From Pound Puppies To Tech Deck The Best Christmas Toys You Forgot Existed

As Christmas returns for another year, the battle for the coveted crown as the most coveted item of the year continues.

However, entertainment heavyweights like Mattel, Fisher Price and Play Do are at the top, where OK! We decided to take a more nostalgic approach and look back at some of our favorite games from the past.

Whether you love beanie babies or risk your life trying a Tickle Me Elmo doll while shopping, we all have those toys that made our childhoods special.

You can check out some of the most popular ones in our list below.

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Furby

An electronic robot made by Tiger Electronics in the late 1990s had to be scrapped because children across the country begged their parents to bring home the fuzzy half-hamster half-owl interactive toy.

The game, which begins with "Furbish" dialogue, the unique language used by all Furbies, is designed to help children learn English while interacting with them.

The promising method was considered highly innovative at the time, although this innovation was not without flaws. The US NSA was so concerned about its eavesdropping capabilities that they believed it could be used to record and relay classified information, and subsequently banned it from all NSA facilities.

The Sylvanian Family

Originally created in Japan in 1984, Sylvanian Families was a line of anthropomorphic animal figurines made from assembled plastic that gave a unique twist to traditional dollhouses and their inhabitants.

Each "family" of animals of different ages can be furnished with their own house, porcelain and wooden furniture.

These collectibles were once very popular among adult collectors, but due to their fragility they were later replaced with more durable plastics for younger owners.

The toys were popular in the 1980s and 1990s and spawned their own cartoon series, but their popularity began to wane in the late 1990s when the items were pulled from UK shelves around the turn of the millennium.

Despite their brief absence, they soon returned under new management, and despite many changes in ownership since then, the brand was able to celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2020 - and successfully introduce itself to a new generation of fans. .

Tamagotchi

Invented by Aki Maita and designed by Akihiro Yokoi in 1996, the now iconic Japanese electronic pet was the biggest craze of the 90s and early 2000s.

Owners who raised an animal from birth to death had to feed, play, and nurture the animal to prevent premature death.

Pocket robot pets have been a nuisance for many teachers, as constant requests for a "pet" often mean too many beeps to distract children and disrupt the classroom.

the thought

Bratties first appeared in 2001 after former Mattel employee Carter Bryant came up with a new version of the traditional fashion doll.

Standing just 10 inches tall, they stand out with their eyeshadow-adorned almond eyes, bright, full lips, and heads larger than their bodies.

The dolls are very popular with their target age group and have caused controversy among many parents from their sleek proportions to their fashionable clothing.

They infuriated Mattel itself, which sued the company for the rights to the design. The court later ruled in Bratka's favor even though the Giants lost the match

play boy

Although today's kids are familiar with Nintendo's generation of popular handheld consoles, the original and iconic classic of the Gameboy is still unbeatable.

Often illustrated by the popular and addictive game Tetris with Carbine's thrilling performance, the console became a milestone in gaming history and firmly entered the Gaming Hall of Fame to create a legacy for the next generation of consoles. Including Gameboy Advance and Gameboy Color.

Tag me Elmo

Sesame Street has been a staple of many childhoods since its debut in the 1960s, but it was the release of Tickle Me Elmo in 1996 that revolutionized the world.

The essential gift of the year. Demand for cute and cuddly toys quickly outstrips supply, and customers even fight in stores for their favorite products.

In fact, Tickle Me Elmo has become so popular that some parents have been arrested trying to get one, with one desperate relative reportedly paying around £6,000 to bring one home.

Heavenly dancer

One of the more unexpected games on the list, Skydancer, was canon in its own right.

The fluffy dolls were designed to spin through the sky by pulling a string, but it was often impossible to predict which direction they would fly, often resulting in unexpected collisions.

However, despite the potential dangers of the Sky Dancer's face, it was one of the most sought-after toys to grace the schoolyard in 1994.

did not understand

Capitalizing on the critter, gremlin and ghost craze originally released in 1987 and enthralling the nation, these rubber dolls were created by Jim Hamson Company alumni Tim Clark, Maureen Trott and Larry Moss.

Unlike many other games released especially in the 1980s, Bogling was not accompanied by any comics, TV series or movies, instead becoming popular only through toy sales.

One pound puppies

A happy compromise for kids who want a pet and parents who don't want the expense, commitment or mess, pound puppies took the world by storm in the '80s and '90s.

