PRINTTime to tell the true toy story
Here’s the history behind some of the most popular plastics
Nintendo
Game Boy has come far from Tetris and monochrome screens.
December 14, 2006 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Variety is the spice of life, or so they say. But is there too much of a good thing in the toy department? Columbians Greg Beaston and Amelia Denton voiced their concern over the variety of toys they described as overwhelming. As parents, they look for toys that are educational, but they are also concerned with the high prices of the high-tech gadgets. Columbian Robyn Huddleston noticed the trend of children who know only specific brands. She remembers simply asking for a doll for Christmas. “Now they ask for a specific character name or theme,” she says. “When I was little, we’d use our imagination to make the toy whatever we wanted it to be.” With so many choices, sometimes it’s better to go with an old favorite. Check out these classic playthings, and see how they’ve grown up over the years.
The babe in toyland
Barbie made a splash in 1959. Since then, she has tried multiple careers and outfits.
The original (right) was reintroduced in 2001, but the vinyl one (left) caused the 1983 ...
Barbie made her $2 debut in 1959. The first Barbie doll wore a black-and-white striped swimsuit and was available as a blonde or brunette. An immediate hit, 4 million dolls sold in the first five years. Barbie kept up with the times by following fashion trendsetters. She channeled Jackie Kennedy, the “British Invasion,” the disco-era and a tan California girl. Long and straight hair replaced her shorter bouffant. More plastic surgery was in the cards during the 1970s, and Barbie upgraded to bendable wrists, elbows and ankles, which allowed her to take on hobbies such as horseback riding and gymnastics.
It hasn’t all been fun and games for Barbie, who has seen backlash against her fantasy figure. If Barbie were a real woman, she would be 7 feet 2 inches tall, weigh 115 – 130 pounds, have 36-inch hips, a 22-inch waist and a 40-inch bust. A woman with those proportions and small feet would have to walk on all fours.
Courtney Bramon, 38, made forts at her family’s farm instead of playing with Barbies. “But now I love buying them,” she says. “Since I have two boys, it’s what I get for toy drives.” This season’s Barbie is Princess Genevieve from The 12 Dancing Princesses, a book about 12 princesses who are taught etiquette by a strict duchess. Prices range from $10 – $40.
The boy’s man
G.I. Joe first appeared in 1942 in a comic strip created by David Breger for United States military magazines. Three years later, United Artists released The Story of G.I. Joe, a movie about war correspondent Ernie Pyle. In 1964 Hasbro jumped on the G.I. Joe bandwagon and made a 12-inch tall action figure.
After the Vietnam War, Hasbro attempted to downplay the war theme, so G.I. Joe became the leader of the Adventure Team. Two other innovations were added: kung-fu grip hands made of softer plastic and “eagle eyes” that moved via a lever in back of the head.
The rising cost of petroleum in the late ’70s increased the cost of plastic and made the 12-inch G.I. Joe line less profitable. The line was discontinued. In 1982 G.I. Joe was relaunched on a physically smaller scale. The new G.I. Joe was featured in an animated television miniseries and a comic book.
G.I. Joe’s proportions receive criticism similar to Barbie’s. Researchers have observed that with each redesign, Joe’s muscles have become larger.
G.I. Joe will continue to fight evil this Christmas with the Sigma 6 line of troopers, helicopters and jet boats equipped to battle in extreme weather conditions. Figurines and vehicles run from $4.99 – $34.99.
Old kids on the block
Cabbage Patch Kids were first introduced as Little People. Creator Xavier Roberts originally handmade each doll, and at local art shows and fairs, the dolls could be adopted for $40. They were first mass produced in 1983 with round vinyl heads and fabric bodies and sold for $30. That year almost 3 million dolls were sold, and they became the most successful new-doll introduction in the history of the toy industry. Many accidents and near-riots were reported as frantic parents sought the dolls for Christmas.
According to a 1983 Time article, a county consumer affairs department in New York went so far as to accuse the company of “harassing” children with advertisements about dolls that were unavailable, and the CPKs were the December cover story in Newsweek. In 1985, Christopher Xavier became the first CPK to journey to outer space, and in 1992 and 1996 they were the mascot of the U.S. Olympic Team.
But the dolls aren’t all innocent. In 1996, the line Snacktime Kids was recalled because of a mechanism in the mouth that allowed the dolls to “eat” plastic snacks. There were many reports of hair and fingers caught in the metal rollers behind the lips. In 2001, handmade-to-order Cabbage Patch Kids were introduced online for adoption fees from $170 – $255. The latest feature of Cabbage Patch Kids is “Magic Touch Color Silk” hair that changes color with a touch from your fingers or the magic brush that’s included.
“Let’s be honest, Cabbage Patch Kids are the best thing in the world,” Libby Lothman, 22, says with a laugh. “They have a special place in my heart.”
Video game to go
Nintendo’s Game Boy was the first successful handheld game console. Originally packed with the addictive game Tetris, the first generation sold for $89.95 in 1989. It was the brainchild of Nintendo employee Gunpei Yokoi, who sought to create a small, lightweight and inexpensive system with many games. Since its introduction, it has sold more than 150 million units worldwide. Paul Dziuba, employee at Gunther’s Games, remembers it as a “video game on the go” that he took on family vacations. There weren’t a lot of games, but he liked Tetris and Super Mario Land.
These days, the monochrome screen has been traded up for Game Boy Color, released in 1998, and Game Boy Advanced, released in 2001. Less traditional games such as Sudoku have been created to try to broaden the market and entice older buyers who don’t know who Zelda is.
The handheld consoles continue to be successful, but far more noteworthy is this season’s Nintendo Wii, which has interactive wireless controllers. Dziuba doesn’t view his as a huge thing: “I know there will be games I want to play in the future. I bought it for the future potential.” Thousands thronged to stores to snatch up the $249.99 console. Dziuba thinks many bought the system so they could play the new Zelda game, Twilight Princess, which costs approximately $50.
