I was in Target yesterday and......

[RickD]

I was looking at all the new toys and nothing will ever compare to great toys of the 70s and 80s. They were so simple yet the best looking toys ever. Something about the newer stuff today that irritates me. Anyone feel the same way or different?

[Toy Talk]

I do not have anything against the new toys; in fact, their detail makes them pretty neat to look at. For me the excitement from seeing the older toys from when I grew up compared to now is a two-fold explanation: 1)I was a kid, so of course it was more exciting back then, 2)There are soooo many toys lining the shelves now compared to back then. The newer toys do not irritate me at all, and I really enjoy seeing the expression on my sons face when I take him to Toys'rUs.

[Wee67]

Oblectively speaking, modern toys are pretty cool- great detail AND incredible articulation (translating to great playability). I know my 70's bias is completely subjective. Seeing some of those toys really takes me back to a time I've convinced myself was much simpler and fun. Maybe it really wasn't, but I prefer to hold on to my rose-colored perspective.

[HardyGirl]

I was looking at all the new toys and nothing will ever compare to great toys of the 70s and 80s. They were so simple yet the best looking toys ever. Something about the newer stuff today that irritates me. Anyone feel the same way or different?

Actually, I know what you mean. As far as action figures, I don't like the smaller plastic figures. I miss seeing Megos, GIJoes, and Big Jims and their playsets. As far as girls toys, I miss the cool battery-op dolls that did stuff, Charlie's Angels, classic Barbies and 18" fashion dolls. Some modern toys are OK, but nothing will ever beat the feeling of drooling at a toy store window during the holiday season.

[RickD]

I think it is the collector in me to that when I look at the new toys today, it is very hard for me to see that these will be collectible and bring lots of money much like the megos do today. Nobody actually knows what the market will do. Look how the 90s POTF2 Star Wars toys blew up when they first came out and now they are worth less than what you paid for them in the stores.

[Werewolf]

There's a lot of great stuff out there. But I do miss all the cool in house lines there used to be. The majority of stuff is licensed now. I also miss vehicles and playsets in action figure lines. Those have become much fewer and far between. Oh and all the cool Sword and Sorcery lines the 80s. A revamp of LJNs dungeons and Dragons line would be SO cool.

[PNGwynne]

I don't like the smaller plastic figures. I miss seeing Megos, GIJoes, and Big Jims and their playsets.

Amen!!

[DocDrako]

I don't mind the new toys. I'm always looking for something new to play with.

I enjoy looking at all the toys, but pretty much 99% of them hold no appeal to me. I'm always looking for something new and cool to collect, but I usually pass on things until they become the old toy, and then for some reason I take an interest in it.

My newest discovery is Minimates, which I realize have been around for quite some time. But when they were new, I just didn't care. I didn't even get into the new Joes until the end of the 25th anniversary line.

I will always like toys. Why? Either I'm a toy nerd, or my inner child is still going strong. Probably some of both really.

[toys2cool]

that's cause 80's toys were the best

[Figuremod73]

that's cause 80's toys were the best

i would agree to that (60s and 70s are really cool though)
the best line at retail right now is the thundercats classics. i highly recommend them. eight inches and very cool for those a fan of the series or just like action figures in general.
if this line does well, maybe that will help some of the support for releasing heman classic to retail ( i so hope!)

[RickD]

I agree 80s toys are by far the best! Nothing will compare to them! I do find it very cool that they are bringing back all the great toys from the 80s into the newer toys today. Thundercats are one of them and they look very cool. I still can't bring myself the newer toys though. ha!

[Random Axe]

I think it is the collector in me to that when I look at the new toys today, it is very hard for me to see that these will be collectible and bring lots of money much like the megos do today. Nobody actually knows what the market will do. Look how the 90s POTF2 Star Wars toys blew up when they first came out and now they are worth less than what you paid for them in the stores.

I think the secret is not to look at toys as an investment. We've been programmed to grab "hot" items and chase figures and we'll be rewarded with astronomical prices later. It's hard to get out of that your system in this new economy.

Personally, I couldn't care less about value. I just pick things up that have a personal meaning or it just too cool to leave on the pegs. I pretty much open everything, so I instantly destroy any value once I get home.

Aside from a couple of lines, most modern toys just seem so sterile and lifeless. I look at target aisles and just cannot see the appeal of Ben10 and other similar stuff. That's nothing more than my age and being a bitter, jaded bald man.

[Mikey]

I never even see kids in the toys isles of department stores anymore

Usually there's a few adult men looking at action figures and hot wheels cars.

Do kids even browse toys anymore ?

[Figuremod73]

i think theres little excitment. its not becoming uncommon to find younger people into stuff like vintage Heman. I dont understand why this isnt being capitalized on by the toy companies. Those new Thundercats classics that i was talking about have been selling really well at my local Walmart. They seem to be selling as well if not better than the Cartoon network version (that i dont really care for). It may be older collectors buying them since they are so close to the look of the originals but i like to think its because they may be the best thing put on the pegs in a good while...

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I think the problem is that a lot of toy lines come and go so fast. It was mentioned that everything is a license now and pretty much you can be sure that the line won't be around three months later or the line will be only peg warmers that will stay forever. I loved my youth because for what seemed like eternity, if you wanted a new Superman figure, you could always bank that you could go to the store and find one in some format or the other. Same things with board games, etc.

My kids love going through the toy aisle, but my son will pretty much look only at Imaginext, Thomas the Train, and Hot Wheels. My daughter is almost 9 and is starting to look at the DVD section more so than the toys.