Packed in boxes, the plush puppies were of different breeds and came with an adoption certificate.

baby hat

No Christmas toy retrospective would be complete without a mention of the 90s phenomenon Beanie Babies. Originally launched in 1993, the popular range of soft toys was filled with plastic knives.

Although many children were content to simply eat a soft pad at home, they created a large market for collectibles that still exist today.

The Princess the Bear hat, released in memory of the late Princess Diana, is particularly sought after. Although sales of this bear have always benefited the Princess Diana Memorial Fund, it fetches up to $500,000 on the collectors' market in the United States.

Mortar

Originally known as Milk Caps in the 1920s, Pugs saw a huge revival in the 1990s when many popular brands got in on the action and released special branded versions.

When playing with flat, round cardboard pogs, players had to build a stack of these corks and throw a heavy "heavy" object at them, causing the corks to break.

Not only was the game simple and accessible to everyone, but it had the added bonus of allowing players to collect whatever printed pogs they wanted and trade with friends.

Armstrong stretched

A childhood staple since 1976, Stretch Armstrong was a tall, jelly-like figure who looked like a bodybuilder and could stretch from just 15 inches to just over 5 feet!

After being taken off the shelves for a short time between 1997 and 2016, Stretch is still available today.

It spawned a hit TV series, comic books, and even a video game a few years after it hit stores.

Harry Potter Electronic Spell Book

One could easily list most Harry Potter products, but the 2001 eBook of Spells deserves a special mention.

Similar to the principles of the Pokédex (from Pokemon Glory), the e-book offers a variety of spells, magic, and famous wizards to help any wizard on their journey.

Besides being comprehensive, the book also has a quiz feature and has its own planner and calendar to help you stay organized.

artistic surface

Fingerboarding, the use of a small finger-sized skateboard, has been around since the 1960s, but it didn't achieve commercial success until the late 1990s, and Tech became easily the most memorable name on the market.

Popular in several major markets around the world, small skateboards allow users to perform a variety of skateboarding techniques such as sliding, sliding, and jumping on a series of specially designed ramps and equipment.

It's going to be a huge hit and is available for purchase today.

Poly Pocket and Mighty Max

The poly pocket may have made a comeback in recent years, but it's the pocket-sized mini that holds a special place in our nostalgic hearts.

Portable playsets, first released in the 1980s, included figures less than an inch tall that could fit into miniature compacts that served as dollhouses.

The series, initially marketed to young girls, also spawned Mighty Max, a similar line of toys aimed at young boys.

rock

Thanks to the infamous Pet Rock we're now in full swing of the 70s throwback. Originally sold as live pets in special cardboard boxes with straws and breathing holes, these "toys" were part of a short-lived fad in 1975.

While we doubt many kids today will see the funny side of getting a pet on Christmas morning, this photo represents an iconic (albeit funny) moment of holiday nostalgia for many.

Rock 'em Sock 'em Robot

Classic rock 'em socks haven't changed much since their introduction in 1964.

Iconic red and blue robots allow players to fight, paying homage to the early boxing games that hit the arcades earlier this decade.

barbie

Barbie is a familiar face to many children today, just as she was to previous generations of boys and girls - but her appearance now looks much different than ever.

Originally created in the 1950s as a replacement for popular dolls, Barbie was introduced in the spring of 1959 as a teenage model.

The brand, often criticized for promoting unattainable bodies, has resurfaced in recent years with more diverse builds, races and sizes.

Tall, lean and curvy bodies are available as part of the popular range, with sporty leg options and flaws helping kids better identify dolls that look like them.

PlayStation (and dance mats!)

We may be using the PS5 these days, but it all started with the original PS1 when it was first released in Japan in 1994 before making its way to the UK in 1995.

In a marked evolution from past consoles, the console featured a disc drive for the first time, allowing home users to play games instead of using the cartridge method previously found on consoles such as the N64 and Megadrive.

The PlayStation, which brought us many games including Tekken, eclipsed the PS2 until 2000 when it got a successor.

In addition to the PlayStation, there are many other accessories that can enhance players' enjoyment, including a dance mat for players to play Dance Dance Revolution without leaving behind.

Teddy Ruxpin

The newest addition to our list is Teddy Ruxpin, an animatronic bear that tells stories through a series of eye and mouth movements.

Considered fantastic by some and ghostly by others, it enjoyed strong sales in the 1980s, 1990s and 1980s, winning the crown of best-selling game in 1985 and 1986 respectively.

The 2006 version of Bear was also popular, and Creative Child magazine even named it the Animated Interactive Plus of 2006.

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