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17 Classic Toys Millennials Couldn’t Get Enough Of

17 Classic Toys Millennials Couldn’t Get Enough Of

Many of us have fond memories of the toys we had when we were children. From Hula Hoops and Slinky to G.I. Joe and Barbie, we can look back on our childhood with nostalgia and recall the times we spent playing with our beloved trinkets and playthings. And when it comes to Millennials, (those born between 1980 and 1996), the largest generational group in the U.S. as of 2023, there were many classic toys they adored.

It was during the ’80s and ’90s that the toy frenzies came into play. Children were so hyped about having a certain toy or gadget that it created a craze for the latest and greatest, starting a frenzied trend that often led to toy shortages. Parents were desperate to get the latest must-have toy and had to wait in lines, often for hours on end.

To compile a list of 17 classic toys millennials couldn’t get enough of, 24/7 Tempo consulted the archives of companies such as Hasbro; data curated by The Strong National Museum of Play; encyclopedia sources such as Britannica; and media outlets including Reader’s Digest, The New York Times, Time, Good Housekeeping, and Smithsonian. 24/7 Tempo exercised editorial discretion in making the final selection where appropriate. 

Rubik’s Cube

vitranc / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Made by: Ideal Toy Company
  • Why so popular? Loved by children and adults, books dedicated to help solve it

Smurfs

nicescene / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Made by: Peyo
  • Why so popular? Due to a 1981 TV series

My Little Pony

ivanastar / Getty Images
  • Made by: Hasbro
  • Why so popular? Always popular but demand soared when TV series launched in 1986

Cabbage Patch Kids

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Made by: Coleco
  • Why so popular? Successful marketing of dolls as ‘adoptable’

Transformers

Gobi / Flickr
  • Made by: Hasbro
  • Why so popular? Comics, animated television series, and live-action films

Teddy Ruxpin

Mathue / Wikimedia Commons
  • Made by: Worlds of Wonder/Hasbro/Yes! Entertainment/BacPack Toys/Wicked Cool Toys
  • Why so popular? First commercially available animatronic toy

Care Bears

John Trainor / Wikimedia Commons
  • Made by: Kenner/Parker Brothers
  • Why so popular? Animated TV series and ‘personality’ traits

Jenga

Guma89 / Wikimedia Commons
  • Made by: Milton Bradley
  • Why so popular? Physical toy, can be played outside

Super Mario Bros

ilbusca / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Made by: Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Why so popular? New type of entertainment for kids

Game Boy

Public Domain /. Wikimedia Commons
  • Made by: Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Why so popular? Novelty of pocket-sized electronic game

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

ivanastar / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Made by: Playmates Toys
  • Why so popular? Animated television series and live action movie

Super Nintendo

panchof / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Made by: Nintendo Entertainment System
  • Why so popular? Very detailed graphics

Talkboy

Home Alone 2
Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
  • Made by: Tiger Electronics
  • Why so popular? Used as a prop in the 1992 Christmas movie “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Beanie Babies

dominiquegodbout / Flickr
  • Made by: Ty Inc.
  • Why so popular? An early internet sensation

Power Rangers

Shahzad Bhiwandiwala / Flickr
  • Made by: Hasbro
  • Why so popular? 1993 live action television series

Buzz Lightyear

Valerie Loiseleux / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Made by: Thinkaways
  • Why so popular? “Toy Story” movie

Tickle Me Elmo

Chris Harrison / Flickr
  • Made by: Tyco
  • Why so popular? Novelty of shaking toy and popular TV character
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