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Hasbro created the G.I. Joe action figures in 1964 to market dolls to boys, but due to a sexist company policy at the time, it was prohibited to market them as "dolls."
Four figures were initially launched to represent the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Marines, and within two years, the toy was bringing in more than half of the company's profits. Since then, the toy has launched movies, a cartoon series, and more.
The Suzy Homemaker line of toys were miniature functioning plastic household appliances that included a blender, a stove, a refrigerator with plastic food included, and an iron.
The toys promoted strict domesticity, but with the rise of women's rights movements, the Suzy Homemaker line lost popularity.
The Lite-Brite consisted of a light box, black paper, and colored pegs. All you had to do was put the black paper on the box and stick the pegs in following the provided templates or creating your own image. Once you turned the light on, your image was illuminated. Simple and fun.
Mattel had a hit with their small model cars with plastic wheels that allowed kids to make them zoom around. Countless designs and colors mean there is a car that can appeal to just about anyone.
With the introduction of toy racing tracks, they became an even bigger smash.
We went to the moon in 1969, so what better way to celebrate the scientific and technological success than with space-related toys.
Snoopy was an incredibly popular and beloved character from the "Peanuts" comics. He was also chosen as NASA's safety mascot for the Apollo program, so the Snoopy Astronaut made perfect sense.
Before Nerf was synonymous with water guns and foam sports balls, they had one product, the Nerf Ball, which was marketed as "the world's first indoor ball." The foam material promised to be less destructive than any other ball. Now the brand has expanded to toy weapons and more.
Weebles were egg-shaped toys that promised not to fall over thanks to their shape and weight distribution. Their wobbly nature was great fun for kids. Playskool released numerous characters and made play sets that included things like houses, schools, and Wehicles (their vehicles).
Uno is still an incredibly popular card game. The whole point is to be the first to get rid of all your cards, but don't forget to yell out "UNO" when you are down to your final card or else you have to pick up seven more cards.
There are a lot more options now including video games and themed packs, but nothing beats the simple original.
Skateboards weren't new in the '70s, but the invention of the polyurethane wheel changed the skateboarding game and made it immensely more popular. The wheel had a better grasp on pavement and provided a safer experience for the skaters. It's a cultural icon.
The best-selling wargaming role-playing game has gone through numerous editions and changes over the years, but when it was first released in 1974, it was a small box set that included three booklets.
Early users had to be familiar with similar games to understand the combat rules.
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