18 Popular Toys From the 1980s That’ll Make You Want to Go Back in Time

Though the Rubik’s Cube was invented in 1974, it rose to international fame in the ’80s, becoming a popular pastime for children and adults alike. It was easy to lose track of time trying to solve the cube, though once you got the hang of it, you might start zipping through it to beat your previous record.

These days, there are fun challenges and new styles to keep the Rubik’s cube entertaining, even if you’ve solved it already.

Buy the Rubik’s Cube

Introduced in 1978 by Hasbro, Hungry Hungry Hippos is a tabletop game with a simple but chaotic premise: Players press on their hippo to gobble up as many marbles as possible. The classic ’80s game was rereleased in 2012, though the colors of the hippos and base were modified from the original design.

There are also new versions that are designed for small hands or dinosaur enthusiasts, but none will protect you from siblings fighting over who won.

Buy Hungry Hungry Hippos

The adorable Care Bears were originally drawn to adorn cards for American Greetings before they were turned into plush toys in the early ’80s. Multiple animated Care Bears films were produced throughout the decade on the strength of these characters, and new TV entries are still coming out to this day.

Buy Care Bears

Cabbage Patch Kids were one of the decade's most delightful and in-demand toys after making their debut on toy store shelves in 1982. They have a comforting weight to them that makes them a favorite of kids around the world to this day.

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The original Game Boy was released in April of 1989, forever changing the landscape of video games and paving the way for handheld gaming as we know it. Produced by Nintendo, Game Boy made video games portable, so kids could play games like Tetris and Super Mario Land on the go.

While you could scour resell sites (or your own storage) for a working, good-condition original Game Boy, Nintendo has some renewed models available for sale—they’ll just cost a pretty penny.

Buy Original Game Boy

The bestselling toy of 1985 and 1986, Teddy Ruxpin was in homes everywhere throughout the ’80s. The talking toy was a cutting-edge novelty at the time. It was re-released recently, but save your cash for this only if you’re a true Teddy Ruxpin fan—it costs over $200.

Buy Teddy Ruxpin

With their signature floppy ears and adorably droopy eyes, Pound Puppies were the must-have stuffed toys of the ’80s and early ’90s. These toys came from Tonka, mostly known for their classic trucks. Like many toys of the era, there were accompanying animated films and TV series for fans to enjoy.

Buy Pound Puppies

Created by Mattel, Masters of the Universe dominated the landscape with its fun characters and unique sci-fi and fantasy world setting. Minicomics accompanied the Masters of the Universe toys in the box, which were soon expanded into several children’s books, full-length comics, and several animations.

Buy Masters of the Universe Figurines

Polly Pocket has evolved to keep up with the ever-changing times, but the original Polly Pocket was easily one of the most beloved toys of the ’80s. The miniature dolls came in compact makeup compact-sized dollhouses, and the varieties of dolls and compacts available were endless.

Buy Polly Pocket

The advent of the Walkman was a game-changer for music lovers. For the first time, you could listen to your own cassette wherever you are! The Walkman later evolved into the Discman when compact discs replaced cassette tapes.

While most people use their smartphones for music these days, you can still find newly-minted and vintage tapes out there, as well as old Walkman-style players.

Buy Portable Cassette Players

Star Wars was, and still is one of the most groundbreaking film franchises when it began in 1977 and Star Wars toys were equally successful. Children everywhere loved the chance to bring their favorite movie characters home for playtime.

There are endless Star Wars toys now, so take your pick with tons of lovely memorabilia.

Duck Hunt was easily one of the most popular games for the Nintendo Entertainment System of the ’80s, and you needed the Nintendo Zapper to be able to play it. The toy gun was fashioned to look like a real one, making the virtual hunting game all the more fun.

While the Zapper isn’t compatible with any modern Nintendo consoles, you can buy a renewed version just for the memories.

Buy the Nintendo Zapper

Invented by Belgian toy designers in 1969, the Pogo Bal became a massive trend in the toy landscape in the mid-’80s. The toy was manufactured by Hasbro throughout the ’80s and into the early ’90s, and you can still find it today, though Gen Z kids might prefer their hoverboards.

Buy the Pogo Bal

Younger generations may recognize Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head from the Toy Story films, but long before they were animated characters, they were a staple on toy store shelves. Their cute faces and interchangeable features made them a beloved toy that will forever have a place in playtime history.

Buy Mr. Potato Head

Transformers was one of the biggest film franchises of the '80s, so it was only natural that Transformers toys would follow suit. The Transformers Autobot Commander action figure was a must-have for kids, and today one in decent condition can fetch up to $500, as collectors are willing to pay top dollar for the classic toy.

Buy Transformers Toys

It’s hard to imagine the ’80s without Etch-A-Sketch. Though it was originally invented in the ’60s, it continued to rise in popularity and became a staple in households with children all around the world. In 1995, Etch-A-Sketch made its first appearance in the Toy Story film franchise, only furthering its legacy.

Buy the Etch-A-Sketch

Pez are a candy known more for their dispensers than for the sweets themselves. Pez dispensers were first invented in the late ’20s, but throughout the ’80s, they were all the rage. To this day, collectors all over the world continue to amass their collections of the adorable candy dispensers.

Buy Pez Dispensers

Sesame Street is one of the most beloved and acclaimed children’s television series of all time, and countless toys based on the show have emerged, though few are as popular as the Sesame Street Doll House of the ’80s. After all, it’s hard to find anything cuter than baby Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, and Cookie Monster.

Unfortunately, this doll house is no longer available to buy from the original manufacturer—only resellers. However, kids today might be happier with a similar Bluey house.

Buy Bluey House