults ever since it's introduction in the 1940s.

Tyco took over production of the all-knowing oracle until that company was absorbed by Mattel. Also available in a miniature key chain size, the new roll-out also coensides with the introduction of an accompanying Magic 8 Ball board game.

Also making a comeback is the toy that was a real knockout - literally.

Rock'em Sock'em Robots, the game that pits players against one another at the controls of two brawling robots - the Blue Bomber and the Red Rocker - was a favorite among boys when it first hit toy shelves in the 1960s. Kids could manipulate their robots punches and movements from outside the squared circle with levers until a match concluded with a jaw-shattering jab that would sent the losers head flying up. The new version comes with all the features of the original game and is currently available at an approximate retail price of $14.95.

From the boxing ring to the gridiron, another successful game comes out of retirement with the return of Mattel Electronics Football, now renamed Classic Football.

A forerunner of today's hand-helds like Nintendo's Game Boy, Electronic Football was launched in late 1977 and was first sold exclusively through the Sears catalog. Quite plain by today's standards but elaborate for it's time, the game required players to fight their way across a miniature football field while avoiding defenders who's movements were controled by the game itself in one player mode.

Large up,down and left/right buttons guided little red LED lights that represented players while "score" and "status" buttons enabled those on offense to track the progress of first downs and time remaining on the game clock.

Originally thought to be a risky venture, the initial number of units shipped was held to only 100,000. By early the next year Mattel knew it had a winner when sales began reaching 500,000 per week.

A sequel, Football II, was later released that gave players the ability to pass the ball - a feature missing from the earlier model. Baseball, hockey, soccer and basketball soon joined the line-up of hand-held sports games to capitalize on the popularity.

The new, updated version still features the same look of the older game, with liquid crystal display (LCD) replacing the old light-emitting diode (LED) which makes for smoother play. The game retails for around $15 and can be found at most toy and department stores as well as through online sellers.

About the Author:

Pop Culture - it's everywhere and you cant avoid it. I was there for the great CB Radio craze in the 70's, and remember Pet Rocks? (never could get the darn thing to fetch) Mood Rings? Don't know if the thing ever worked or not because all mine ever registered was stress. And lets not forget about Sea-Monkeys, they never quite resembled the fanciful creatures on the package, but they were kinda neat anyway.

More than just tracking what's "in" and what fads are the newest rage, popular culture is how we mark our identity on our life and times. From Hula Hoops and Drive-ins to the Slinky, they provide us with the memories of where we were and where we are headed. They are the things that matter, because they are the things that last. A native of San Diego, California, I now make my home in Illinois with my wife and two daughters and work as a freelance writer. Suite 101 has been a part of my " favorites" list from the day I first ran across it and became a member. I look forward to joining the ranks of these talented editors and bringing a bit of a fun and interesting subject to share with everyone. Enjoy....

Article courtesy of www.suite101.com.